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The NBA world has been in a frenzy for the last two days with trade rumors surfacing amidst the second round of the playoffs. Ejections and flagrant fouls have become quite common lately and the game is getting too physical on the court.
Jordan Poole and Ja Morant have been involved in an incident that the league office might look into. Meanwhile, while Giannis Antetokounmpo is holding himself back from speaking up against officiating.
The NBA community is following rumors for coaches more than players right now as several teams have head coaching vacancies. There might be a shake-up with the Utah Jazz roster and Laker Nation is surrounded by LeBron James trade scenarios.
There are several stories to cover, so let's dive into the top rumors and related news from the last 24 hours in the NBA.
LA Lakers aren't interested in promoting assistant coach Phil Handy
LA Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy is reportedly looking for jobs as a head coach in the NBA but no team appears to be giving him a chance. His own team isn't reportedly as interested as the Lakers aren't giving him an interview opportunity.
The Athletic's Bill Oram appeared as a guest on "The Forum Club", The Athletic's official LA Lakers-related podcast, where he discussed the state of the team and the hunt for a head coach. He addressed the Phil Handy rumor and reported:
"Not a name I’ve heard, though, in terms of internally the Lakers looking at Phil Handy. Whether that’s because of an overall reset on the coaching staff, or because he doesn’t bring exactly what they’re looking for, hard to say."
Phil Handy made six consecutive NBA Finals as an assistant coach from 2015 to 2020, from the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Toronto Raptors and finally LA Lakers.
Shaquille O'Neal picks to trade a 3x DPOY big man amidst the Utah Jazz rebuilding rumors
The Utah Jazz are reportedly looking to shake things up with their roster. They have had consecutive early playoff exits with no NBA Finals appearance or championship run in sight. There are several rumors that Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert are at odds with each other and the front office has to choose between them.
Shaquille O'Neal weighed in on the rumors and said he isn't surprised that the two stars in Salt Lake City are on bad terms because it's quite visible. He was asked to choose between the two if he was in the Jazz organization and he surprisingly picked Mitchell to invest in the future.
O'Neal once publicly said Mitchell doesn't have what it takes so his decision was certainly surprising. He spoke on the matter on his podcast, "The Big Podcast with Shaq", saying:
"Gotta get rid of Rudy but nobody...Who's gonna want to pay a guy all that money, who can't score?"
When shockingly asked to reconsider whether he would seriously give up a three-time NBA DPOY and dominant 7-footer over Donovan Mitchell, Shaq responded:
"Game is changing. Yeah, defense wins championships but you know, scoring points also gets you championships."
One-time NBA All-Star Gordon Hayward might be available on the trade block soon
Gordon Hayward is certainly a very talented forward in the NBA but his injury history is starting to concern many teams. He was traded from the Utah Jazz after seven years and then from Boston after three seasons despite being a favorite in the locker room. He is now with the Charlotte Hornets and might be looking to make his fourth home soon enough.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Hornets are looking to trade Gordon Hayward due to his injury issues, but he isn't a hot asset in the market. Scotto mentioned that he is viewed as a "neutral asset" as the league generally considers him a "good player" but his injury history is a huge red flag.
Magic Johnson hopes for a long-time partnership between LeBron James and his former club
LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson has been hearing preposterous rumors suggesting that the Purple and Gold should trade LeBron James to get younger assets. He recently admitted in an interview with TMZ that he wants King James to stay put in Los Angeles. He said:
"LeBron... I hope he is a Laker for a long time. I hope so."
When asked about the new additions to the roster and the head coaching search, the five-time champion refused to indulge. The interviewer kept pressing him if he would ever sit on the bench and be head coach himself and Johnson laughed it off. Magic said:
"That's it. That's it. I don't know (who they're going to bring)...I don't think Phil (Jackson) is going to coach again. But he's helping with the look, so that's good. He's going to do what I'm sure Jeanie Buss and Rob Pelinka (want)."
LA Lakers waiting on Utah Jazz and Philadelphia 76ers head coaches to become available
The LA Lakers have officially interviewed former Golden State Warriors head coach Mark Jackson for their coaching vacancy. Jackson is reportedly the frontrunner for the Sacramento Kings job. The LA Lakers are trying to wait for either the Utah Jazz or the Philadelphia 76ers announce that they are letting go of their head coaches.
They are hoping that the Sixers lose in the ongoing second round of the NBA playoffs and the organization fires coach Rivers. Whereas the Jazz's first-round exit makes coach Snyder a prospect as well. According to NBA reporter Marc Stein, if either coach Snyder or Rivers becomes available, the LA Lakers are expected to be first in line for their services.
