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NBA rumors around the league have picked up steam of late following the commencement of round two of the playoffs. The LA Lakers and the Utah Jazz have been the most prominent names mentioned so far.
The Lakers continue to look for ways to improve their roster, starting with their search for a new head coach.
They initially requested permission to speak with Milwaukee Bucks' assistant coach Darvin Ham. LA is now rumored to have an interest in another assistant coach currently working with an Eastern Conference playoff contender.
Meanwhile, Anthony Davis and Jordan Clarkson have been the latest names to pop up in the NBA rumor mill as well.
On that note, let's take a look at the most eye-catching stories reported over the last 24 hours.
LA Lakers ask permission to interview Toronto Raptors' assistant coach Adrian Griffin
Raptors' GM Masai Ujiri ruled out the possibility of Toronto head coach Nick Nurse signing with the LA Lakers. Rob Pelinka and company have turned their attention to assistant coach Adrian Griffin.
Here's what The Athletic's Shams Charania reported regarding this:
“Sources tell me the Lakers are planning to interview Raptors' assistant Adrian Griffin as part of the search for their next head coach. Griffin joined Bucks assistant Darvin Ham as two known candidates so far for the job.
"Griffin played nine seasons in the NBA and has served as an assistant since 2008, coaching on the sidelines for Milwaukee, Chicago, Orlando, Oklahoma City and now Toronto, where he was part of Nick Nurse’s championship staff in 2019.”
Griffin lacks head coaching experience, but his CV as an assistant coach is stacked. The LA Lakers are in a win-now situation, though, so it will be interesting to see if they prefer to go after a more experienced candidate.
Stephen A Smith says NBA executives told him that Anthony Davis' trade value has taken a hit due to his injury history
ESPN analyst Stephen A Smith made a bold claim recently, saying the LA Lakers should look to trade LeBron James. One of the key reasons behind his opinion was Anthony Davis' trade value, taking a hit because of his injury-prone history.
Smith revealed that he spoke to a few executives around the league, who said that there isn't much the Lakers would receive in a potential Davis trade. Here's what he said on ESPN's "First Take:"
"I know for a fact by numerous executives I have spoken to can't get so much value for Anthony Davis, who is perpetually injured and he's not reliable, health-wise. We know how big-time he is as a player."
Anthony Davis is a crucial player for the LA Lakers moving forward. He is currently on a max deal that will keep him in Hollywood until the 2024-25 season.
Davis suffered two unfortunate injuries during the last campaign, limiting him to only 40 games. His absence proved costly, as they failed to make the play-in tournament.
Utah Jazz star Jordan Clarkson is projected to be a 'hot commodity' if he's made available in trade talks
Utah Jazz star and last year's Sixth Man of the Year Jordan Clarkson is projected to be a hot commodity if he hits the trade block this upcoming offseason. Here's what Hoops Hype reported regarding this:
"Clarkson performed admirably in the playoffs, averaging 17.5 points and 3.2 rebounds over six games while shooting 54.8 percent from the floor.
"That, coupled with his attractive salary – he is owed $13.3 million next season and has a player option for the year after, worth just $14.3 million – could make Clarkson a hot commodity on the trade market if his name does get put on the block."
Clarkson has been one of the most consistent players for the Utah Jazz outside of Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert.
The Jazz haven't been able to achieve postseason success with their current roster composition for two years in a row. This has led to NBA rumors suggesting they could shake things up in the offseason.
