Asked Masai Ujiri about hiring Dusty May as Mavs coach:
“Dusty stood out in many ways. I saw him in Chicago in the predraft camp & observed him. Talking to people & it’s a different ball game with NIL & college & how you operate with youth. It’s almost like a professional league in college. Many things translate.”
Here's Chris Finch when asked about Micah Nori's contract in Portland being for just one guaranteed season.
"The first thing I would like to say about that is I thought it was a shame that a lot of the story about Micah's great opportunity was overshadowed by the nature of the deal that he signed. That's a personal decision. That's a business decision. That's between him the team and the agent...."
"I just know this: There's 30 of these jobs. They're hard to get...."
"I also know that you gotta bet on yourself in this world. And especially when you're an outsider. We consider ourselves a little bit of outsiders. We weren't raised in the game. We didn't play at North Carolina or Duke. So sometimes your path is just different and you gotta take chances along the way."
No trades were made, and the Lakers have said they want to add young talent through the draft.
Tonight, they have one pick: No. 25.
That makes Rohan Ramadas one of the most important people in the room. The Lakers hired him as assistant GM of strategy and data systems to bring more analytics, modeling and long term value analysis into decisions like this, and @DanWoikeSports
says the early word is that he has already been impressive in draft meetings.
Ramadas spent nine seasons with New Orleans and also worked as a draft analyst for Miami, so this is not new territory for him. He is not replacing traditional scouting, but his data background should help LA compare prospect value, roster fit, development upside and possible trade scenarios.
The Lakers are believed to be looking closely at centers, with high motor reportedly being an important trait. They could also try to acquire a second round pick if someone they value falls, while continuing to search for undrafted talent.
With only one current pick, LA cannot afford to draft for name recognition or short term hype. They need a young, cost controlled player who fits next to Luka and can eventually become part of the rotation.
Tonight is the first real test of the Lakers new front office direction.
Let’s see what Ramadas and Rob Pelinka come up with. 👀
How are we feeling Lakers fans 💀
#LakeShow
Free agent guard Ayo Dosunmu intends to sign a five-year, $112 million contract to return to the Minnesota Timberwolves, with a player option in the fifth season, sources tell ESPN. Timberwolves made it a major priority to lock in Dosunmu after his tremendous postseason.