Category: NBA

Why Draymond compares De'Anthony Melton's pending debut to Dennis Schröder's originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After more than one year away from the court, De’Anthony Melton is set to make his season debut for the Warriors on Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers. 

With an 11-11 record in December, the Warriors aren’t yet in panic mode, but a sense of urgency is apparent amid a lackluster 2-4 stretch.

Sure, Melton’s return could help boost Golden State into turning a corner. But, after the Warriors’ 124-112 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, Draymond Green cautioned the idea of placing the team’s success squarely on Melton’s return. 

“We know he shoots the ball at a very high clip. He’s a great defender. He’s a great secondary ball handler for us in his time with us,” Green said to reporters postgame Tuesday at Chase Center. “But like I said, I don’t want to put a bunch of pressure on him.” 

Green likened Melton’s imminent return to the Warriors’ acquisition of guard Dennis Schröder, who made his Golden State debut last December. The team was 14-11 and was in a similar state of soul-searching. 

“I’ve never said this, but I think Dennis Schröder was probably put in one of the worst positions a player could be put in. It’s not that Dennis Schröder couldn’t work here, but we were so desperate that it was almost like everyone expected him to come in and be the savior, so he never got a fair shot…” 

“… And in turn, he got traded, and the rest is history. But here in San Francisco, we never truly got to see the player that Dennis Schröder really is because there was so much thrown at him that – if I’m honest – it wasn’t quite right, but it’s just what it was.” 

Schröder averaged 10.6 points and 4.4 assists per game with a middling 37.5 field goal percentage. He started 18 of his 24 games played with the Warriors. The team went 11-13 with Schröder before including him in a five-team trade, which landed Jimmy Butler in Golden State. 

Schröder did not provide the boost the Warriors needed, but to Green, his performance alone was not the determining factor for Golden State’s success.  

“It wasn’t like it was one person; it was everybody. There’s a standard here to win, and when you’re not doing that, everyone’s looking for that next thing to make that happen,” Green explained. “And so, I say all of that to say, I don’t want to see that happen to Melt.”

The Warriors were very successful with Melton’s contributions last season, going 9-2 before his season was cut short due to an ACL injury. During that period, Golden State averaged 121.2 points per game, the second-best scoring average in the league. 

That small sample size has generated anticipation for his return this season. Nevertheless, Green made a point to temper expectations. 

“There’s just so much that has to go on in that process of returning back to the player that you are,” Green said. “But I don’t want to see him get thrown in this fire of like, ‘ah man, he’s got to save the day and it’s on him.’ Like, nah, that’s unfair to him.” 

Last season, Melton was an efficient scorer, averaging 10.3 points in just 20.2 minutes per game. Even if it takes time to return to form, Melton contributing with scoring off the bench and providing secondary ball-handling would be a welcome sight for Golden State. 

“What he should be is the guy that comes and contributes in the way that he can, and we have to be patient with that,” Green said. “And all of us around him got to do what we got to do in order to help this team win so that that type of pressure isn’t on him.” 

Melton, 27, signed a two-year, $6.5 million contract with the Warriors in September to rejoin the team that traded him the season before.  

Although Green cautions patience, the soul-searching Warriors hope that Melton’s contributions pay off sooner rather than later. 

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Jaylen Brown is playing at an MVP level over incredible five-game span originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye isn’t the only Boston athlete playing at an MVP-level right now.

With Jayson Tatum sidelined due to an Achilles injury, Jaylen Brown has taken his game to a higher level as the No. 1 option for the Boston Celtics.

Brown is averaging 29 points (career high), 6.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists (career high), while shooting 49.9 percent from the field (career high) and 34.7 percent from 3-point range this season. He’s also shooting a career-best 77.7 percent from the free throw line. His 6.9 free throws attempted per game and 58.7 true shooting percentage represent career highs as well.

If Brown maintains his 29 points per game average, it would be the third-highest in a single season in C’s history, behind only Tatum (30.1 in 2022-23) and Larry Bird (29.9 in 1987-88).

Brown’s scoring, playmaking, rebounding, defense and leadership have helped the Celtics earn a 12-9 record through 21 games despite a tough schedule and the introduction of many new players into the lineup.

Brown ranks seventh among all players in points per game, fourth in total points and second in field goals made. He has scored 30-plus points in 11 games so far.

The last five games in particular have been really impressive for Brown. The Celtics have beaten four very good teams — the Cavaliers, Knicks, Magic and Pistons — over that span, along with a narrow loss to the Timberwolves.

Brown has led the way during this difficult stretch, especially offensively. He’s averaging 34 points, 7.2 rebounds and 7.0 assists over these five games.

Here’s an in-depth look at Brown’s fantastic play in the last five matchups.

Dec. 2 vs. Knicks

Score: 123-117 Celtics

Brown’s stats: 42 points, four rebounds, four assists

The Celtics trailed the Knicks by 13 in the second quarter before Brown put the team on his back and scored 18 in the frame to give Boston a lead it would protect through the rest of the night.

This was Brown’s third 40-point game of the season and his second in the last week. He did it efficiently, too, shooting 66.7 percent from the field and 8-for-9 from the foul line.

Brown hunted Knicks star Jalen Brunson on offense and scored 14 points on 6-for-7 shooting in that matchup. Brown’s size and strength were too much for Brunson.

Nov. 30 at Cavs

Score: 117-115 Celtics

Brown’s stats: 19 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists

Payton Pritchard was on fire in this game and scored a team-leading 42 points, so Brown went into facilitator mode with 11 assists. He also grabbed a team-high 12 rebounds along with 19 points to tally his first triple-double of the season.

Brown also was ultra-aggressive in attacking the basket and shot 12-for-16 from the free throw line.

Nov. 29 at Timberwolves

Score: 119-115 T-Wolves

Brown’s stats: 41 points, seven assists, six rebounds, five steals

Brown was the only Celtics player consistently hitting shots in this game, at least in the first half. He didn’t just score, though; he also added seven assists, six rebounds and five steals in an impressive all-around effort.

Nov. 26 vs. Pistons

Score: 117-114 Celtics

Brown’s stats: 33 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two blocks, two steals

The Celtics beat the first-place Pistons with Brown tallying his second 30-point double-double of the season. Nine of Brown’s 33 points came in the fourth quarter, including a clutch bucket and a foul with 1:37 left to play.

He also made a strong impact defensively with two blocks and two steals. Pistons players shot a lackluster 4-for-15 when Brown was the primary defender.

Nov. 23 vs. Magic

Score: 138-129 Celtics

Brown’s stats: 35 points, eight assists, four rebounds

Brown’s 13 fourth-quarter points helped the Celtics stave off a late Magic comeback attempt.

Christmas is coming early to some lucky families in Los Angeles.

The Clippers and the NBA are teaming up to give Los Angeles families an opportunity to receive free NBA All-Star-branded outdoor hoops over the next 75 days in celebration of the NBA All-Star Game coming to Intuit Dome.

Beginning Wednesday, Los Angeles residents can submit their personal stories at clippers.com/hoops for a chance to receive one of the hoops that will be distributed each day in a 75-day countdown to the All-Star Game on Feb. 15.

Coaches, parents and players can share: Why do you want a hoop? What inspires you to play? How has basketball influenced your life, family or neighborhood? How could the game change your future?

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Forsberg: It's time to re-evaluate expectations for the 2025-26 Celtics originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

How soon is too soon to call off the “gap year”? 

With Jayson Tatum out indefinitely due to a ruptured Achilles tendon and four core members of their 2024 championship squad on new teams, most assumed the Boston Celtics would fade to the NBA’s background in 2025-26. Maybe they’d make a push for a spot in the play-in tournament, but with a trimmed-down roster featuring plenty of new faces, this seemed like an opportunity to hit the reset button and focus on preparing for a bounce-back season in 2026-27 with Tatum back in the fold.

After Tuesday’s thrilling victory over the New York Knicks at TD Garden, however, the Celtics have won seven of their last nine games to improve to 12-9 at the quarter mark of the 2025-26 season. And as Celtics insider Chris Forsberg noted on Tuesday night’s Celtics Talk Podcast, it’s fair to wonder whether we’ve undersold this Boston team.

“It’s time to re-evaluate expectations,” Forsberg said on Celtics Talk. “We came into the season, and understandably there was this idea that we needed temper expectations — that it might be a year where a draft pick would be the most valuable thing. We knew there would be some ups and downs, and an 0-3 start certainly hammered that home.

” … But even I have to admit, a lot of the younger players have exceeded a lot of what I thought was possible. And now as we stand in early December with every Jayson Tatum Snapchat video that he puts out showing him doing some new move that I can’t even do with two full Achilles tendons, I’m left to think, ‘Oh my gosh, this team is very good.’

“They just completed a five-game stretch in which they beat the Pistons, the Cavs, the Knicks and the Magic, which in my mind are the four best teams in the Eastern Conference.”

To Forsberg’s point, the Celtics have played very well against elite competition: They have seven wins against teams .500 or better (tied for second-most in the NBA), and they’re 6-3 against the top six teams in the East. While Jaylen Brown is playing like a fringe MVP candidate (29.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game), the C’s also have gotten surprisingly strong contributions from young role players like Jordan Walsh and Josh Minott.

The season is very young, of course, and Boston’s margin for error is very slim. If Brown, Derrick White or Payton Pritchard are forced to miss extended time, things could go south in a hurry.

But there’s also a world in which this Celtics team continues its upward trajectory and sets itself up to be a legitimate threat in the East whenever Tatum comes back.

“If the Celtics are healthy — if Derrick White, who has for small pockets of games pulled himself out of whatever random funk that he’s in for the start of the season, and Payton Pritchard, who has his moments where he just doesn’t have it on certain nights — if those guys all start just fully going, and you’re getting this from Walsh and Hugo [Gonzalez] and [Neemias] Queta … the Boston Celtics are not a play-in team,” Forsberg said.

“They’re not a lottery team. They are a legit playoff team, and the sort of team that, especially if Jayson Tatum is back out there … the Eastern Conference is not going to want to see these Boston Celtics.”

De'Anthony Melton will make his season debut in Warriors-76ers after ACL rehab originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

De’Anthony Melton, after 387 days away, will return to NBA action on Thursday.

The Warriors guard has been sidelined for more than a year while recovering from a torn ACL injury he sustained in Golden State’s win against the Dallas Mavericks on Nov. 12, 2024.

Now, for the first time in more than a year, Melton is not on the NBA’s injury report ahead of Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers, his former team from 2022 to 2024.

On Saturday, the Warriors hinted that Melton could make his season debut during Golden State’s upcoming three-game road trip, which begins in Philadelphia.

This comes after the team shared that Melton was making good progress and has been a full participant in recent practices, even scrimmaging in various settings.

Melton, 27, underwent surgery on Dec. 4, 2024. He was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in December but re-signed with Golden State during the 2025 offseason.

In six games with the Warriors last season, Melton averaged 10.3 points on 40.7-percent shooting from the field and 37.1 percent from 3-point range, with 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.2 steals in 20.2 minutes.

And now, he’s looking forward to finishing where he left off with Golden State.

“I’m trying to provide everything – if it’s from shooting, to playmaking, to defense, to IQ – I think I bring all that stuff to the table,” Melton told reporters Monday after practice at Chase Center. “And also, just to have a secondary ball handler out there just to help break guys down and kick out at the same time…” 

“… And my ability to shoot and defend is definitely something I think any team can use. So, just bringing all that stuff to the table and just being a smart basketball player too.”

It certainly is a welcome sight for the struggling Warriors, who could use Melton’s services on both ends of the court following an underwhelming 11-11 start to the season.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Warriors star Jimmy Butler's knee injury reportedly isn't believed to be serious originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors, already missing Steph Curry for the entirety of their upcoming road trip, likely won’t also be without their second star for an extended period of time.

Jimmy Butler, who was seen limping after Golden State’s 104-96 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Saturday, was questionable entering Tuesday’s matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder with a glute contusion.

He wound up playing in the contest and starting, but the veteran forward exited the game early and sat out the entire second half due to a sore left knee. Warriors coach Steve Kerr had limited information after Golden State’s 124-112 loss.

“I don’t know anything more,” Kerr said. “I didn’t even know [he was out] until I was drawing up a play with a minute to go [before the second half] and somebody came in the huddle and said Jimmy is down.”

But Butler’s knee injury isn’t believed to be serious, ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported in a column published Wednesday, citing sources. While Butler’s status for the start of the Warriors’ road trip against the 76ers in Philadelphia is in question, Slater added that Butler shouldn’t miss much — if any — time.

The Warriors, just 22 games into the season, already have faced levels of adversity early in the 2025-26 season.

Butler also dealt with ankle and back soreness earlier this season, much of which he’s played through.

In 20 games this season, Butler is averaging 19.5 points on 51.9-percent shooting from the field and 43.9 percent from 3-point range, with 5.6 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 30.9 minutes.

Meanwhile, Curry won’t join the Warriors on the road trip and will remain in the Bay Area for treatment on his left thigh contusion.

After going 2-3 on their homestand, the Warriors will look to find a spark on the road as they head to Philadelphia, Cleveland and Chicago before returning to Chase Center on Dec. 12 to face the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Chris Paul was released by the Clippers overnight after extended conflict with the team, a league source not authorized to discuss the issue publicly told The Times.

Paul called out fellow Clippers players, coaches and president of basketball operations Lawrence Frank during his current stint with the team, a league source told The Times. The person added that Paul apologized, but "everyone was fed up."

It is unlikely Paul will sign with another team, a league source told The Times, because of his powerful voice in the locker room, which can be difficult for teams to deal with, and his age.

"He's not the player he used to be," a league source said when asked about Paul's options after the Clippers' decision.

Read more:Clippers' Chris Paul hints at retirement in return to North Carolina

Paul announced his abrupt and startling exit from the team amid what was expected to be his final NBA season.

“Just Found Out I'm Being Sent Home,” Paul posted on social media at around 3 a.m. Eastern time Wednesday morning, adding a peace emoji.

The struggling Clippers are in Atlanta for a game against the Hawks on Wednesday night. The Clippers lost at Miami on Monday night to fall to 5-16 in a wildly disappointing start to the season.

The 40-year-old Paul is playing his 21st NBA season, and he strongly hinted last month that it will be his last. The 12-time All-Star and two-time Olympic gold medalist has earned four All-NBA first team selections, and he ranks second in NBA history with 12,552 assists. He was the first player to score at least 20,000 points while recording at least 10,000 assists.

Read more:'Conspiracy theories': Clippers' Kawhi Leonard denies that his endorsement deal was cheating

He became arguably the most accomplished player in Clippers franchise history while leading the team to six winning seasons from 2011-17, including the Clippers' first two Pacific Division titles and three playoff series victories. Paul returned to Los Angeles as a free agent last July, rejoining a franchise where he is loved by fans while having an outside chance to contend for his first championship alongside Kawhi Leonard and James Harden.

Frank issued a statement confirming Paul's departure to several media outlets early Wednesday. He indicated the Clippers will attempt to trade Paul, who signed a $3.6-million deal to return to L.A.

“We are parting ways with Chris, and he will no longer be a part of the team,” Frank said in the statement. “We will work with him on the next step of his career. Chris is a legendary Clipper who has had a historic career. I want to make one thing very clear. No one is blaming Chris for our underperformance. I accept responsibility for the record we have right now. There are a lot of reasons why we've struggled. We're grateful for the impact Chris has made on the franchise.”

Paul hasn’t spoken to reporters since he strongly hinted at retirement while the Clippers were back in his native North Carolina. But he acknowledged a video retrospective of his career played by the Clippers during a timeout at Intuit Dome last week. The video ended with “Congratulations, Point God” on the screen.

Read more:Norman Powell torches struggling Clippers for 30 points in Heat victory

He is averaging 2.6 points and 3.3 assists while playing just 14.3 minutes per game — all career lows — and he didn't play at all in five straight games in mid-November. Paul had eight points and three assists while playing 15 minutes against the Heat in what turned out to be his final game with the team — a game in which Harden and other starters were effectively benched, in the latest sign of discord for coach Tyronn Lue's team.

The Clippers are on a five-game skid, and they're tied with Sacramento for the second-worst record in the Western Conference heading into Wednesday's games. Leonard has been limited to 10 games by injuries, and they've already lost guard Bradley Beal to season-ending hip surgery.

The Clippers’ streak of 14 consecutive winning seasons is the longest active streak in the NBA, but owner Steve Ballmer’s club has yet to show signs of contention this season — and now they're going forward without a historically talented point guard and franchise favorite.

The Associated Press' Greg Beacham contributed to this report.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Sixers fined again by NBA for Embiid injury reporting violation  originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Sixers have been fined once again for an injury reporting violation with Joel Embiid.

The NBA announced Wednesday that the team has been fined $100,000 because it “failed to accurately disclose the game availability status” of Embiid before his return Sunday night vs. the Hawks. 

Embiid was first listed as out and later upgraded to questionable, then ultimately played 30 minutes in the Sixers’ double-overtime loss. He’d missed the prior nine games with a right knee injury. 

The Sixers have previously received Embiid reporting fines for games during the 2022 playoffs vs. the Heat, January 2024 against the Nuggets and April 2024 vs. the Thunder.

Embiid sat out the 11-9 Sixers’ blowout win Tuesday night over the Wizards with a “right knee injury recovery” designation. He posted 18 points, four rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block against Atlanta in his seventh game of the season. 

“When you miss a month and you’ve only had about two court sessions going up and down … it feels like the first game of the season,” he said. “You build on it. I’m not even mad about it. I’m just happy I got to play the game of basketball. Next game, whether shots fall or not, I don’t really judge myself on that. 

“It’s all about how I move laterally, jumping and all that stuff. Tonight was a good step toward that. I felt good in the first half. Obviously, in the second half it was a little rough, but you build on what that first half looked like and go from there.”

Draymond Green states having son on Warriors bench ‘makes me shut my mouth' originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Very few people in the world can make Draymond Green zip his lips, and his son, Draymond Jr., is one of them.

Draymond Jr. was on the Warriors’ bench for Tuesday’s game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Chase Center, which meant his dad had to be on his best behavior. Draymond shared what the moment was like while speaking to reporters after Golden State’s 124-112 loss to the reigning NBA champions.

“Yeah, it’s cool. If anything, it makes me shut my mouth on the bench if I was going to say something,” Green said, smiling. “It keeps me in check. I know he’s watching. But it was cool.”

Draymond, of course, is known to always speak his mind. His mouth often has gotten him in trouble in the past, but his son’s presence prevented that from being the case on Tuesday night.

Draymond repaid his son’s savings by granting a favor the young child had asked.

“He came up to me after the game like, ‘Can you introduce me to Chet Holmgren?’ So I went and introduced him to Chet, and Chet was nice. So I really appreciate that. Anytime you give them those experiences that quite honestly money can’t buy, I’m always forever grateful.”

Warriors players, especially the ones constantly getting scolded by Draymond, certainly can only hope he brings his son to the bench more often.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Why Warriors' start to 2025-26 NBA season is ‘frustrating' to Draymond Green originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green, like much of Dub Nation, is disappointed in how the Warriors have begun their 2025-26 NBA season.

He, alongside Jimmy Butler, has been extremely vocal about the team’s poor defensive performance and inability to close out games due to late-game collapses.

But there is another factor leading to Green’s frustration with the team’s start, and that dates back to Golden State’s up-and-down 2024-25 season, in which the Warriors were second-round playoff exits but the journey getting there was more turbulent than they would’ve liked.

“My Dubs, we are 11-10 [now 11-11] and that is a little bit frustrating because I think we have probably completely blown five games,” Green shared on his “The Draymond Green Show” podcast. “Maybe we blow one or two games, but even if you blow one or two games, you’re sitting here at 14-7, 15-6. It’s frustrating because we dug ourselves a hole last year [then] made the trade for Jimmy. And then from that point on, we were in the playoffs forever because you’re fighting an uphill battle.

“So with the goal being to not put ourselves back in that position so we’re not fighting an uphill battle, you’re able to possibly focus a bit more on the playoffs late in the season as opposed to trying to get to the playoffs late in the season. With that being the goal, it’s a little frustrating because you look back at those five games you’ve blown in those 20 games, and they catch up to you. They catch up in the end. When you’re talking about playoff seeding and you’re fighting for position and all those things, that’s when those games catch up to you.”

Green has a point.

The playoffs seemed out of the picture for a struggling Golden State team before it traded for Butler in February and finished the season 23-7 in games the six-time NBA All-Star played for them.

But after playing desperately and, as Green stated, in playoff mode for the final stretch of the regular season, the Warriors were committed not to make the same mistake this season.

“So it’s a bit frustrating that we’ve blown so many games. And the reality is at some point you’ve got to win games you’re not supposed to win to make those games up. The schedule isn’t getting any easier. It’s gotten easier from a travel standpoint, although we’re about to go back on the road. So it’s gotten easier from a travel standpoint, but from an NBA standpoint, it doesn’t get any easier. And we’re headed East, which is never easy.

“We’ve got to put together a great string of basketball, and I just don’t think we’ve consistently put together a great stretch of basketball. But I do think we’ve put together some good spurts. In order to win in this league, you have to play as close to 48 good minutes as you can play, and we’re just not getting close enough to that.”

Green won’t ever shy away from the truth, no matter how hard it might be to hear.

But the truth must be heard, as long as people are listening.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Mid-season fantasy basketball roster management requires exploiting market value, especially with recent NBA injuries sidelining key players like Zion Williamson. This guide offers essential trade tips to help you capitalize on the changing landscape.

We analyze prime buy-low targets such as Shaedon Sharpe, who is due to regain his starting role after a calf injury, and Naz Reid, who offers immense upside should his star teammates miss time. Conversely, we advise looking to sell high on LaMelo Ball while he is healthy and look to hold value like Ryan Rollins, whose prominent role remains secure despite Kevin Porter Jr.'s return.

Buy

Shaedon Sharpe, Portland Trail Blazers

Sharpe recently missed four games with a calf injury. He has come off the bench in all three games since making his return, playing 22 minutes or fewer in two of them. However, he did play 30 minutes in Tuesday's loss to the Raptors. Over those three games, he averaged 13.7 points, 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 steals.

Prior to suffering his injury, Sharpe had started the first 14 games for the Trail Blazers. During that span, he averaged 22.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.8 three-pointers in 29 minutes per game. The Trail Blazers are likely being cautious with their young guard right now, as calf injuries can become a more serious issue if not handled properly. He should return to his normal starting role and minutes in the near future, so see if you can acquire him now at a discount.

Naz Reid, Minnesota Timberwolves

Last season, Reid set career highs by averaging 14.2 points, 6.0 rebounds and 2.2 three-pointers per game. The main reason for his increased production was that he averaged 28 minutes. Prior to that, he had never played more than 24 minutes a game in his career. There was a 17-game stretch at one point in the season in which he started and averaged 36 minutes with Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert both missing parts of it because of injuries. During that span, he averaged 18.3 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.3 blocks and 2.8 three-pointers.

Reid's production is down slightly this season at 13.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 2.1 three-pointers a night. His minutes are down to 25 a game. The main reason for his muted numbers is that Randle and Gobert have yet to miss any time. It only takes an injury to either of them for Reid to be vaulted into a leading role. Acquiring him now at a discount could pay off in the long run.

Sell

LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets

Ball's scoring is down at 18.9 points per game, but he is averaging 6.1 rebounds and 8.9 assists. He is only shooting 37.8% from the field, which is one of the main reasons for his decline in the scoring department. His usage rate is still high at 31.6%. That puts him on pace to have a usage rate of at least 30.0% for the fourth straight season.

The main reason that Ball is a sell-high candidate right now is that he is healthy. He has played in four straight games, which included both ends of a back-to-back set. That's the first time that he has played both halves of a back-to-back set since the second and third games of the season. Ball has a checkered injury history, and the Hornets are bad again, posting a 6-15 record. Ball runs the risk of another injury and/or rest days down the stretch as the Hornets try to improve their draft lottery odds. Look to move Ball now while he is healthy.

LeBron James, Los Angeles Lakers

James has appeared in five of the Lakers' six games since returning from injury. His minutes have been fine at 32 per game. However, his production is way down at 15.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, 7.2 assists and 1.4 three-pointers per game. He is shooting 46.0% from the field and 55.0% from the free-throw line, but the biggest concern is his 12.6 shot attempts per game. He has never averaged fewer than 18.1 shot attempts for a season in his career.

James is not a sell-high because his production is excellent right now. He's a sell because he probably has more name value than he does actual fantasy value. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are the driving forces behind the Lakers' scoring attack. James can be a good source for assists, but his scoring and rebounding production could remain muted in his current role.

Hold

Ausar Thompson, Detroit Pistons

Thompson was expected to see a significant increase in playing time this season, and that has come to fruition. After logging 23 minutes per game last season, he has played 28 minutes a game this season. However, he hasn't seen a significant leap in production. He is averaging 11.6 points and 6.1 rebounds, compared to 10.1 points and 5.1 rebounds last season.

The good news with Thompson is that he is averaging 1.5 steals. He's not jacking up a ton of threes, but he is making his three-point attempts at a rate of 33.3%. His trade value isn't all that high right now, especially with Jaden Ivey back from injury. However, he can still be a valuable source for rebounds and steals, while also shooting for a high rate from the field. Hang onto him for the time being.

Ryan Rollins, Milwaukee Bucks

An injury to Kevin Porter Jr. in the first game of the season unexpectedly thrust Rollins into a prominent role. He stepped up in a big way, producing a 19-game stretch in which he averaged 18.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.5 steals and 2.5 three-pointers. The Bucks played him 33 minutes a night during that span.

Rollins has remained a starter since Porter has returned from injury. He had 10 points and four assists over 31 minutes against the Nets, which he followed up with 14 points and five assists over 30 minutes versus the Wizards. While fewer shot attempts will likely be coming his way with Porter in the fold, Rollins can still provide enough value across the board to be worth holding onto. The Bucks don't have great depth, so Rollins should remain an important part of their team.

Former Lakers center Elden Campbell, who played 8 ½ seasons of his 15-year NBA career with the Los Angeles team he watched while growing up here and attending Morningside High, has died. He was 57.

The cause of death is not known.

Former Lakers teammates and friends offered their condolences Tuesday.

The 6-foot-11 Campbell, who was drafted by the Lakers in the first round out of Clemson in 1990, averaged 10.3 points and 5.9 rebounds over his career. He won an NBA championship with the Detroit Pistons in 2004, getting his title with a win over the Lakers.

Campbell was known for his seemingly effortless style of play and calm and easy-going demeanor.

Former Laker Byron Scott, who said he knew Campbell’s family because Scott also grew up in Inglewood and went to Morningside, said the news was painful to hear. Scott and Campbell were teammates on the Lakers when Scott returned for his final season back with L.A. in 1996-97.

“I just remember his demeanor. That’s why we nicknamed him ‘Easy E,’ ” Scott told The Times. “He was just so cool, nothing speeding him up. He was going to take his time. He was just easy. He was such a good dude. I loved Easy, man.”

Campbell averaged 14.9 points per game with the Lakers during the 1996-97 season playing alongside Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.

Campbell’s best season was with the Charlotte Hornets, when he averaged 15.3 points and 9.4 rebounds.

“This one hurt to the bone,” Cedric Ceballos said on Instagram about his former Lakers teammate. “Grew up as kids together.”

Campbell was part of the 2025 SoCal Basketball Hall of Fame Class.

After leaving Clemson, Campbell was viewed as a big man with vast potential who would become a force in the NBA. He never quite lived up to that billing, but he was a good defender and had a nice scoring touch.

“I thought that if he really, really wanted to be good — and that’s the only thing I would say negative about him — is that had the potential to be a great player,” Scott said. “He just wanted to play. He didn’t work out until his contract was up and he got ready to try to get another one. He didn’t put that time in, but he had some skills. He was big and strong and could jump out of the gym. He had that nice little turnaround jump shot. He didn’t want to be great, to be honest with you. He just wanted to play. But what a good guy.”

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.