Category: NBA

Watch Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, hilariously troll Buddy Hield during practice originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Training camp is well underway ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season, meaning the Golden State Warriors are locking in and getting everything they need sorted ahead of their Oct. 21 season opener against the Los Angeles Lakers. 

So, why not have a little fun to break up the tension? 

That’s why the Warriors welcome fans into Chase Center for their annual open practice, giving Dub Nation an introduction to the 2025-25 squad. 

The event includes plenty of autographs, young fans welcomed to the court and rookie karaoke. 

While we’re at it, you might as well throw in a little trolling of guard Buddy Hield as well. 

Video shows one of the kids on the court with Hield’s practice jersey. Hield yanks at it appearing to want it back. 

We then see Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler start to concoct a plan with the young Warriors fan. The kid takes off Hield’s jersey and then rifles it at him. 

Curry and Butler burst with laughter in the background at Hield’s expense. Buddy tends to be on the butt-end of jokes, but he’s always a good sport about it. 

It’s also another chapter in the fun Butler-Hield “rivalry” that’s been unfolding since the Warriors acquired the star forward from the Miami Heat last season. 

Butler and Hield’s fun spats have typically come during postgame press conferences, which will be immortalized this season with a bobblehead giveaway. 

Most importantly, the vibes seem to be high in San Francisco heading into the new NBA season. 

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Jonathan Kuminga reveals ‘biggest concern' about uncertain Warriors future originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jonathan Kuminga’s biggest concern in the offseason was his contract negotiations. Now that an agreement has been reached, the Warriors forward’s concerns shift elsewhere.   

Kuminga was asked in an interview with Andscape’s Marc J. Spears if anything about his NBA future made him nervous.

“The biggest thing about it is just to work and just get better every day and be a winner,” Kuminga told Spears. “No matter where I’ll be, no matter if I’m going to be here or they might ship me somewhere else. I just want to get to wherever I’ll get, or be here and just be involved and win and impact right away. That is my biggest concern.” 

The 23-year-old forward is clearly focused on improving and helping the Warriors in their title aspirations. His fluctuating role and uncertain future in Golden State don’t make that easy. 

“I don’t worry about things like that. I just try to get better. You never know with this life,” Kuminga told Spears. “It’s the NBA. One day you’re going to be here. One day you’re going to be somewhere else.” 

Despite the unknown, Kuminga remains confident. 

“I have too much confidence. And my confidence don’t just come from [inside] because I work towards it and I see how better I get every other year. The sky is the limit,” Kuminga said. “I can’t predict it, but I believe in God and I trust my work and I know I have a long way to go.” 

Entering his fifth NBA season, Kuminga has averaged 12.5 points per game with a 50.7 field goal percentage in his young career. 

His scoring production has increased since his rookie season, averaging at least 15 points per game in each of his last two seasons. 

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How Steve Kerr's leadership helped Buddy Hield feel ‘at peace' with the Warriors originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

When Buddy Hield joined the Warriors, he quickly found something he hadn’t felt in other stops during his career: peace.

In a sit-down with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke for “Dubs Talk,” the Golden State guard reflected on why the 2024-25 NBA season was the happiest of his basketball life and how coach Steve Kerr’s leadership played a central role.

In his exit interview last season, Hield summed up his first Warriors campaign by saying, “This is the most happy I’ve ever been playing basketball.”

Asked why Golden State has been different, Hield pointed to the trust and freedom he was given.

“They allow me to be myself,” Hield told Burke. “They allow me to be me. Previous teams I’ve been on, I wouldn’t say I was unhappy, but here it’s just a unique vibe than the rest of the teams. They allow me to express myself, and I was able to to play basketball with a lot of joy and not have to look over my shoulder.”

Before arriving in the Bay Area, Hield played for the New Orleans Pelicans, the Sacramento Kings, the Indiana Pacers and the Philadelphia 76ers, carving out a reputation as one of the league’s most reliable 3-point shooters.

In his first season with Golden State, Hield averaged 11.1 points and 1.6 assists per game, providing a steady scoring presence off the bench and spacing the floor alongside Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler.

Beyond the numbers, Hield described how the environment around him made the biggest difference.

“Everything was authentic from the coaches and the players, and it’s one situation where I just feel at peace,” Hield added.

That peace, Hield explained, stemmed from Kerr’s leadership style.

“A lot of people say that coaches are transparent,” Hield noted. “A lot of coaches are not transparent. I think Steve was just 100 percent honest, transparent from day one, and never once has Steve given me the wrong answer. He’s always been straight up with me, and that’s what I like.”

The 60-year-old coach has built his Warriors tenure on communication and trust, winning four NBA championships while managing a locker room full of stars.

Kerr, a former guard who played 15 NBA seasons and won five championships with the Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs, took over Golden State in 2014. Since then, he’s guided the Warriors through one of the league’s most successful runs.

For Hield, that straight-shooting approach stood out immediately.

“As a basketball player, you love to be happy like that and love to play with that joy, and I couldn’t ask for a better year than that.”

With Kerr’s honesty and the Warriors’ support behind him, Hield enters Year 2 in Golden State not just chasing wins, but carrying the peace of mind that changed his game.

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How Steph Curry, Warriors vets helped Jonathan Kuminga throughout contract saga  originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Jonathan Kuminga shared that the Warriors’ veteran core was instrumental in helping him navigate his recent contract negotiations.

In an exclusive with Andscape‘s Marc Spears, Kuminga revealed that teammates Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield each offered steady support and advice throughout his free-agency process.

“The one thing I really appreciate is my teammates,” Kuminga said. “I never heard one of them call me and tell me, ‘Yo, hurry up and do this.’ Just knowing that people like that who I go to work with every other day on that floor have my back, I appreciate that.”

At just 23 years old, Kuminga still is carving out his place with Golden State after being drafted seventh overall in 2021. He averaged 15.3 points and 4.6 rebounds last season — both career highs — while continuing to grow alongside veterans who already have defined the franchise’s dynasty.

Kuminga added that what stood out most during negotiations was the way those leaders shared their perspective, teaching him about the contract process and giving him patience when he needed it most.

“I spoke to Buddy. I spoke to Draymond. I spoke to Jimmy. I spoke to Steph,” Kuminga added. “All of them. I had a 20-plus type of conversations of how contracts work, how to feel about certain things. They were teaching me certain things.”

That mentorship became especially important when Kuminga missed the Warriors’ players-only minicamp in San Diego. He said Butler was one of the first to understand his decision to stay back and focus on negotiations.

“We had a [players] team camp out there in San Diego. I did not go,” Kuminga explained. “That’s when I had to speak to Jimmy and tell him how things were going and that I can’t get there. He’s one of the guys that really understands where I was coming from because he’s been through contract situations.”

He also leaned on Curry and Green after their offseason travels, crediting their long conversations for putting him at ease.

“Me and Steph had a long, long talk and I really appreciate that,” Kuminga said. “Me and Draymond, obviously, we always talk, but we had a long talk after he was coming back from China. They just gave me hope and patience for sure. I felt like I was comfortable after talking to them.”

As Kuminga looks ahead to the new season, he says the biggest takeaway is knowing he has the full backing of his teammates.

“I think that was the biggest thing I learned: I got people that support me and are always behind me,” he said. “I’m glad and I’m happy to always call them my teammates, my brothers.”

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Stephen A states Giannis joining Steph Curry, Warriors wouldn't be fair to NBA originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

With yet another round of Giannis Antetokounmpo trade talk rumors surfacing, the NBA world brought back a familiar hypothetical.

What if Antetokounmpo joined forces with Steph Curry and the Warriors? 

Stephen A. Smith said the pairing would be “unfair” on ESPN’s “First Take.”

“You want to talk about unfairness in the National Basketball Association? Don’t let Giannis get to Golden State with Steph Curry,” Smith warned. “If that happens – oh my lord. It wouldn’t be fair to the basketball world.”

On paper, it would be a monstrous pairing. Curry and Antetokounmpo have a combined four NBA MVPs, five NBA Championships and two NBA Finals MVPs.

If Draymond Green still were in the mix in that hypothetical, that would give the Warriors two Defensive Player of the Year award winners. But, Smith notes the offensive opportunities with that trio. 

“For those two to be wearing the same uniform on the same court — especially — if you kept Draymond Green, who’s your point forward facilitator, who’s your Energizer bunny, and who feeds Steph Curry better than anybody on the planet. If you had those two in the same uniform as Giannis Antetokounmpo, forget the betting odds and all of that stuff in Vegas,” Smith said, “Golden State would coast to the title.” 

All three players have played their entire NBA careers with just one team. They have the three longest active tenures with a single team, with Curry and Green entering their 17th and 14th seasons, respectively, with Golden State, and Antetokounmpo entering his 13^th season with the Milwaukee Bucks. 

Antetokounmpo reportedly was open to leaving Milwaukee this offseason for the first time in his career. The Bucks star, however, has recently reaffirmed that he’s “locked in”  to playing for Milwaukee. 

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Why Jonathan Kuminga won't ‘waste energy' asking Steve Kerr about Warriors role originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Now that a contract has been settled between the Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga, the focus shifts to what happens between the lines.

The 23-year-old forward’s role has fluctuated throughout his career, especially after Golden State acquired star forward Jimmy Butler last season. That fluctuation has created some uncertainty for Kuminga and created a big contention point during the offseason’s contract negotiations. 

Kuminga, speaking to Andscape’s Marc J. Spears, said he is choosing not to worry about his role. 

“I don’t ask [Warriors coach Steve Kerr] about roles because I know what he is going to tell me,” Kuminga said to Andscape. “I don’t waste my energy. I choose not to ask because nobody is going to tell me. It’s whatever. You just have to find ways to do things when you get out there. Make plays, defend. I don’t have a consistent role. I just play a role where I make sure I play defense and run the floor.” 

When the Warriors don’t have superstar guard Steph Curry available, Kuminga has been tasked with being more of a focal point in the offense. But most nights, as it has been for over a decade, Curry is the driver of the offense. 

But that doesn’t render Kuminga useless by any means. Kerr detailed what a key supportive role looks like for Kuminga in an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke on “Dubs Talk.” 

“I think the role is right there for him,” Kerr told Burke. “We need JK’s size, athleticism on the wing, his ability to guard the big wing guys like Luka [Dončić], LeBron [James] and Kawhi Leonard. So, the role is right there for him. I know it hasn’t always been easy for him because he’s wanted more of a role, being more of a focal point in our offense.” 

Kuminga does recognize this, telling Spears that he thinks his role is “to rebound, play defense and run the floor,” while also saying that he doesn’t “stress myself about it or think about” variations in playing time from game to game.  

Nevertheless, Kuminga and his camp feel that he can reach All-Star level play with a starting role. Kerr, speaking to Andscape, acknowledged that wasn’t in the mix. 

“It’s been an interesting fit. He’s made it pretty clear that he wants the ball and an opportunity that a lot of his cohorts get and people that were drafted near him. And we weren’t able to offer that,” Kerr said to Andscape. “We were a championship team. We won the title his rookie year [2021-22] and have been in the mix the last few years. So, it’s been tough. I respect the fact that he is competing and fighting in a set of circumstances that maybe isn’t ideal for him. But the thing I keep telling him is he can play a role for us, absolutely, with his size, speed and athleticism. 

“He can play an important role on a very good team. He just turned 23 [on Monday]. He has plenty of basketball ahead. One day, hopefully, he will look back on this as a valuable time in his career. But I know he’s frustrated. He’s made it very clear publicly. I don’t mind that, but I want him to embrace the idea that he can be a part of something special.” 

In his four years of NBA service, Kuminga has averaged 12.5 points per game with a 50.7 field goal percentage in 22.0 minutes per game. 

Last season, before the acquisition of Butler, Kuminga averaged 26.0 minutes per game and made 10 starts in his 32 games played. After the acquisition and return from an ankle sprain, his playing time dipped to 20.8 minutes per game.

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Why Warriors star Jimmy Butler wants to win ring for Steph Curry, Draymond Green originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors forward Jimmy Butler has been chasing an NBA championship for more than a decade.

He has come close twice, reaching the NBA Finals with the Miami Heat, but the six-time All-Star still hasn’t won the ultimate prize.

After joining Golden State at the 2025 NBA trade deadline in February, Butler now is in his first full year with the team — and he made clear that his top motivation isn’t silencing his own doubters, but securing another legacy-defining title for Steph Curry and Draymond Green.

“It would mean the world to me, but it would mean the world to me if they won,” Butler told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kerith Burke on the latest “Dubs Talk.”

Butler understands his teammates’ résumés speak for themselves. Curry, drafted by the Warriors in 2009, already is a four-time NBA champion, two-time MVP and widely considered the greatest shooter of all time.

Green, selected by the Warriors in 2012, also has won four titles and built his reputation as the franchise’s defensive heartbeat, earning a NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in 2017 and nine All-Defensive Team honors along the way.

Still, history shows that a fifth ring would move both into an even smaller circle of all-time greats. Only 26 players in NBA history ever have won five or more championships. For Butler, that pursuit isn’t about collecting another trophy, but about cementing his teammates’ place among the legends of the game.

“They’ve already solidified themselves in the basketball fame and in the league, we get that,” Butler explained. “But to separate themselves from other individuals — you get five, like, you’re there. You know? No doubting, you can’t question it.”

The Warriors’ dynasty already has stretched across three distinct eras — the “Strength in Numbers” group that broke through in 2015, the Kevin Durant years of 2017 and 2018, and their 2022 return to glory behind the original core. Winning a fifth title would underline just how adaptable Curry and Green have been at the center of it all.

“You can’t say, ‘Who was on your team?’ ” Butler added. “You’ve done it with multiple different types of players and rosters. You get five, nobody is questioning anything about anybody that got five.”

If the Warriors do reach that mountaintop again, Butler will know he played a role in ensuring Curry and Green’s dynasty ends with no questions left to ask.

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When it comes to preparing for your fantasy basketball draft(s), it is incredibly important to identify players who could be headed for a breakout campaign. Those types of players offer plenty of upside with the potential to provide tremendous return on investment for managers. In this article, we'll highlight some of the guys you should consider drafting who have the talent and opportunity to take a leap during the 2025-26 season.

Matas Buzelis, F - Chicago Bulls

Buzelis has been a popular choice as a potential breakout candidate for his hometown Chicago Bulls after a strong Summer League. The 20-year-old continued that momentum in his two preseason outings so far, posting averages of 15.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, 0.5 steals and 1.0 blocks on 55.6/40.0/75.0 shooting splits in 18.6 minutes. He didn't start a game until after the All-Star break last year as a rookie, but Buzelis is expected to take over as a full-time starter in Year 2.

Over his final 27 games in the first unit in 2024-25, Buzelis put up 13.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, 0.6 steals and 1.1 blocks in just 26.8 minutes a night. He should certainly see an increase in playing time as a sophomore, and in an up-tempo offense with Josh Giddey at the helm, Buzelis' speed and athleticism will be on full display. With a year under his belt and growing self-confidence, he'll get every opportunity to improve upon his preseason success as a two-way difference-maker.

Evan Mobley, F/C - Cleveland Cavaliers

It might be difficult to think of Mobley as a breakout candidate after he won the 2024-25 Defensive Player of the Year award, but the forward-center is ready to make another jump at both ends of the court as he enters his fifth season as a pro. Through his first four years with the Cavs, he's never averaged more than 12.8 field goal attempts a night. In 2025-26, coach Kenny Atkinson, Mobley and Donovan Mitchell have talked extensively about the 24-year-old demanding the ball on offense while making a concerted effort to run more offense through the big man.

In limited preseason action, Mobley has been on-ball a bit more, recording a 27.9% usage rate in 44 total minutes across two outings. The sample size is small, but with Cleveland expected to be missing two-time All-Star Darius Garland (toe) and Max Strus (foot) for extended periods, Mobley will be tasked with more offensive responsibilities than in previous years. After averaging 18.5 points, 9.3 boards, 0.9 steals and 1.6 blocks over 71 appearances last season, it wouldn't be surprising to see him eclipse 20.0 points and 10.0 rebounds while chipping in a steal and at least one block per contest.

Neemias Queta, C - Boston Celtics

Now that Al Horford is no longer in Beantown, Queta is set to be the starting center for the Celtics in 2025-26. The Portugal native represented his country in EuroBasket 2025 this past summer, posting a stellar 23-point, 18-rebound outing in an upset victory over the reigning European champions Spain. 

This isn't to suggest Queta will be going off with similar performances in the NBA this season. What it does prove, however, is that he's a talented seven-footer who will earn the most playing time of his young career as he enters his fifth season. In 13.9 minutes per game last year, Queta averaged 5.0 points, 3.8 boards and 0.7 blocks, numbers that jump to 12.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per 36 minutes. He probably won't see that much time on the court every night, but averaging a double-double with some defensive stats while shooting north of 60% from the field should absolutely be in the cards for the 26-year-old.

Brice Sensabaugh, G/F - Utah Jazz

Sensabaugh is entering his third season in the NBA. Historically speaking, players experience a breakthrough as a pro at this time in their careers. After suiting up for only 32 games as a rookie in 2023-24, he appeared in 71 contests for the Jazz last year and impressed over the final two months of the season. In 27 games after the All-Star break, Sensabaugh tallied 14.1 points, 3.7 boards, 2.1 assists and 0.7 steals on 47.4/47.5/86.7 shooting splits in just under 25 minutes per night.

Utah made several moves in the offseason to make way for their young talent in 2025-26, and Sensabaugh stands to benefit as the starting small forward for coach Will Hardy in Year 3. During his lone preseason outing against Houston on October 8, Sensabaugh dropped 24 points (9-15 FG) with six made 3s, three rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block in 26 minutes.

Amen Thompson, G/F - Houston Rockets

Much like Evan Mobley on this list, some readers may take umbrage with Thompson's placement as a breakout on this list after he seemingly did so last season by averaging 14.1 points, 8.2 boards, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.3 blocks across 69 games as a sophomore. In Year 3, Amen is poised for another big jump, one that should land him firmly in the All-Star and Most Improved Player conversations.

With the unfortunate news that Fred VanVleet could miss the entire 2025-26 campaign after tearing his ACL in late September, Thompson has the chance to earn heavy minutes as the lead ball-handler on a team featuring Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith. As one of the most explosive athletes in the NBA, Thompson is a dynamic two-way force that will wreak havoc for the Rockets and provide stellar production in nearly every statistical category for fantasy managers. He may not necessarily help in terms of three-pointers or free-throw percentage, but his positional versatility, defensive stats and all-around game are too juicy to pass up.

Kel'el Ware, C - Miami Heat

Heading into Year 2, Kel'el Ware looks ready to make an impact at both ends of the floor for the Heat. In somewhat of an up-and-down rookie season, the seven-footer started to show signs of growth over the last two months that he carried into Summer League and now the preseason. Over his final 26 contests in 2024-25, Ware averaged 10.3 points, 9.7 boards, 0.7 steals and 1.3 blocks in 26.8 minutes, compiling nine double-doubles in the process.

Across three preseason appearances in 2025-26, Ware has recorded two double-doubles while scoring in double figures in each outing, and he's gone 6-for-12 on three-point attempts overall. In a loss to the Spurs on October 8, he erupted for 29 points (12-19 FG, 3-6 3Pt), 12 rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block in 26 minutes of action. Targeting Ware towards the latter stages of drafts could pay huge dividends for managers, regardless of his status as a starter or reserve in Miami.

The Knicks extended their preseason record to 3-0, beating the Timberwolves in their first game at MSG this season, 100-95, in overtime. Mikal Bridges led the way with 15 points on 3-for-7 shooting from three, followed by 11 points from Jalen Brunson.

New York was without Josh Hart, but Karl-Anthony Towns picked up the slack with a double-double in 26 minutes while Miles McBride and Jordan Clarkson each added 10 off the bench. Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 17 points while former Knick Julius Randle notched 16. 

Here are the takeaways...

-Despite being a man down, the Knicks set a competitive tone using the same starters from the last contest, going on a 7-2 run off of strong team defense. The Timberwolves quickly met their intensity, responding with a 7-0 run of their own.

Towns was active early with two aggressive drives leading to scores, including an acrobatic lefty and one, as he had five points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals in the opening period. On the other end, it was Minnesota’s stars Randle and Edwards leading the way with nine and eight, respectively, as their Wolves led 21-20 after one, capitalizing on the Knicks' shooting just 2 of 14 from three.

-The first half likely looked close to what we’ll see from the Knicks' final rotation, as we saw them play nine guys and decent starter minutes. However, there was still experimentation going on with a different starting and closing unit, plus the three-guard bench had Landry Shamet featured over Malcolm Brogdon.  Dillingham was a big spark off the bench for Minny with seven quick points in the second period, but New York kept their deficit within single digits. Even a late first-half spark from Brunson to give him a team-leading 11 points at the half failed to bridge the gap, though, as Minny led 44-38 at halftime behind 14 points from Edwards.  

-Head coach Mike Brown opened the second half with Guerschon Yabusele in as the “fifth” starter, then subbed him for Shamet, after opening with Robinson and trying out McBride to finish the first. Fans have been watching this storyline closely throughout the preseason, but expect to continue seeing variations of the looks around the core four well into the regular season.

Nothing he threw out made meaningful headway against the Timberwolves while the Knicks bricked away from three, as they started 4-for-30 from deep on this night. The silver lining was that they created tons of good looks that simply didn’t go down, and their defense fared well. 

Late in the third, things shifted as Bridges hit a couple and OG Anunoby drilled one facing up in Rudy Gobert’s eye. The Knicks took advantage of some offensive rebounding without Robinson on the floor, then doubled down with a super small lineup of Yabusele at the five. 

But Minnesota closed the third strong, featuring an inside hook and buzzer-beating corner three from the 2024 Sixth Man of the Year Naz Reid, going into the final frame up 71-63.

-The fourth quarter began with a bench unit of Brogdon, McBride, Clarkson, Pacome Dadiet, and Ariel Hukporti that kicked off a massive 19-9 run to give the Knicks an 82-80 lead, their first since the opening period. McBride was the big offensive boost, hitting a flurry of jumpers, while the rest each chipped in to the effort.

Midway through the period, the Knicks went deeper into their bench as the Timberwolves also cleared the pine to close the game. Down two with 10 seconds left, Minny’s Johnny Juzang drove for a running right hook to tie the game. 

The Knicks declined to call timeout, running it up to Garrison Mathews, who got a clean look from the top of the break but couldn’t pull off the game-winner. 

-New York ran with Kolek, Mathews, Dadiet, Tosan Evbuomwan and Hukporti for the extra minutes. Their defense sparked an 8-0 run with some solid teamwork and execution on the other end and coasted from there. 

Highlights

Jalen! pic.twitter.com/DepcXJTJkF

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) October 10, 2025

Brunson from the floor, Mikal with the lob, Yabusele with the slam! pic.twitter.com/KL9j3djnyB

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) October 10, 2025

What's next

The Knicks continue their preseason slate with a home game against the Wizards on Monday, Oct. 13 at 7:30 p.m.

LeBron James has been ruled out for up to four weeks and will miss the start of the NBA season with sciatica, Los Angeles Lakers have confirmed.

James, 40, signed a new contract with the Lakers in June and is set to become the first player to play across 23 separate NBA seasons.

Sciatica is a pain in the sciatic nerve that goes down the lower back and through the leg.

James has not taken part in pre-season and missed the defeats against the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns earlier this month because of the glute nerve irritation.

The American is expected to be sidelined for all five of the Lakers' games in October, including the season-opener against Golden State.

James, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, has never previously missed the start of the season in his 22-year career.

His tally of 1,562 regular-season appearances is just 50 short of breaking former Boston Celtics star Robert Parish's NBA record.

The four-time NBA champion featured in 70 of the Lakers' 82 games last term and played on 71 occasions in the year before.

Last season, James averaged 24.4 points, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game and finished sixth in Most Valuable Player vote.

The Lakers qualified for the play-offs in 2024-25 but lost 4-1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round.