NBA news: Lakers told to trade THREE stars, bold Kawhi Leonard prediction, Jimmy Butler
NBA news is coming in thick and fast and Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip.
Lakers: Brandon Ingram should be traded claims pundit
Lakers told to make changes
The Los Angeles Lakers should trade Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith claims.
“Magic [Johnson] wants more experienced guys on his roster,” Smith said. “Brandon Ingram should be traded.
“Package him. I don’t care if it’s with Lonzo [Ball], Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, or both.
“Trade them, so long as it isn’t [Josh] Hart or [Kyle] Kuzma.
“Keep LeBron [James], Kuzma, and Hart.
“Specifically, trade Ingram, he doesn’t fit on the Lakers squad.
“He can play, he isn’t a scrub, but he doesn’t fit on this Lakers squad.
“They should package KCP, Lonzo if you have to, because, dammit, wholesale changes need to happen.”
Kawhi Leonard update
Kawhi Leonard may end up re-signing with the Toronto Raptors instead of heading to the Lakers or the Clippers, NBA insider Ben Golliver claims.
He said: “Without the scrutiny of the LeBron show at the Lakers, or potentially Kawhi vs LeBron if he was to go to the Clippers.
“There are situations where he would face more pressure and attention than he does in Toronto, because they’re a deep team and they’ve been established here for a number of years and have other big personalities on that squad.
“I think it’s looking like a pretty nice fit all things considered.
“Do people get into his ear and say: ‘You should be a bigger star than you are, you should have a bigger shoe deal etc’.
“Does he get steered towards a different situation? I don’t know. But I don’t think Toronto’s sales pitch to Kawhi could have gone better.”
Jimmy Butler claim
The Minnesota Timberwolves must trade Jimmy Butler because he’s embarrassing the franchise, NBA expert Leigh Ellis reckons.
"They should control the situation and tell Jimmy Butler that he isn't playing until he is traded," he said.
"Because Jimmy Butler is right now humiliating the franchise by saying he wants to leave and wants a trade.
"He's waving the towel with the Golden State Warriors fans."
NBA results:
Wednesday November 7
Orlando Magic 96-103 Detroit Pistons
Cleveland Cavaliers 86-95 Oklahoma City Thunder
Atlanta Hawks 107-112 New York Knicks
Miami Heat 95-88 San Antonio Spurs
New Orleans Pelicans 107-98 Chicago Bulls
Memphis Grizzlies 89-87 Denver Nuggets
Indiana Pacers 94-100 Philadelphia 76ers
Utah Jazz 117-102 Dallas Mavericks
Sacramento Kings 105-114 Toronto Raptors
Los Angeles Lakers 114-110 Minnesota Timberwolves