How the Lakers might manage their free agents
Can the Lakers win a title by returning a team swept in the West Finals? The Sporting Tribune's Mark Medina looks at their options.
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1. How the Lakers might manage their free agents
Can the Lakers win a title by returning a team swept in the West Finals? The Sporting Tribune's Mark Medina looks at their options.
Historically, the Lakers’ championship success has often hinged on acquiring a super-star free agent. This offseason, though, the Lakers will have a different philosophy.
“It’s a high priority to keep our core players together,” said Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ vice president of basketball operations and general manager.
Not only do the Lakers already have two stars (LeBron James, Anthony Davis). The Lakers are mindful that their appearance in the Western Conference Finals partly stemmed from their trade deadline moves that produced a more balanced offense and more consistent defense. Add in the spending restrictions stemmed from salary cap rules, and the Lakers seem more inclined to keep their current roster than to make drastic changes.
How will that philosophy play out in real time when the NBA free-agency period begins on Friday (3 p.m. PT)? Will the Lakers retain everyone they want on their roster? Or will they have to become selective based on market interest? Will the Lakers pivot toward a possible trade should an opportunity arise? Or will the Lakers stick to their core principles?
2. Ohtani hits 2 home runs and strikes out 10 as Angels beat White Sox 4-2
Shohei Ohtani had his first multi-homer game when he's also started on the mound as the Angels hang on to beat the White Sox 4-2. The Sporting Tribune’s Brandon Deutsch has more from an historic night at the Big A.
Shohei Ohtani had a 1-2-3 first inning with 2 K’s before coming up for his first at-bat and launching a home run over the right field fence (10 rows deep). That put the Angels up 1-0 and Ohtani’s next two at-bats were a walk and a single. Then in the 7th inning he hit another home run, this time to the opposite field to left center field. “First homer, pitch came in a good spot, on second homer went with the second one, felt good" Ohtani said about his 2 home runs in his postgame interview, but that seemed too nonchalant and quite frankly downplayed how impressive the second home-run alone was.
The second home run, which Ohtani hit in the 7th inning, came on an off-speed well outside of the zone and Ohtani was able to hit it opposite field and launch it over left field fence. I doubt many other players in baseball, if any, would have been able to hit a home run on that pitch. That was Ohtani’s MLB leading 28th home run on the season and his first multi-home run game when he started on the mound and 15th overall multi-home run game.
Overall on Tuesday night Ohtani went 3-3 with 2 home runs and had a dominant 10 strikeout quality start, which is unheard of in the sport of baseball. Overall, Ohtani threw 6.1 innings, gave up 1 earned run, struck out 10, gave up 4 hits, and allowed just 1 walk. Ohtani has now had back-to-back 10+ strikeout outings where he has looked his best all season long, and has now lowered his ERA to 3.02.
3. Chris Paul will always consider L.A. his home
Chris Paul was linked to a possible return to Los Angeles with the Clippers or Lakers but is excited about joining the Golden State Warriors, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Mark Medina.
Shortly after Chris Paul arrived for Fanatics’ inaugural fan merchandise giveaway event, the NBA star operated as he often does at practices and games. He went to work.
Paul folded clothes. He organized the various shirts and sweatshirts by size. He asked the various employees and volunteers how else he could help. Inevitably, though, Paul often paused in between fulfilling his temporary job description.
Fans and volunteers asked to pose with Paul for photos. Some reminisced with Paul about his six-year stint with the Clippers (2011-17). Others mourned that the NBA nixed the Lakers’ trade for him just before the 2011-12 season started.
“I moved to LA in 2011 and never left,” Paul said afterwards. “When I get a chance to see these people, I always appreciate it.”
4. Martinez crushes, pitching dominates as Dodgers win 5-0
Excellent play on both ends of the ball leads to a series opening victory in Colorado, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Grant Mona.
It was a complete effort Tuesday night in the first of three games in Denver for the Dodgers.
The pitching staff threw their third shutout in 6 innings, and it was led by the dominance of Clayton Kershaw once again. In June, Kershaw has a 1.09 ERA, 0.88 WHIP with 30 Ks/8 BB in five starts and looks like a sure-fire all-star and in line for his second straight start in the MLB All-Star Game. But the other story of the night was J.D. Martinez, who blasted two home runs which led to 3 RBIs.
Martinez hit his 300th home run of his career and the Dodgers toasted him with champagne in the locker room post game. The offense was going to hit in Colorado because of the altitude and ballpark, but the main issue in past matchups between the Rockies and Dodgers was always pitching. On Tuesday, the offense showed up, even without Mookie Betts having a good game at the plate, and the pitching dominated again, although a late rally off of Phil Bickford loaded the bases. Evan Phillips unfortunately had to come in and clean up that mess, but the Dodgers escaped with a comfortable 5-0 victor
5. Why Lakers believe continuity, youth can fuel title run
The Lakers don’t appear inclined to chase a third star once free agency begins on Friday, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Mark Medina.
The Lakers have the same mission statement.
“We have one singular goal – that’s to add the 18th banner,” said Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ vice president of basketball operations and general manager, on Tuesday at the Lakers’ practice facility. “That’s our focus. At the end of the next couple of days, we’re going to do all that we can to maximize that opportunity.”
After advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the first time in three years, the Lakers will likely fulfill that mission statement much differently for a franchise that always thrived on star power.
Unlike in past seasons, the Lakers don’t appear inclined to chase a third star once free agency begins on Friday (3 pm PT). Instead, the Lakers plan to build around LeBron James and Anthony Davis by retaining two restricted free agents (Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura) and staying flexible with several others (D’Angelo Russell, Lonnie Walker IV, Dennis Schroder, Troy Brown Jr.).
6. Sparks go to Chicago for two games against Sky
The Los Angeles Sparks are back on the road after a 2-3 home stand, writes The Sporting Tribune’s Rey Moralde.
After a not-so-great start in the home stand, the Los Angeles Sparks made up a bit of ground by winning the last two games of their L.A. stay against Dallas. Now the Sparks are back to .500 as they embark on a bit of a road trip for the next three games.
Their first two games will be in Chicago against the Sky. And the first of two games will be on Wednesday morning (9 AM in Los Angeles time!). Their first match-up happened in Los Angeles and it was the Sparks that came away with the win after ending the contest with a 15-2 run. The Sparks were really physical against the Sky and their aggressiveness got them to the line 22 times compared to the Sky's 8 foul shot attempts. L.A. getting those foul shots and them packing the paint really upset head coach James Wade after the game.
Well, it got even worse for the Chicago Sky after that. Overall, the Sky have lost 6 straight games (they're now at 5-9) since their thrilling overtime win over the Indiana Fever. The closest they got to a win during this losing streak was in a rematch against the Fever when Kelsey Mitchell made a game-winner with under a second left. And the Sky were blown out in their last two games; they got beat by 21 against the Washington Mystics last Thursday and then the Connecticut Sun won by 24 against them on Sunday.
7. Odds and Ends presented by Circa Sports
Here are some odds at Circa Sports if you’re thinking about placing a wager today:
8. Ticket Time presented by TickPick
Here are the “get in” prices for tickets if you’re thinking about going to a game today.
6:30 p.m. – White Sox at Angels – $5
7:30 p.m. – San Diego Wave at Angel City – $34
9. On the Air presented by The D Las Vegas
Here are the game times and television channels for professional teams in the region today.
9:00 a.m. – Sparks at Sky – NBA TV
4:05 p.m. – Padres at Pirates – Bally Sports San Diego
5:30 p.m. – Dodgers at Rockies – SportsNet LA
6:30 p.m. – White Sox at Angels – Bally Sports West
7:30 p.m. – San Diego Wave at Angel City – CBS Sports Network
10. The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune
The Sporting Tribune’s Arash Markazi is joined by Brandon Deutsch and Ji Hae Wiley to talk about the Las Vegas Aces being a super team and arguably the best WNBA team ever. They are 13-1, 7-0 at home, and winning nearly every game in blowout fashion. Is that good for the WNBA?
Listen to The Arash Markazi Show presented by The Sporting Tribune on The Mightier 1090 ESPN Radio in Southern California, 98.5 The Bet in Las Vegas and the Hawaii Sports Radio Network 95.1 FM and 760 AM in Hawaii. You can also listen to the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Play and Stitcher.
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