EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Lakers have officially named Frank Vogel as coach, two days after the sides agreed to terms.The team announced the hiring Monday and will hold an introductory press conference May 20 at its facility. The Lakers said in a release that Vogel has signed a multiyear contract but a person familiar with the hiring said it was a three-year contract. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because they weren't allowed to publicly discuss terms."I am very excited for this opportunity to join the Lakers, a prestigious organization that I have long admired," Vogel said in a statement. "I look forward to coaching such phenomenal talent and bringing my strategic vision to the team."Vogel flew to Los Angeles on May 9 and met with a group that included owner Jeanie Buss, general manager Rob Pelinka and adviser Kurt Rambis after discussions with Tyronn Lue fell apart.The 45-year old Vogel worked for the organization before as... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A person familiar with the search says the Los Angeles Lakers have hired Frank Vogel as coach and Jason Kidd as an assistant.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because Vogel's three-year contract has not been finalized. Vogel flew to Los Angeles on Thursday and met with a group that included owner Jeanie Buss, general manager Rob Pelinka and adviser Kurt Rambis.The 45-year old Vogel worked for the organization before as an advance scout during the 2005-06 season. He did not coach last season following two years with the Orlando Magic. Vogel went to Orlando following five-plus seasons leading the Indiana Pacers, including trips to the Eastern Conference finals in 2013 and '14. He has a career record of 304-291.Kidd interviewed with the Lakers last month. The former star player who was a head coach in Brooklyn and Milwaukee was fired by the Bucks during the 2017-18 season. He has a 183-190 record.The Lakers have missed the playoffs... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A person familiar with the search says the Los Angeles Lakers have hired Frank Vogel as coach and Jason Kidd as an assistant.The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Saturday because Vogel's three-year contract has not been finalized. Vogel flew to Los Angeles on Thursday and met with a group that included owner Jeanie Buss and general manager Rob Pelinka.The 45-year old Vogel worked for the organization before as an advance scout during the 2005-06 season. He did not coach last season following two years with the Orlando Magic. Vogel went to Orlando following five-plus seasons leading the Indiana Pacers, including trips to the Eastern Conference finals in 2013 and '14. He has a career record of 304-291.Kidd interviewed with the Lakers last month. The former star player who was a head coach in Brooklyn and Milwaukee was fired by the Bucks during the 2017-18 season. He has a 183-190 record.The Lakers have missed the playoffs six straight seasons.... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luke Walton is out as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers after three losing seasons.Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka announced Walton's departure Friday, three days after the abrupt resignation of president of basketball operations Magic Johnson. Pelinka called Walton leaving a mutual decision.The former Lakers forward went 98-148 after getting his first permanent head coaching job with the 16-time NBA champions. The former Golden State assistant never led the Lakers to the playoffs, not even after the arrival of LeBron James last summer.Walton leaves three days after the Lakers' final game of their 37-45 season was upstaged by the shocking pregame resignation of Johnson, who inherited Walton when he took over the Lakers' front office in February 2017. Johnson attributed his decision in part to his desire and reluctance to fire Walton, who is close to Lakers owner Jeanie Buss.A potential power struggle instead ended with both men out of their jobs after this wild week.... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Luke Walton is out as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers after three losing seasons.Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka announced Walton's departure Friday, three days after the abrupt resignation of president of basketball operations Magic Johnson. Pelinka called Walton leaving a mutual decision.The former Lakers forward went 98-148 after getting his first permanent head coaching job with the 16-time NBA champions. The former Golden State assistant never led the Lakers to the playoffs, not even after the arrival of LeBron James last summer.Walton leaves three days after the Lakers' final game of their 37-45 season was upstaged by the shocking pregame resignation of Johnson, who inherited Walton when he took over the Lakers' front office in February 2017. Johnson attributed his decision in part to his desire and reluctance to fire Walton, who is close to Lakers owner Jeanie Buss.A potential power struggle instead ended with both men out of their jobs after this wild week.... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James' first season with the Los Angeles Lakers is over.James will sit out the final six games of the Lakers' sixth consecutive losing season, the team announced Saturday. In a statement, President of Basketball Operations Magic Johnson and General Manager Rob Pelinka claimed the decision will provide James with a head start on offseason healing for a three-month-old groin strain, the first significant injury of his career."After consulting with our team doctors and medical staff, we have decided to hold LeBron out of games for the remainder of the season," the statement said. "This decision will allow his groin to fully heal, and is best for the future success of both LeBron and the Lakers."James is the NBA's fifth-leading scorer at 27.4 points per game, and he averaged 8.5 rebounds and 8.3 assists in his first season on the West Coast. He will accompany the Lakers on their upcoming trip to New Orleans and Oklahoma City, but the 16-year NBA veteran won't play... [More]

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Lakers guard Lonzo Ball needs at least one more week to recover from his bone bruise and sprained ankle.The Lakers' medical staff evaluated the point guard Thursday.Ball has missed 14 consecutive games since Jan. 19, when he sprained his left ankle in a collision with Houston's James Harden. The Lakers projected Ball would miss four to six weeks, and he will pass six weeks this weekend.The Lakers plan to re-evaluate Ball in one week, the team says. They are 5-9 in his absence.Ball is averaging 9.9 points, 5.4 assists and 5.3 rebounds while playing strong defense in his second NBA season.Rajon Rondo returned to the Lakers' starting lineup Wednesday in their 125-119 victory over New Orleans.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — General manager Rob Pelinka hopes the Los Angeles Lakers will come out of a tumultuous trade deadline period with more mental toughness for the stretch run.After 10 days of team-wide uncertainty during their widely reported pursuit of disgruntled New Orleans superstar Anthony Davis, Pelinka said he believes the Lakers will bounce back strongly.Pelinka already saw signs of it Thursday night, when Los Angeles beat Boston on Rajon Rondo's dramatic winning basket just a few hours after the deadline passed and Davis remained with the Pelicans."What I've come to learn is that any time in life you face a challenge or a moment of adversity, you have to look at that as an opportunity," Pelinka said Friday. "When you go through anything as a team, if you go through adversity, you can choose how to respond. Does it draw you closer together, or does it push you further apart?"Pelinka and his boss, Magic Johnson, also remain confident in the Lakers' ability to end the franchise's... [More]

Milwaukee didn't get out of the first round of the playoffs last year. Denver didn't even get into the first round of the playoffs, its postseason hopes thwarted by a loss in the last game of the regular season.As such, few may have seen this coming.The perk of getting to coach the All-Star Game goes to the staffs of the teams with the best records in the Eastern Conference and the Western Conference two weeks before the matchup — which this year meant the Bucks' Mike Budenholzer and the Nuggets' Michael Malone got the jobs.So for only the second time in the last 35 seasons, the All-Star coaches are people who weren't participants in the previous year's NBA playoffs. Malone missed by a game, and Budenholzer was coaching Atlanta to a 24-58 record. Yet on Feb. 17 in Charlotte, Budenholzer and Malone will be front and center with their chance to strategize for one night with the best players in the world."I feel like me and Mike are cut from the same cloth," Budenholzer said. "We want to be... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — LeBron James is back in the lineup for the Los Angeles Lakers after the longest injury-related absence of his 16-year career.The leading All-Star vote-getter was set to play against the Clippers on Thursday night after missing 17 games. He was originally listed as out but was upgraded to doubtful earlier in the day.Lakers coach Luke Walton said James won't be on a minutes restriction, but he'll be closely watched. The four-time league MVP has participated in two full-contact practices leading up to his return.James' last game was on Christmas at Golden State, where he strained his left groin.The Lakers went 6-11 during James' absence and fell out of a potential playoff spot.He is averaging 27.3 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists.Kyle Kuzma (left hip strain) and Josh Hart (left knee tendinitis) also returned Thursday.The Lakers got Rajon Rondo back last week. He was also hurt in the Christmas win over the Warriors.They remain without Lonzo Ball, who has an ankle sprain that will keep him out until at least late February.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Pelicans guard Elfrid Payton has played in only seven games this season, and his team has won six of them.The latest one came Monday night as he returned from a broken finger that caused a 22-game absence over six weeks."It felt good, man. It felt better to finish a game," Payton said after helping New Orleans turn back the Minnesota Timberwolves 123-114 by scoring nine points in 24 minutes to go with six assists, a rebound and a steal."Get a win. That's all it was about," Payton said. "Do as much to help as possible — try to bring intensity on defense."Payton, who also happens to be a New Orleans native, was acquired as a free agent this past offseason to fill the void left by Rajon Rondo's departure for the Los Angeles Lakers.New Orleans started 4-0 with him in the lineup. The Pelicans lost to Utah when he left early because of a sprained ankle that sidelined him for nine games. They won when he briefly returned against the New York Knicks on Nov. 16, only to break... [More]

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Pelicans guard Elfrid Payton has returned from a broken hand that sidelined him for about six weeks and he was in the starting lineup against Minnesota on Monday night.However, the Pelicans say leading scorer and rebounder Anthony Davis is ill and unable to play against the Timblerwolves. Jahlil Okafor started in Davis' place.Payton has missed 22 games since fracturing a finger on his left hand against the New York Knicks on Nov. 16. That was his first game back from an earlier right ankle sprain that sidelined him nine games.He has played in just six games in all, averaging 9.7 points, 5.3 assists and 5.2 rebounds.Payton was signed as a free agent this past offseason and has assumed the role vacated by Rajon Rondo when he left for the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency.Entering the game against Minnesota, the Pelicans had won five of six games in which Payton played. They'd gone 11-20 without him.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/tag/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo will be sidelined at least a month after undergoing surgery to repair a ligament on his right ring finger.Rondo sprained his finger during Los Angeles' surprising Christmas Day victory at Golden State. He missed the Lakers' last-second loss at Sacramento on Thursday night along with LeBron James, who strained his groin against the Warriors.Rondo had surgery Friday, and he is expected to fully recover in four to five weeks, according to the team. Rondo initially hoped to play through the pain in his troublesome shooting hand, but decided it would be impossible without surgery."He tried to pick up a basketball and palm it, and it was killing him," Lakers coach Luke Walton said. "His decision was based on, 'All right, I can fight through this and see how much I can do, or I just get it done ASAP and come back 100 percent and try to make a late-season push.' That was what all parties decided was the best option."The Lakers also played without... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo will be sidelined at least a month after undergoing surgery to repair a ligament on his right ring finger.Rondo sprained his finger during Los Angeles' Christmas Day victory at Golden State. He missed the Lakers' last-second loss at Sacramento on Thursday night along with LeBron James, who strained his groin against the Warriors.Rondo had surgery Friday, and he is expected to fully recover in four to five weeks, according to the team.The Lakers face the Clippers on Friday night in the first game of the season against their Staples Center co-tenants. The Lakers (20-15) have vaulted back into playoff contention with the Western Conference's fifth-best record, a half-game behind the Clippers (20-14).Rondo is averaging 8.4 points, 6.7 assists and 4.4 rebounds while providing solid leadership in his first season with the Lakers, who signed him as a free agent in July.But the veteran has appeared in only 14 games because of a three-game suspension... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lakers point guard Rajon Rondo will be sidelined at least a month after undergoing ligament surgery on his right ring finger.Rondo sprained his finger during the Lakers' stunning Christmas Day victory at Golden State. He had had surgery Friday and the team says he is expected to fully recover in four to five weeks.Rondo is averaging 8.4 points, 6.7 assists and 4.4 rebounds while providing solid leadership in his first season with the Lakers.But the veteran has appeared in only 14 games because of a three-game suspension for fighting and a 17-game absence after breaking a bone in his right hand. He returned from that injury Dec. 21.___More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

LOS ANGELES (AP) — New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry made it clear Friday that center Anthony Davis will not be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers or anywhere else as long as he remains under contract to the Pelicans.Gentry's stance on comments by Lakers forward LeBron James about Davis was less consistent.Gentry defended James against allegations of tampering, hours after declaring an interview with ESPN earlier in the week in which James said it would be "amazing" if the Lakers traded for Davis represented an effort to interfere with the Pelicans' star."We keep talking LeBron James, LeBron James, LeBron James," Gentry said prior to the game between New Orleans and Los Angeles on Friday night. "He was asked a question and he answered it, you know. If he doesn't answer it, then you guys talk about him not answering it. If he answers it, then everybody says he's tampering. I think it puts him in a bad situation."Gentry clarified his comments in a reversal from his press conference following the... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry had one coherent message Friday, that center Anthony Davis will not be traded to the Los Angeles Lakers or anywhere else as long as he remains under contract to the Pelicans.Gentry's stance on comments by Lakers forward LeBron James about Davis were not as clear.Gentry defended James against allegations of tampering, hours after declaring an interview with ESPN earlier in the week in which James said it would be "amazing" if the Lakers traded for Davis represented an effort to interfere with the Pelicans' star."We keep talking LeBron James, LeBron James, LeBron James," Gentry said prior to the game between New Orleans and Los Angeles on Friday night. "He was asked a question and he answered it, you know. If he doesn't answer it, then you guys talk about him not answering it. If he answers it, then everybody says he's tampering. I think it puts him in a bad situation."Gentry clarified his comments in a reversal from his press conference following... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rajon Rondo had surgery Thursday on his broken right hand, and the Los Angeles Lakers plan to use a variety of strategies to replace the veteran point guard while he heals.Los Angeles will be without Rondo for four to five weeks after he was injured in the fourth quarter of the Lakers' fourth straight win, 126-117 over Portland on Wednesday night. Rondo apparently hurt his hand while making a steal, but he kept playing for several more minutes before coming out of the game.Coach Luke Walton praised Rondo's leadership and two-way contributions after the Lakers' final practice before heading out on a three-game road trip. Although he has played only 11 games for LA, Rondo is already a key component of the revamped club."Obviously we can't replace what Rondo does for our team and how important he is to our team, but we're not going to make excuses," Walton said. "That's not who we are as a group. We're going to step up, and guys are going to pick up the slack and add to... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Rajon Rondo is expected to have surgery this week on his broken right hand, and the Los Angeles Lakers plan to use a variety of strategies to replace the veteran point guard while he heals.Los Angeles will be without Rondo for at least a few weeks after he was injured in the fourth quarter of the Lakers' fourth straight win, 126-117 over Portland on Wednesday night. Rondo apparently hurt his hand while making a steal, but he kept playing for several more minutes before coming out of the game.Coach Luke Walton praised Rondo's leadership and two-way contributions Thursday after the Lakers' final practice before heading out on a three-game road trip. Although he has played only 11 games for LA, Rondo is already a key component of the revamped club."Obviously we can't replace what Rondo does for our team and how important he is to our team, but we're not going to make excuses," Walton said. "That's not who we are as a group. We're going to step up, and guys are going to pick... [More]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lakers guard Rajon Rondo is expected to have surgery this week on his broken right hand.Los Angeles will be without the veteran point guard for at least a few weeks.Coach Luke Walton says Rondo was injured in the fourth quarter of the Lakers' fourth straight win, 126-117 over Portland on Wednesday night.Rondo is averaging 8.5 points, 6.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals in his first season with the Lakers. He has been the leader of the Lakers' second unit while also serving as a valuable coach on the floor with his younger, less-familiar teammates, according to Walton.Lonzo Ball is likely to play more minutes in Rondo's absence. Brandon Ingram and LeBron James also will increase their playmaking.___More AP NBA: www.apnews.com/NBA and www.twitter.com/AP_Sports