Editor’s note: This is the Thursday, February 9, edition of the “Game Day with Kevin Modesti” newsletter. To receive the newsletter in your inbox, sign up here.
Good morning. After making history on Tuesday, the Lakers remade their future yesterday by agreeing to exchange a problem for a couple of solutions before the NBA trading deadline today.
First, let’s look at non-trade headlines:
- With LeBron James’ scoring record fresh in mind, columnist Jim Alexander writes about what everyone in the Greatest of All-Time debate is getting wrong.
- The Clippers returned from a winning trip and lost to the Mavericks and Dallas trade addition Kyrie Irving.
- As UCLA’s and USC’s men’s basketball teams play in Oregon, here are some not-so-obvious reasons the Bruins and the Trojans are winning.
- Angels owner Arte Moreno broke his media silence to talk about the team’s challenge in trying to keep Shohei Ohtani.
- We have an encouraging update on the recovery of Maxime Crepeau, the goalkeeper who broke a leg in LAFC’s MLS Cup victory.
- Angel City FC will open its second season at home March 26 in the new-look NWSL schedule put out yesterday.
- And Scott Reid reports concerns are being raised about Pomona High basketball coaches, accused of sex abuse, continuing to work with children and young women.
Now, about the Lakers trade, a three-team deal with Minnesota and Utah. It has the Lakers sending guard Russell Westbrook along with two end-of-the-bench players and a 2027 first-round draft pick to the Jazz, and receiving Timberwolves point guard D’Angelo Russell and Jazz shooting guard Malik Beasley and power forward Jarred Vanderbilt.
While you can’t judge a trade before seeing how it plays out on the court, or at least until it’s officially completed and announced and any further moves are factored in, this should give some hope to the Lakers as they try to climb out of 13th place in the Western Conference and into a playoff spot.
“From the Lakers’…
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