Page 23 - Florida Sentinel 11-20-20

Sports
The Los Angeles Lakers announced on Wednesday that they are not planning to have fans attend games for next season until further no- tice.
The Lakers sent a press release with the announce- ment.
“Following the guidance of state and local health offi- cials, the Los Angeles Lakers have announced that Lakers games for the 2020-2021 season will be held without
Lakers Not Planning To Have Fans At Home Games For Now
James Harden Reportedly Committed
Heat Unlikely To Extend Bam Adebayo This Offseason?
Russell Westbrook Reportedly Wants
fans until further notice,” the Lakers said.
“The health and safety of our fans, players, staff and
may want out of Houston, but the Rockets’ franchise star is still committed to the team.
James Harden is said to be “locked in” for next sea- son and committed to the Rockets, The Athletic re- ported last week.
The report comes after we learned Westbrook wants out after spending just one season with the Rockets.
Harden has been with the Rockets for eight seasons and is the face of the fran- chise. He has been an All- Star in every season since he’s been with them and won the last three scoring titles.
The Rockets let coach Mike D’Antoni and general
JAMES HARDEN
manager Daryl Morey go, which left Harden and Westbrook in a wait-and- see mode. But now it seems like the paths forward for both players are diverging.
Harden is under con- tract for three more seasons at over $132 million.
community are our main pri- ority and we will continue to work with state and local of- ficials to come up with a plan to safely welcome fans back to STAPLES Center in ad- herence with local, state and NBA guidelines.
“We appreciate your con- tinued support and look for- ward to coming together, whenitissafetodoso,to celebrate the raising of our banner and the quest for an- other NBA championship.”
Russell
To Rockets
Westbrook
Bam Adebayo has earned himself a big payday, but it may have to be deferred until next offseason.
NBA salary cap expert Al- bert Nahmad reported this week that, though the 23- year-old Adebayo is eligible for a max contract extension this offseason, the Miami Heat seem unlikely to give it to him. The reason is that doing so would prevent the Heat from creating a max salary slot for the summer of 2021. Miami would like to re- tain its core while also setting aside future room for top free
agents like
Giannis An- tetokoun- mpo. That means they cannot extend Adebayo this offseason, per Nahmad.
Adebayo
had a break- out year in 2019-20, helping lead the Heat to their stun- ning NBA Finals run. He av- eraged 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game and finished second in Most Improved Player voting.
Out Of Houston
LaMelo Ball Had
RUSSELL WESTBROOK
The Houston Rockets are undergoing a full makeover, and Russell Westbrook re- portedly does not want to be part of it.
The Rockets got rid of Mike D’Antoni as their head coach and let general man- ager Daryl Morey go. Now the team’s future is in ques- tion in terms of personnel.
Westbrook reportedly wants out of Houston.
The report comes the same day that another report said both Westbrook and James Harden were con- cerned about the team’s fu- ture.
Westbrook, 31, spent his entire career with Oklahoma City prior to last season. He was traded to the Rockets last year and reunited with Harden. The Rockets lost in the second round of the play- offs to the eventual-champion Lakers.
Westbrook is owed over $132 million over the next three seasons, which might make it challenging to find a trade partner.
Private Workout
With Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timber- wolves are picking first in next week’s NBA draft, and they met with one of the top con- tenders for the pick.
According to Draft Ex- press’ Jonathan Givony, LaMelo Ball conducted a private workout for the Tim- berwolves on Wednesday in Southern California, which is where Ball is from.
Givony says this was Ball’s first private workout for a team. He says he was told Ball shot the ball well.
Talk surrounding the draft, which takes place on Nov. 18, is heating up. Givony has previously said it’s looking like Ball will go No. 1. The Golden State Warriors have the No. 2 pick, and there has been some
LAMELO BALL
chatter about whom they will take.
Will LaMelo end up in Minnesota? It’s not on his dad’s preferred list, but it would be hard to argue with going No. 1.
LaMelo is a 6-foot-7 point guard. The 19-year-old was once set to go to UCLA, but never ended up playing in col- lege.
BAM ADEBAYO
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2020 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY FRIDAY PAGE 11-B