Spurs’ Leonard out of Game 1 with ankle injury

Rob Pelinka and the Los Angeles Lakers view Dan Hurley as a potential coach that can transform the franchise over the long-term and is well suited to adapt to the changing the landscape of the NBA that prioritizes player development.

“The Lakers, Rob Pelinka, they want to put a program in place in L.A.,” said Adrian Wojnarowski. “They don’t want to have just coach-to-coach. They want to put a program in for the long-term. They want Dan Hurley’s player development program.

“The NBA is changing. You can’t in L.A. anymore just trade three or four first round picks to bring in a star player and think you can have a roster that will win. That’s how they got Anthony Davis. But you are seeing you have to draft well. You have to develop your young players.

“In L.A., I think the belief is always you’re going to be able to get the star player who finds his way to L.A., but you’re going to have to grow your young players.”

The Indiana Pacers have been aggressive in pursuing upgrades for their roster. The Pacers were in on OG Anunoby before the Toronto Raptors traded him to the New York Knicks, and remain linked to Pascal Siakam.

Indiana is building most of their trade offers around Buddy Hield and a future first-round pick. The Pacers have continued to keep Bennedict Mathurin and Jarace Walker out of trade talks.

Hield is making $19.3 million in the final season of his contract. The Pacers own all of their own first-round picks and have an extra pick coming to them via the Oklahoma City Thunder. That extra pick is in 2024 and is the least favorable of the Thunder’s pick, the LA Clippers pick, The Houston Rockets pick (if 5-30) and the Utah Jazz pick (if 11-30).