Lakers Get Positive Update From OG Anunoby-Like Forward
The Los Angeles Lakers received positive news regarding rookie forward Adou Thiero, who has yet to make his preseason debut due to lingering knee issues.
According to Dan Woike of The Athletic
“Los Angeles Lakers forward Adou Thiero has experienced improvement in his knee swelling, which has allowed him to progress in his on-court activities. He will continue to build his strength under the direction of the performance team and will be reevaluated in approximately 2-3 weeks.”
The 21-year-old Thiero has been sidelined since the start of training camp while rehabbing from the knee injury he suffered last season at Arkansas. The setback also forced him to miss the
Lakers’ Aggressive Draft Move for Thiero
Despite Thiero’s injury history, the Lakers’ front office believed strongly in his potential. On draft night, general manager Rob Pelinka executed a pair of trades to move up nearly 20 spots—from No. 55 to No. 36 overall—to secure the athletic forward.
“We were super aggressive to begin the day knowing that we didn’t have a first-round pick,” Pelinka told Spectrum SportsNet after the 2025 NBA Draft. “Adou was projected by our scouts as a first-round talent, and we were able to turn 55, which is a late second-round pick, into a high second-round pick to select a player we had projected in the first round. So it’s almost like having the first-round pick that we traded out.”
To pull off the move, the Lakers first dealt the No. 55 pick and cash considerations to the Chicago Bulls to move up to No. 45, before flipping that selection and additional cash to the
Pelinka Compare Thiero to OG Anunoby
Pelinka drew attention post-draft when he compared Thiero’s skill set to
“Obviously, OG is an incredible player that’s done so much in the league,” Pelinka said. “I don’t want to put pressure on anyone to become someone else, but that archetype is definitely it. He’s got the 6’7” frame, he’s incredibly explosive, a developing shooter, and a lob catcher. On the other side of the ball, he’s going to be an elite defender. He has all the tools there.”
Thiero’s former college coach, John Calipari at Arkansas, called him “the steal of the draft” and praised his work ethic.
“Forget what round he is drafted in,” Calipari wrote on X
High Ceiling, But Shooting Needs Work
At 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot wingspan, Thiero possesses ideal length for an NBA wing and projects as a potential 3-and-D forward. He averaged 15.1 points on 54.5% shooting and 5.8 rebounds per game last season for the Razorbacks, but shot just
Still, his defensive instincts, athleticism, and versatility made him a favorite among the Lakers’ scouting staff — and his recent medical progress suggests he could make his Lakers debut sometime in November if recovery stays on track.
Anfernee Simons Opens Up on New Role for Celtics
The Boston Celtics acquired Anfernee Simons from the Portland Trail Blazers in the offseason amid their roster overhaul to save money. Simons is expected to have a new but familiar role with the Celtics.
Coach Joe Mazzulla is expected to start Payton Pritchard and Derrick White, leaving Simons to come off the bench. He had 21 points in 25 minutes as a sub in the Celtics’ 138-107 preseason win over the
In an interview with Brian Robb of MassLive.com, the 26-year-old guard shared his reaction to coming off the bench in Boston.
“I thought at first I was overthinking it. But once I got out there I got a little more comfortable. Obviously, when you’ve been starting for how many years now, you feel, like, changing the kind of routine that you’ve built the past couple of years. But I think those early years coming off the bench really helped me and kind of understanding coming off the bench and the rhythm and just the preparation to come off the bench. But it was good,” Simons said.
Simons has been a starter for the Blazers in the past three seasons. However, he was also the primary scorer off the bench early in his career in Portland, backing up
Anfernee Simons Has An Expiring Contract
The Boston Celtics had to part ways with Jrue Holiday, an important part of their 2024 championship team, to acquire Anfernee Simons. The Celtics were not interested in paying the price of being a second apron team amid the absence of
In addition to Holiday, the Celtics also traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Atlanta Hawks. They even let Al Horford and Luke Kornet
The Simons trade was a savvy move since he’s on an expiring contract, as per Spotrac. He could either be a contributor for the Celtics this season or a possible trade candidate at the deadline.
ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel reported last month that Simons might be the next player to be put on the trade market since Boston has no intentions to make Payton Pritchard and
Ideal Landing Spot for Simons
The Boston Celtics can never be counted out, even without Jayson Tatum. However, teams like the Detroit Pistons are expected to be better than them next season. The Pistons could be an ideal landing spot for Anfernee Simons, especially if
“The Pistons are hoping that Jaden Ivey can fill that role as he develops, but Simons has already proven effective as an
Simons averaged 19.3 points per game last season, shooting 42.6% from the field, including 36.3% from threes. He fits the secondary scorer role in Detroit, though there could be better options out there by February.
