NBA Notes: Zach LaVine, Kings, Darius Bazley, Lakers, Thunder

Newly acquired point guard Dennis Schroder is already making an impression in Sacramento, and Zach LaVine sounds excited about what the NBA veteran will bring to the table.

As relayed by Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee, LaVine believes Schroder’s presence could help stabilize the offense and add much-needed experience to the Kings’ backcourt rotation.

“Me and (DeMar DeRozan) have a track record for being able to put the ball in the basket and do the things on the court that we need to,” LaVine said. “But I think we need an overall team concept to where everything’s working the right way. Sometimes roster construction helps out a lot with that.

“So having Dennis, a veteran point guard who’s been in a lot of places, can come off the bench, has started. He can calm things down. He’s been in pressure situations. I think it’s going to help a lot.”

Schroder, 31, spent last season with the Warriors, Nets and Pistons, averaging 13.1 points and 5.4 assists in 75 games total.

Bazley Hoping to Rebuild NBA Path with Lakers

Darius Bazley is using Summer League as a chance to reset his career.

The 25-year-old forward is suiting up for the Lakers and put together strong performances at the California Classic, averaging 17.7 points and 8.7 rebounds in three games. He opened Vegas play with back-to-back double-doubles but struggled on Monday, finishing with just one point and four rebounds in 22 minutes.

Bazley, once a five-star recruit, famously skipped college and spent a year out of organized basketball before entering the 2019 NBA Draft. Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim was skeptical of the move at the time.

“I hope he does great. But I don’t think it’s the way it will be,” Boeheim said then. “I think it will be proven it’s not the way to get to the NBA.”

Bazley was eventually drafted No. 23 overall and spent four seasons with the Thunder before short stints with the Suns and Nets. He did not appear in an NBA game last season.

— In case you missed it, one NBA scout told Hoops Wire he strongly doubts that the Cavaliers called agent Rich Paul about LeBron James. We have the full story here.

Thunder Extensions Include Rose Rule Language for Williams

Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren both signed five-year rookie scale extensions with the Oklahoma City Thunder, but only one includes Rose Rule language, according to Bobby Marks of ESPN.

Williams’ deal includes escalators based on award outcomes that could significantly increase the value of the contract. If Williams earns MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, or a spot on the All-NBA First Team next season, his extension would begin at 30% of the 2026-27 salary cap. An All-NBA Second Team nod would bring it to 27%, while a Third Team selection would trigger a 26% starting salary.

If Williams does not meet any of those criteria, his contract would start at 25% of the cap, which is the same figure used in Holmgren’s max extension, which does not feature the Rose Rule provision.

Either way, the reigning NBA champions appear to be set for the future with all of their key players under contract for the foreseeable future.