Watch: Is James Harden working on new move?

James Harden is a masterful offensive player and may be adding a new move to his arsenal.

Rico Hines, a player development coach for the Sacramento Kings, shared video on Instagram Sunday that shows Harden playing on the practice courts at UCLA. The video shows Harden faking one way and then moving the other to take a running one-legged 3-point shot:

View this post on Instagram

For game. @jharden13 #knowyourbigpicture #familyforever #theblueprint

A post shared by Darico "Rico" Hines (@ricohinesbball) on Aug 18, 2019 at 3:49pm PDT

Harden’s move seems very atypical. Players use crossover moves, but few ever take long-distance shots on the run the way Harden did. They’re usually moving towards the basket on runners, not going sideways. It takes an incredible amount of leg strength to push off for a shot like that.

Harden has already perfected the step-back 3-pointer and is the best in the league at drawing fouls, which frequently annoys critics.

Houston Rockets GM Daryl Morey already called Harden the best scorer in history. Despite that label, he is still working constantly to improve.

H/T r/NBA

Report: Lakers’ interest in Dwight Howard is ‘due diligence’

The Los Angeles Lakers are interested in Dwight Howard, but it may not be as far along as some reports make it sound.

According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Lakers are essentially doing their “due diligence” on Howard. While his previous unpleasant departure from the organization isn’t expected to be a factor due to Howard’s good relationship with Jeanie Buss, the team is still working through basketball-related decisions.

Regarding the Lakers and Dwight Howard, a team source says their interest is more “due diligence “ after the Boogie injury. Memphis has granted permission for Dwight and his camp to speak to teams, one of which is the Lakers.

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) August 18, 2019

As @VeniceMase and I discussed the other day on @ESPNLosAngeles … Dwight may have left town on bad terms with some in LA. But he always had a good relationship with Jeanie Buss. Remember, Jeanie and Phil tweeting at him during the recruiting process.

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) August 18, 2019

So I don’t think this decision would be about bridges burned. More like whether the Lakers feel Dwight Howard would be their best option after the loss of Boogie. Still very early in that decision making process.

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) August 18, 2019

The Lakers are desperate for frontcourt help after DeMarcus Cousins’ ACL tear. They’ll have permission to speak to Howard, but they may just be feeling him out right now.

Lakers reportedly granted permission to speak with Dwight Howard

The Los Angeles Lakers may be progressing towards a deal to add Dwight Howard.

The Lakers are in need of a center after DeMarcus Cousins suffered a torn ACL last week that could keep him out for the season. Howard had expressed interest in a Lakers return last year and this summer, but the team went in other directions. Now that Cousins is out, the possibility of adding Howard is in play.

Early Sunday morning, The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the Lakers had interest in bringing Howard back. Charania later reported that the Memphis Grizzlies have granted the Lakers permission to talk with the big man.

Howard was traded to Memphis during the offseason and is expected to be waived. It’s not uncommon for teams to allow the agent of a player to seek a potential trade or new home for their client in the case where they are unlikely to keep the player.

Howard turns 34 in December and would be a gamble for the Lakers; he only played in nine games last season with the Wizards due to a glute injury. He also has previous negative history with the Lakers after leaving them for Houston in free agency in 2013.

Report: Lakers interested in bringing back Dwight Howard

The Los Angeles Lakers are scrambling to find frontcourt help after DeMarcus Cousins suffered a torn ACL during a workout last week, and signing Dwight Howard is one possibility they are looking into.

The Lakers have requested permission to speak with Howard and the two sides have mutual interest, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.

The Lakers are expected to request permission soon to speak to Dwight Howard and there's mutual interest between the eight-time All-Star and L.A. in wake of DeMarcus Cousins' torn ACL, league sources tell @TheAthleticNBA @Stadium.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 18, 2019

Howard was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this offseason, and he is expected to be waived. He has reportedly lost some weight and is committed to proving he is a changed man, but we have heard that from him before.

Howard’s lone season with the Lakers in 2012-13 did not go well, as he clashed with Kobe Bryant and became the face of a team that underachieved. He signed with the Houston Rockets after the season and looked like he couldn’t wait to get out of LA, but he has expressed interest in returning.

Bol Bol says he is fully healed, ready for season

Bol Bol believes that he is ready to rock for his rookie season with the Denver Nuggets.

Speaking this week in an interview with Jim Slater of AFP, the 7-foot-2 center spoke on his health.

“Everything is perfect. Everything has fully healed,” said Bol. “I’ve been working out in the morning and coming back at night.

“I’ll be ready for when the season starts,” he added. “I’ll be ready for all that.”

After averaging 21.0 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks per game on 52.0 percent shooting from deep as a freshman for Oregon, Bol suffered a stress fracture in his left foot that ended his year early. While he was still projected by some to go in the lottery, the 19-year-old fell all the way to No. 44 on draft day, giving rise to numerous theories about his slide.

The Nuggets redshirted their draft pick last year in Michael Porter Jr, a player with similar injury concerns, but Bol seems confident that that will not be necessary with him.

Spurs will retire Tony Parker’s jersey

The San Antonio Spurs are bestowing one of their highest honors upon franchise legend Tony Parker.

The Spurs announced in a press release on Friday that Parker’s No. 9 jersey will be retired during a ceremony on Nov. 11, when the team hosts the Memphis Grizzlies.

Parker was drafted No. 28 overall in 2001 by the Spurs and spent 17 seasons with the franchise. He made six All-Star Games during that time and helped them win four NBA championships. He won NBA Finals MVP in 2007.

Parker is the Spurs’ career leader in assists and is second in games played. He will be the 10th player in Spurs history to have his jersey retired.

The 37-year-old point guard spent last season with the Charlotte Hornets and then announced his retirement from the league.

Chauncey Billups joining Clippers as analyst

Mr. Big Shot is returning to one of his former NBA teams as a broadcaster.

Andrew Marchand of the New York Post reported on Friday that retired five-time All-Star Chauncey Billups is leaving ESPN’s “NBA Countdown” crew to join the LA Clippers as a television game analyst. Billups will still continue at ESPN too but will shift to games, Marchand writes.

The 42-year-old Billups played 17 seasons in the league, including two with the Clippers towards the end of his career.

Billups has been an analyst for several years now since retiring, and let’s just hope he does better than the last former player the Clippers hired to the role.