Swanson: Trade for James Harden? Clippers have to try

• July 1, 2023

Beard or no beard?

Heard from a bunch of Clippers fans on Twitter, and 70% of them indicated – in my absolutely unscientific poll – that they thought their team’s roster would look better with a beard. Or the Beard.

Clippers fans might be contrarians, but they’re not dumb.

James Harden, the one-time Lakewood Artesia High standout who grew up to become a 10-time NBA All-Star, three-time scoring champ, 2017-18 league MVP and – this is key – twice the league’s leading facilitator, could be traded to the Clippers if they can come to terms with the Philadelphia 76ers.

To recap the most breathlessly reported possible transaction this free agency week: Harden, reportedly displeased with the Sixers over how they’ve handled contract negotiations, exercised his $35.6 million player option Thursday and asked for a trade. He reportedly wants to come here, home to the Clippers.

Should they do it? Yes. They should try to find a way.

How much should they relinquish to get him? Only as much as they have to.

Obviously. Obviously. Aye aye, Captain.

Protect the young assets, be stingy with those players who have fewer miles on their legs and who will make less of a dent in the more onerous salary structure that’s being ushered in with the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement.

Pitch hardballs, because that’s what Philadelphia’s president of basketball operations Daryl Morey will be throwing back. We know because we lived through his six-month standoff with Ben Simmons that led to the Sixers’ acquisition of Harden back in February 2022.

So we’re gonna be here awhile, then https://t.co/E5xrEP9HwX

— Lucas (@LucasJHann) June 30, 2023

And then, if the Clippers get it done, they’ll have to cross their fingers and say a little prayer to the basketball gods, plead nicely for good health and happiness.

Because, let’s be honest: There’d be potential pitfalls, opportunities aplenty for the deal to go sideways.

Harden’s employee record doesn’t exactly inspire confidence. Not sure that NBA teams check references, or would want to, but this is the third time he’s asked out of a situation in three years, potentially the third ugly breakup in a row.

I remember listening when the Clippers’ president of basketball operations, Lawrence Frank, addressed fans after a midseason roster overhaul in 2018, hinting at how the team planned to entice potential free agents (ahem, Kawhi). A key selling point then – and now, and always, regardless of how much a salary cap squeezes them: “We got the best city in the NBA, right?” Frank said then. “The thing we offer, in this city, is you get all the benefits without the drama.”

To his point, Russell Westbrook’s stint last season as a Clipper was decidedly drama-free. But who knows with Harden?

In Houston in 2020-21, he got disgruntled, skipped individual workouts, seemed to be partying in Las Vegas instead of reporting to training camp and hurled a basketball at teammates. Finally, he shoved his way out to Brooklyn after lamenting openly: “(We’re) just not good enough. … I love this city. I literally have done everything that I can. I mean, this situation is crazy. It’s something that I don’t think can be fixed.”

And then a year into his Nets tenure, after playing himself into shape, Harden got fed up with that situation, which was plagued by injuries and fellow All-Star Kyrie Irving’s refusal to get vaccinated so he could be available regularly.

And now, after an uneven playoff performance last season, including Harden’s nine-point effort in their season-ending loss to Boston in Game 7 of their second-round series, the Sixers have managed to offend him too – understandable, perhaps, considering he accepted a discount last season. (He declined his $47.4 million player option and instead inked a two-year, $68.6 million deal that included the player option, which allowed Philly to make some additional moves, including signing P.J. Tucker.)

James Harden’s brilliant playmaking has made a huge difference to the Sixers’ offense.

Some of his best assists with Philly so far: pic.twitter.com/NrUVvOKaXS

— Tom West (@TomWestNBA) August 3, 2022

Despite all that, it could be a good deal for the Clippers. Those star-crossed, snakebitten Clippers, who aren’t actually so many whiskers away from championship contention – or wouldn’t be, if they had any kind of luck besides the bad kind.

Confidence in them has waned as well. All-Stars Kawhi Leonard and Paul George were tasked with securing the franchise’s first championship, but in four seasons since joining forces in 2019-20, they’ve gotten only as far as the Western Conference finals.

But the oft-injured pair is an impressive 96-46 in their all-too-rare appearances together. That’s really good!

So cool it on the George trade chatter, and fire up that trade machine for Harden.

Because if – big, big, all-caps IF – the Clippers could get Nos. 2 and 13 together with the elite facilitator they’ve been hunting obsessively for on a regular basis? They’d make believers out of even the most disheartened Clippers fan. Of the most ardent hater.

And without better options than Kawhi and PG in what is, for now, their final guaranteed year together, and with a new arena that’ll need some juice to start the 2024 season, Harden would help a team that’s due to break through someday. That has to, right?

Maybe, if the Clippers go wishing on a third star.

​ Orange County Register 

Guinea pigs Rocky and Sylvester need a foster home

• July 1, 2023

Breed: American guinea pigs

Age: 2 years, Rocky; 3 months, Sylvester

Gender: Both are male

Rocky and Sylvester’s story: After being rescued, Rocky was paired with Baby Sylvester, and both pigs are thriving!  Rocky is enjoying teaching Sylvester all about guinea pig life. They love to hang out together and share a delicious treat of cilantro and bell peppers. To continue to thrive, Rocky and Sylvester need a foster home where they can receive attention and human interaction. Fosters provide fresh vegetables and lots of love; the Southern California Guinea Pig Rescue provides everything else. Fostering is a great introduction to guinea pig ownership.

How to foster:  Visit Southern California Guinea Pig Rescue’s website, and click on “Get Involved” for additional information and an application. Also on the website are many other guinea pigs that are looking for foster homes. You can also reach Southern California Guinea Pig Rescue at socalguineapigrescue@gmail.com.

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

 Sweet Turkish Van cat Buddy is looking for a fresh start

• July 1, 2023

Breed: Turkish Van

Age: About 9 years

Sex: Neutered male

Buddy’s story: Buddy is a sweet, quiet boy with big, blue eyes. At 9, he’s just middle-aged, since cats can easily live to be 16. He’s a chunky guy, but that’s just more to love. He adores being brushed and fed cat treats – they don’t have to happen at the same time, but hey, if you can multi-task, he won’t complain! Buddy spent much of his life living in a cage, but since getting out more he has discovered how fun toys can be and likes being held. He prefers to snuggle with someone and be petted and brushed while he purrs away.

Adoption donation: $125, includes vaccinations, flea and worm treatment

Adoption procedure: Contact Joanne with Long Beach Spay and Neuter Foundation at adoptions@lbsn.org or 562-241-1521 to receive an adoption application and schedule an appointment to meet Buddy. The three cats Buddy lived with are also looking for new, forever homes.

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

Reports: Rui Hachimura returns to Lakers on a 3-year, $51M deal

• July 1, 2023

Free agent forward Rui Hachimura will reportedly return to the Lakers on a long-term contract.

The team and Hachimura came to an agreement on a three-year contract worth $51 million, multiple media outlets reported.

The Lakers made Hachimura a restricted free agent when they officially extended qualifying offers to him and guard Austin Reaves on Tuesday.

Hachimura’s qualifying offer was for a one-year salary of $7.74 million, but he was always going to receive a far more lucrative deal during free agency.

The Lakers acquired Hachimura, the No. 9 pick in the 2019 draft, in a Jan. 23 trade with the Washington Wizards.

Hachimura averaged 9.6 points and 4.7 rebounds in his 33 regular-season games with the Lakers. He found his offensive rhythm, especially as a 3-point shooter, during the playoffs, averaging 12.2 points (48.7% shooting from 3-point range) and 3.6 rebounds as a key part of the rotation (24.3 minutes – 16 games played and one start).

The Lakers said goodbye to two free agents from last season’s roster on Friday, when veteran guard Dennis Schröder and forward Troy Brown came to agreements with other teams. Schröder reportedly agreed to a two-year, $26 million deal with the Toronto Raptors while Brown is headed to the Minnesota Timberwolves on a one-year deal.

Reaves, a restricted free agent who played a significant role in the Lakers’ turnaround last season, didn’t sign an offer sheet with any team on the first day of free agency.

The Lakers are limited in the salary they can offer Reaves, 25, because they don’t have his full Bird rights – they have his Early Bird rights – after signing him to a two-year contract in September 2021.

The maximum contract the Lakers can offer Reaves is for around $52 million across four years. A team with significant salary cap space, such as the San Antonio Spurs or Houston Rockets, could offer Reaves a contract of up to four years, with the last two seasons as high as a maximum salary – around $98 million for the entirety of the contract.

But because of the Gilbert Arenas Provision in the collective bargaining agreement, which helps teams retain their own restricted free agents who are not coming off standard rookie scale deals, the Lakers can – and likely would – match any offer sheet Reaves signs with another team.

Guard D’Angelo Russell, who started for the Lakers after being acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline, remains an unrestricted free agent.

Yahoo Sports reported that Russell and the Lakers could agree to terms on a two-year, $40 million deal with the second year a team option or non-guaranteed.

Mo Bamba and Malik Beasley also remain unrestricted free agents after the Lakers didn’t pick up Beasley’s $16.5 million team option for 2023-24 and waived Mo Bamba on Thursday before his $10.3 million salary for next season became guaranteed.

Those moves helped the Lakers stay below the $172 million luxury tax apron for the 2023-24 season, giving them access to the $12.4 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception entering free agency. They’ll use most of that exception to sign free agent guard Gabe Vincent, who they agreed to terms with on a three-year, $33 million contract on Friday.

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

Here’s one of the greatest challenges for anglers in California

• July 1, 2023

Catching on

California has several unique fishing programs, including the Heritage Trout Challenge and two Free Fishing Days.

For beginners

Saturday, July 1, is one of two Free Fishing Days each year in California. If you didn’t plan for tomorrow, the next will be Sept. 2. On these days, you can fish without a sport fishing license. Some restrictions apply regarding steelhead, sturgeon and salmon. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife developed the days as an inexpensive way to introduce people to fishing.

A California Sport Fishing License is generally required for everyone 16 or older except on the two Free Fishing Days.Some California Fish and Wildlife Department regions offer a Fishing in the City program where you can go fishing in the middle of major metropolitan areas.

The Fishing in the City program is in its 30th year and there are many events scheduled throughout the state and during the year.The aim of the program is teaching kids and parents to fish by giving them the tools they need to return to fish on their own. All programs are offered at very low or no cost at all.

Catching on

The CDFW’s portion of Fishing in the City is funded through the Sport Fish Restoration Fund. The purpose of the program is education, access and caring for urban waterways that were neglected. California’s urban anglers identified a lack of free time as the primary reason why they don’t fish.

“Fishing offers the perfect tool to reconnect people with their community waterways,” the CDFW says. “It is an easy step to connect healthy aquatic habitats with healthy fish and healthy people.”

New for 2023

Fishing licenses used to be good from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 of each year, but now you can buy one today and it will be good for 365 days.Here’s a link to Los Angeles and Orange counties program.

Here’s a link to the Inland Empire program.

Freshwater opportunities

The California Fish and Game Commission established the Heritage Trout Program in 2017 to emphasize education and angling opportunities for California’s native trout.

The CDFW has identified 12 historic drainages in the state (with 11 different species) and by catching six different species and photographing these fish, you can receive a colorful, personalized certificate and an embroidered hat.

To qualify for the challenge, six different native trout must be caught within their respective historic ranges. All fishing regulations and rules for the area must be observed.

Applications and supporting photographs may be submitted electronically or via mail and, once submitted, become property of the state. Your personal information will be kept private.

There are no rules about how long it takes to complete the challenge. Any heritage trout legally captured in your lifetime qualifies for the challenge.

Applications can be found online at wildlife.ca.gov/Fishing/Inland/HTC.

It can be completed electronically or handwritten.

Since this is a recognition program with no time limit, old photographs can be used as long as the trout can be identified. The angler doesn’t need to be in the picture.

Tackling them all

If documenting six different species isn’t enough of a challenge, you can pursue the Master Angler Challenge.

For the native trout fanatic, there is the elite Master Angler recognition for those who capture and document all 11 subspecies currently recognized in California.

For the record

Current California angling records for trout. The facts regarding the catch must be recorded on the California Inland Water Angling Record Verification Form (FG 737A). Forms are available at wildlife.ca.gov/Fishinq/Records. Record forms must be submitted within 30 days of catch.

​ Orange County Register 

NHL free agency: Kings’ goalie quest could be costly

• July 1, 2023

With NHL free agency set to open Saturday, the intrigue may be twofold for the Kings, whose effective salary-cap space might be measured in pocket lint or rusty coins rather than dollars even as they remain in need of a starting goaltender and a complete pro roster for the upcoming campaign.

Given the Kings’ current cap situation, it seems that they will have to exchange a roster player for a goalie, whether directly or indirectly. The flurry of activity on and around the start of the free-agency period could present them with opportunities.

“We have to (acquire a goalie). We only have one under contract right now, well two, with (prospect Erik) Portillo (and Pheonix Copley),” General Manager Rob Blake said.

Complicating matters for the Kings is that cap space is at a premium all over the NHL, especially among competitive teams. On Thursday alone, former Ducks winger Corey Perry was dealt for a seventh-round pick, two promising young Edmonton forwards were offloaded for future considerations, and the Islanders had to send a second-round draft pick with winger Josh Bailey to jettison his contract only to receive the same nebulous “future considerations.”

The Kings have already given the trade tracker a strenuous workout this offseason. They have pushed out seven players and two draft selections, enabling them to re-sign defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov for two seasons and acquire center Pierre-Luc Dubois for the purpose of signing him to a fresh eight-year contract.

Three roster forwards have already been sent away and a fourth may be on the chopping block to facilitate the acquisition of a goalie and, potentially, an economically priced replacement for the outgoing player, likely a forward.

Though the Kings have been tight-lipped about their specific plans, it’s evident that winger Viktor Arvidsson is not under contract beyond the coming season, when he’ll account for $4.25 million against the salary cap. Forward Trevor Moore’s cap hit is nearly commensurate ($4.2 million), but the Thousand Oaks native just signed his extension and has a limited no-trade clause set to kick in Saturday, complicating matters from both ethical and logistical standpoints.

While Blake and his staff have had a strong poker face, at least one more trade seems inevitable.

The relative stagnation of the NHL salary cap in recent years has prompted GMs to preserve value from assets wherever possible, resulting in a relatively thin free-agent class from top to bottom.

That includes the goaltending market, with last year’s playoff starter Joonas Korpisalo creating limited buzz about a potential return. Heretofore Pittsburgh Penguin Tristan Jarry, 28, is another exception to a market overflowing with netminders in their mid-30s. Jarry has familiarity with new Kings goaltending coach Mike Buckley, who was Pittsburgh’s goalie whisperer until heading westward.

On the positive side, any pain will be transitory. Next summer, the cap is widely projected to experience its first significant increase since 2019 and the only King in line for a noteworthy raise may be defenseman Matt Roy. Meanwhile, team captain Anze Kopitar is due for a new contract, and seems likely to sign for less than his current $10 million annual average value, offering further flexibility.

Though the precise terms were not discussed, Blake said he felt confident he and Kopitar would meet soon and hoped that they would have an extension in place before Oct. 11’s home opener.

“I don’t think he’ll ever slow down, it’ll be the day when he says, ‘I want to go home,’” said Kings president Luc Robitaille of Kopitar, who has continued to excel in a top-line role.

While Kopitar’s future with the Kings appeared to be in no jeopardy, Phillip Danault seemed destined for a return to a familiar role from two prior stops in his career: third-line center. When asked about Dubois’ position, Blake was unequivocal.

“He’ll obviously be in the middle of the ice there,” said Blake, also alluding to a top-six role for Dubois.

Quinton Byfield, a No. 2 overall pick entering the final year of his entry-level deal, will start 2023-24 where he ended 2022-23, on the wing. Blake had expressed hope that Byfield would return to the middle after the Kings were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, but displayed a more open attitude after the Dubois trade.

“Whether (Byfield) ends up at center over the years or not, that’s still not really laid out firm by any means, but we did like the progression he showed (on the wing),” Blake said.

What was concrete Friday were the statuses of some of the younger Kings who were without contracts. The Kings extended qualifying offers to defenseman Tobias Bjornfot, winger Samuel Fagemo, center Akil Thomas and forward Tyler Madden. They also re-signed forward Taylor Ward to a one-year extension, a move made with a mind toward their minor-league affiliate.

Forward Jaret Anderson-Dolan, who once seemed destined for a long-term spot in the bottom six; forward Lias Andersson, a former No. 7 overall pick acquired by the Kings from the Rangers for a second-round pick; and winger Zack MacEwen, whom the Kings acquired at least year’s trade line but deployed sparingly, were among the 10 players who had their tenders declined. They will become unrestricted free agents Saturday, although that doesn’t preclude entirely their return to the Kings.

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

Brothers David, Dominic Fletcher meet for first time in MLB as Angels face Diamondbacks

• July 1, 2023

ANAHEIM — David and Dominic Fletcher had dreamed about the moment they would share a major league field together.

When it finally arrived on Friday, it was bittersweet.

Their father, Tim, had died suddenly less than three weeks earlier. He was 60.

“This would have been one of his proudest moments,” said Dominic, an Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder. “Every night he turned on the TV and had both of our games going on simultaneously. To be able to be here and watch would have been one of his favorite things.”

The Fletcher brothers grew up in Orange County and attended Cypress High School. They went to Angels games with their dad as kids, sitting “up there at the top,” Dominic said, motioning to the upper deck. They attended the parade after the Angels won the 2002 World Series.

David, 29, and Dominic, 25, played together for one year in high school. David went to Loyola Marymount and was drafted by the Angels in 2015. Dominic went to Arkansas and was drafted by Diamondbacks in 2019.

During one wild June in 2018, Tim saw David make his major league debut in Seattle and Dominic play in the College World Series in Omaha.

The two finally got a chance to play together for Italy in the World Baseball Classic, which was a nod to their mother’s birthplace.

Since then, the two of them split the season playing at Triple-A and in the majors. They had played against each other in Triple-A, but the chances of them meeting in the big leagues shrunk as each was still in the minors a week before this series.

David was called up to the Angels last Saturday, and Dominic got the call from the Diamondbacks on Friday, just in time to report to Anaheim.

David was starting at shortstop and batting ninth on Friday; Dominic was in left field, batting sixth.

“It’s awesome,” David said. “It’s something that we kind of thought would happen one day and could be a special series.”

Angels manager Phil Nevin, who has two sons playing professional baseball right now, said he had a special appreciation for how the family was feeling this weekend.

“As a parent, I couldn’t imagine being in the stands watching your boys play against each other, which is happening tonight,” Nevin said. “It’s got to be really a special moment for their family and what’s going on with them over the last couple of weeks. It’s a tragedy in the family, but then for them to get together like this, it was like it was meant to be.

“Heck, I’ll probably have some emotions with it tonight as well. I know both of them already have. I’ve talked to David yesterday. He mentioned after the game that his brother might be coming. You could hear it in his voice when he said it, how excited he was.”

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register 

Los Alamitos horse racing consensus picks, Saturday, July 1, 2023

• July 1, 2023

The consensus box of Los Alamitos horse racing picks comes from handicappers Bob Mieszerski, Art Wilson, Terry Turrell and Eddie Wilson. Here are the picks for thoroughbred races on Saturday, July 1, 2023.

Trouble viewing on mobile device? See consensus picks

Enjoy the consensus horse racing picks online? Subscribe

Related Articles

​ Orange County Register