NBA Rumors: No set date for Kobe Bryant statue outside Lakers arena

Earlier in the month, the Daily Mail reported that the Los Angeles Lakers would unveil a statue of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gigi, who both died in a tragic plane accident three years ago. The alleged date of the statue's unveiling outside Crypto.com Arena was Aug. 8, 2024 -- or, in a fitting nod to Kobe, 8/8/24.

Now, a new report from Lakers insider Arash Markazi disputes the original claim. The Lakers are going to build Kobe a statue, of course, and Gigi's inclusion has been discussed. That said, there is no set date and a statue design has not been commissioned, according to multiple sources within the Lakers organization.

This is a strange development, as there's no conceivable reason for false reporting about Kobe's statue. If anything, it's disrespectful to the Bryant family if unfounded speculation was passed as fact. While 8/8/24 is the perfect date in terms of surface-level symbolism, the date doesn't really matter. The statue will provide fans with the opportunity to celebrate a franchise legend and a community icon lost far too soon. If the Lakers need more time to work out the details, that's fine.

It's only a matter of time until Bryant is immortalized in bronze outside the Lakers' arena. Until an official announcement from the team is made, it's probably best to avoid pointless theorizing. Just take solace in the inevitability.

NBA Rumors: Heat already found Tyler Herro landing spot

The Portland Trail Blazers continue to stonewall the Miami Heat's pursuit of Damian Lillard, but Pat Riley and the Heat front office have already cleared one important hurdle. The Blazers' lack of interest in Tyler Herro is well-documented, which means he will need to be rerouted to a third team in any trade.

Well, it would appear Miami already has a destination lined up. In a recent appearance on the 'NBA Today' Podcast, Amin Elhassan spoke about the current status of the Heat's Lillard pursuit.

[The Heat] have a landing spot for Tyler Herro somewhere, they've got the other pieces that they're offering. Portland is looking for more. Now, whether that's more picks or more players, I don't know... But it's not a question of nobody wanting Tyler Herro: There's a landing spot for Tyler Herro. That part has been taken care of. Amin Elhassan, 'NBA Today' Podcast

That's certainly notable. The Blazers remain reluctant to deal with Miami, but if more teams don't come knocking sooner than later, Joe Cronin and Portland management will have to consider the best option available to them. Much has been made about the Heat's shoddy trade package, but Miami can offer several first-round picks, a few quality young players, and whatever the return is for Herro. That's not nothing, especially when one considers the four years and over $200 million left on 33-year-old Lillard's contract.

We don't know the specific Herro destination Miami has found, or if there's more than one. Herro's reputation has probably swung too far negative in the court of public opinion. There are defensive limitations, sure, but he's a very efficient volume shooter who can create his own looks from scratch. Herro would help a lot of teams.

NBA Rumors: Blazers have no desire for Towns-Lillard trade

With Anthony Edwards on the rise for Team USA, it's only natural for the Minnesota Timberwolves to emerge as a potential landing spot for available NBA stars. The problem, of course, is twofold. One, the Wolves will struggle to compile an enticing trade package after selling their future for Rudy Gobert, and two, the Wolves have to convince prospective stars to play happily in Minnesota.

The Wolves fail on both fronts in the case of Damian Lillard. According to Aaron J. Fentress of the Oregonian, Portland has no interest in Karl-Anthony Towns. Lillard also has no interest in Minnesota, to nobody's surprise. That all but eliminates a feasible path for Dame to end up in the land of 10,000 lakes.

On paper, the Wolves are a great landing spot for Dame. He would get to share the backcourt with Edwards, a consistent source of rim pressure who can defend better than Lillard's previous backcourt running mates in Portland. Lillard would also have a staunch rim protector behind him in Gobert, not to mention a sturdy screen-setter and a quality vertical threat on offense.

Of course, Lillard has made his desire to play in Miami (and only Miami) abudantly clear. The Heat are reigning Eastern Conference champs with a long history of winning. The Wolves, not so much. There's also locale to consider. Minneapolis doesn't have the same sunny beaches to appeal to Lillard's off-court sensibilities.

The Wolves could get close in value to Lillard with a trade package built around KAT and Jaden McDaniels, one of the best defensive wings in the NBA, but such a trade is plainly not going to happen.