Brooklyn’s Day’Ron Sharpe is starting to look like his old self, playing his best basketball of the season right as the trade deadline approaches.
In a contract year, Sharpe is facing the prospect of being dealt by 3 p.m. Thursday or looking at restricted free agency in the summer.
“I don’t tend to think about it,” Sharpe told The Post. “I just go out there and play hard, you know? Whatever comes, comes with it, God willing. So it is what it is.”
Sharpe shrugged off a hamstring injury that forced him out of the last win over Charlotte, practicing Friday and will be available Saturday in Houston.
A number of teams are showing interest in landing the bruising big man before Thursday.
Or at least in one case, reigniting old interest.
The Lakers are keeping an eye on Sharpe after Anthony Davis prodded them to add another big man.
ClutchPoints reported that L.A. wanted Sharpe in the Dorian Finney-Smith trade, but the Nets demanded more draft picks in compensation, so the Lakers ended up settling for Shake Milton.
Nets GM Sean Marks and Los Angeles’ Rob Pelinka could reengage before the Feb. 6 deadline on Sharpe, who is cheap, still just 23 years old and a strong rebounder.
He likely suits the Lakers, but does he suit their stars?
The Los Angeles Times has reported that Washington’s Jonas Valanciunas is “a known favorite in important pockets of the Lakers locker room.”
But he’s an older back-to-the-basket scorer, one who’ll cost both cap space and assets, and require the offense to run through him.
That doesn’t exactly fit coach JJ Redick’s style.
Though Sharpe is shooting a career-worst 48.2 percent, he did miss the first six weeks of the season with hamstring woes.
When he finally got back on the court, he compromised and averaged just 6.6 points and 5.6 rebounds on 42.2 percent shooting through his first 14 games.
But in 12 games since — starting with 16-point, 13-rebound night Jan. 6 versus Indiana — Sharpe has averaged 8.9 points, 7.2 boards and 54.3 percent shooting.
“I feel a lot better since New Year’s started,” Sharpe told The Post. “I feel like December had to get little kinks out with my body and stuff like that. But I feel a lot better now. I’m just trying to keep that, maintain that … So, staying focused.”
Jordi Fernandez added, “He went through practice, got scanned [Thursday]. Everything looked good, but we still have to assess the discomfort.”
Noah Clowney likely will be out through the All-Star break with a left ankle sprain sustained Monday versus Sacramento.
Cam Thomas (left hamstring strain) had a follow-up MRI earlier this week that revealed appropriate healing.
He’ll continue individual on-court workouts and is expected back shortly after the All-Star break.
Cam Johnson (right ankle sprain) is day-to-day.
Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty ImagesThe Phoenix Suns have now won nine of their last 12 games after defeating the host Golden State Warriors 130-105 on Friday even
There was some excitement going into Friday’s nationally-televised showdown between the Golden State Warriors and the Phoenix Suns. The Dubs have been desp
On Friday evening, the New Orleans Pelicans lost to the Boston Celtics (at home) by a score of 118-116.However, the bigger concern was the fact that 2022 NBA Al
David Dow/NBAE via Getty ImagesThe Denver Nuggets snapped a three-game losing streak on Friday night, taking down the Philadelphia 76ers by the final score of 1