Lakers report: 2018 All-Star game will be at Staples Center

The official announcement that the NBA All-Star game was returning to Los Angeles in 2018 came amid jokes about a mayors’ dunking contest and comments about the sunny weather.

The NBA’s seven-year itch led to the game being hosted by Staples Center for the first time since 2011. Staples also had the 2004 game.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver credited AEG, the owner of Staples Center since it opened in 1999, and was effusive in his praise for the city of Los Angeles.

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After All-Star games in freezing temperatures the last two years (Toronto and New York), Silver noted there was “great weather and lots to do here” as he spoke to reporters at Staples.

Mayor Eric Garcetti joked that the game should be permanently moved to L.A., adding his own spin to the weekend.

“There’s going to be a mayoral dunk contest with a nice trampoline,” he said.

The three-day event would bring more than $100 million of economic activity to the city, AEG President and CEO Dan Beckerman said. The game itself is Feb. 18, 2018.

The Lakers and Clippers will co-host the weekend, a brief partnership reflected in an All-Star logo showing two Lakers-colored stars (purple and gold) and two Clippers-colored stars (red and white).

Harassment investigation ends

An internal Lakers investigation was inconclusive after team officials spoke with two players and the woman who accused them of harassing her and her mother Sunday night in Hollywood.

There were “different interpretations of what happened,” Lakers spokesman John Black said in a statement Tuesday.

Alexis Jones, 32, said she and her mother were stopped at an intersection in their car when a sport utility vehicle driven by Lakers forward Nick Young pulled up next to them. Jordan Clarkson was in the passenger seat, Jones said.

At least one of the players gestured obscenely, Jones told The Times. Young later dismissed the allegation with a tweet that was quickly deleted from his account.

“We support Nick and Jordan and believe what they told us about the incident and their actions,” Black said. “We also are supportive of Alexis and her feelings about what happened, about women’s rights, and of the fine work Alexis is doing with her organization.”

Jones consults with college and pro teams to prevent sexual assault and domestic abuse.

“I had several conversations with Alexis and her publicist, and tried to arrange a meeting between her, Nick and Jordan,” Black said. “Unfortunately, Alexis’ schedule didn’t allow for this to happen [Monday]. We will also continue to stay in touch with her about the possibility of addressing our team about the important issues with which she’s involved.”

Lakers Coach Byron Scott said he spoke with the two players and declined to provide details. He spoke more freely about the power of social media.

“We’re living in a society today with camera phones and all the other stuff that you’ve got at your disposal. Guys are at risk, so they’ve just got to be careful,” Scott said.

Jones uploaded photos of Young and Clarkson in an SUV on her Instagram page. The players were not gesturing in the photos.

Young and Clarkson each referred to it as a “miscommunication” Tuesday.

“We don’t want to go into further detail about who’s right and who’s wrong in that situation,” Clarkson said. “But at the end of the day, it was a miscommunication.

Said Young: “We live in a world where social media plays a big part in what you do, so you’ve just got to be careful about your surroundings and where you’re at.”

Up next

LAKERS AT PHOENIX SUNS

When: 7 p.m.

Where: Talking Stick Resort Arena.

On the air: TV: TWC SportsNet, TWC Deportes; Radio: 710, 1330.

Records: Lakers 15-55; Suns 19-51.

Record vs. Suns: 1-2.

Update: The Lakers and Phoenix are in their own version of a late-season race … for the NBA’s second-worst record. The Lakers currently have a 55.8% chance of keeping their top-three protected pick on lottery night. Their chances fall to 46.9% if they pass Phoenix in the standings over the final three weeks. The Lakers shot only 36% in a 95-90 loss to the Suns last week at Staples Center. D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle made a combined five of 32 shots (15.6%).

Follow Mike Bresnahan on Facebook and Twitter @Mike_Bresnahan