Buha's Block

Jovan Buha looks at one area each Los Angeles Lakers player could improve on for this upcoming season.

From LeBron James’ turnovers to D’Angelo Russell’s off-ball effectiveness (especially in the playoffs) to Jarred Vanderbilt’s finishing at the rim, there are numerous ways that the Lakers could benefit from internal improvement for 2024-25.

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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
3:07 LeBron James
7:24 Anthony Davis
11:41 Austin Reaves
15:39 D’Angelo Russell
21:14 Rui Hachimura
24:31 Jarred Vanderbilt
28:51 Gabe Vincent
32:00 Max Christie
33:57 Christian Wood
36:09 Jaxson Hayes
39:10 Cam Reddish
43:55 Dalton Knecht
45:15 Bronny James Jr.
46:20 Jalen Hood-Schifino
49:23 Maxwell Lewis
51:14 Outro
51:38 September schedule
52:16 Future schedule/questions 

Jovan Buha answers your Los Angeles Lakers questions in his latest mailbag.

He grades the offseason, analyzes why LA is being overlooked in preseason rankings, evaluates potential big man options on the trade market, explains why he’s skeptical of Zach LaVine’s fit with the Lakers, reveals his GOAT and thoughts on the 90s, and more.

If you'd like Jovan to answer your questions in a future mailbag, drop your question in a comment below or when he posts a prompt in the YouTube community section (or on X/Twitter when he tweets out the mailbag prompt).

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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:17 Thank you for 50 episodes!
3:26 Question No. 1: How would you grade the offseason?
15:40 Question No. 2: Are the Lakers undervalued entering the season?
22:21 Question No. 3: Which bruising bigs would make sense for LA?
30:27 Question No. 4: How good would LA be with LaVine and Kessler?
35:10 Question No. 5: Next retired Lakers jersey?
38:12 Question No. 6: Starting lineup and bench unit?
40:34 Question No. 7: Who is the GOAT? Thoughts on the 90s?
51:10 Outro

Jovan Buha breaks down the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2024-25 NBA schedule. Then, he analyzes LeBron James and Anthony Davis’ performances with Team USA and what it means for Los Angeles.

Jovan discusses the Lakers’ schedule, their 10-game opening slate, LeBron and AD’s standing within Team USA and the league, why the Lakers need to invest more in their supporting cast around LeBron and AD, what the Lakers can learn from how they were used, and more.

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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:00 Lakers schedule analysis
5:34 LA is retiring Michael Cooper’s jersey
6:54 The first 10 games
9:01 The brutal late February-March stretch
10:35 Why I think this is a favorable schedule for LA
11:46 LeBron & AD with Team USA
18:29 Why LA should invest more in LeBron & AD
21:34 What the Lakers can learn from Team USA
26:01 Outro

Jovan Buha answers your Los Angeles Lakers questions in his latest mailbag.

Jovan covers why he believes LA should make a deal sooner than later, Rui Hachimura vs. Jarred Vanderbilt as the fifth starter, if D’Angelo Russell has reached his ceiling, what a healthy Christian Wood could do for the Lakers, if there is a trade that could make the Lakers the championship favorites, whether LA has a secret plan to hoard their picks, and more.

If you'd like Jovan to answer your question in a future mailbag, reply on Twitter/X when he tweets out his mailbag prompts.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider subscribing, rating and reviewing.

0:00 Intro
1:13 Question No. 1: Good deal now vs. great deal later?
10:17 Question No. 2: Will LA keep DLo if they trade for Grant?
15:52 Question No. 3: Projected starters? Any competition?
22:42 Question No. 4: Has DLo reached his ceiling?
30:14 Question No. 5: What does a healthy Wood do for LA?
34:51 Question No. 6: Is there a trade that would make LA the favorites?
37:23 Question No. 7: Lakers’ secret plan to hoard picks for future star?
40:12 Question No. 8: Is it possible to get worse picks back for Kessler?
41:50 Outro

Jovan Buha welcomes Los Angeles Lakers wing Max Christie to discuss his new contract with the Lakers and playing for head coach JJ Redick next season.

Jovan and Max discuss why he re-signed with the Lakers before free agency started, his sophomore season, his conversations with Redick about his role next season, why he thinks the Lakers are being overlooked in conversations about the West’s best, his brother being drafted by the Clippers, golf, Call of Duty, anime and more.

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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:49 Why Max re-signed with the Lakers
2:13 How Max views his sophomore season
4:22 What Max’s role will be under JJ Redick
6:33 What Max is looking for on closeouts
8:07 Max’s defensive technique
9:53 How Max works on his defense in the offseason
11:09 Why Max is high on the Lakers next season
13:56 Cam Christie being drafted by the Clippers
14:52 The basketball differences between Max and Cam
15:43 Max and Cam living together next season
16:28 The least mature thing about Max
17:42 Who’s the second-best golfer on the team?
18:07 The correlation between shooting and golf
19:27 Max’s love of anime=
21:09 The locker room’s love of COD and video games
22:17 Max’s message to his younger self
23:49 Outro

Jovan Buha welcomes Andy Kamenetzky from Locked On Lakers to examine where things stand with the Los Angeles Lakers as the summer winds down.

Jovan and Andy discuss LA’s offseason, patience vs. urgency in making a consolidation trade to improve the backend of the roster, the best way to build around LeBron James and Anthony Davis in 2024, why Jerami Grant is such an intriguing option, the potential cost and downside to a Grant trade, and more.

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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:35 How good are the Lakers?
7:21 Patience vs. urgency with the roster
15:30 Why hasn’t LA made a consolidation trade?
35:40 The best way to build around LeBron and AD
38:40 Why Jerami Grant could make sense
48:07 The potential downside of a Grant trade
54:20 The tricky road forward
57:36 Outro

Jovan Buha explains why he thinks the Los Angeles Lakers' projected win total -- 43.5 or 44.5 wins, depending on the sportsbook -- is too low.

Jovan discusses the coaching upgrade to JJ Redick and his new staff, the Lakers' unlucky health breaks over the past few seasons, the potential for internal improvement, last season's finish with Rui Hachimura as the start, trade possibilities, the bottom of the league, LeBron James and Anthony Davis remaining top-15 players (at worst), and more.

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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:34 Reason No. 1: The coaching upgrade
5:32 Reason No. 2: Health regression
11:24 Reason No. 3: Internal improvement
15:35 Reason No. 4: Last season’s finish
20:36 Reason No. 5: Trade possibilities
24:19 Miscellaneous reasons
29:39 Outro

Jovan Buha poses one question for each Los Angeles Lakers player for next season.

Jovan discusses LeBron James’ longevity, Anthony Davis’ dominance, D’Angelo Russell’s future, Jarred Vanderbilt’s offense, Gabe Vincent returning to his Miami form, Max Christie potentially taking a jump, Dalton Knecht’s defense, Christian Wood vs. Jaxson Hayes, the problematic backend of the roster, and much more.

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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:59 How long can LeBron James maintain his play?
7:44 Is there another level Anthony Davis can get to?
12:50 Will JJ Redick fully unleash Austin Reaves?
17:04 Is D’Angelo Russell a Laker on Feb. 8?
20:19 Can Rui Hachimura improve on the little things?
24:05 How real was Jarred Vanderbilt’s offensive improvement?
28:05 Can Gabe Vincent return to his Miami form?
29:53 Can Max Christie make a jump?
32:58 How does Dalton Knecht hold up defensively?
36:19 Who wins the backup 5 battle: Christian Wood or Jaxson Hayes?
38:40 Can Cam Reddish, Jalen Hood-Schifino, Max Lewis or Bronny James play?
42:19 Outro

Jovan Buha answers your Los Angeles Lakers questions on trade updates from NBA Summer League in Las Vegas.

Jovan covers the latest trade intel, if the Lakers’ front office still believes in thus roster, LA’s patient approach, the most likely trade outcome, big and small realistic trades, roster priorities, Max Christie’s potential next season, Cam Johnson’s fit, Serbia vs. Puerto Rico, the Laker Film Room news, and more.

If you'd like Jovan to answer your questions in a future mailbag, drop your question in a comment on YouTube (or hit him up on X/Twitter when he tweets out the mailbag prompt).

If you enjoy this episode, please consider subscribing, rating and reviewing.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:12 Question No. 1: Any trade updates from Vegas?
7:26 Question No. 2: Does LA still believe in its roster?
14:11 Question No. 3: Most likely trade outcome for the Lakers?
16:10 Question No. 4: Big and small realistic trade options?
18:55 Question No. 5: Can LA start the season with AR and DLo?
22:21 Question No. 6: Improvements for AR, Rui and Vando
27:10 Question No. 7: Front office prioritizing a big man?
33:10 Question No. 8: How would Cam Johnson fit?
35:16 Question No. 9: Max Christie leap next season?
38:22 Question No. 10: Who am I rooting for between Serbia & Puerto Rico?
40:05 Question No. 11: Favorite soda?
41:34 Question No. 12: Status for JHS? His future role?
45:34 Question No. 13: Thoughts on the Laker Film Room news?
50:29 Outro

Jovan Buha reacts to Team USA beating Canada 86-72 in Wednesday’s Olympic exhibition game in Las Vegas, NV. He also responds to the Los Angeles Lakers’ 80-76 loss to the Miami Heat in the finale of the California Classic in San Francisco, CA.

Jovan covers Team USA’s win over Team Canada, why Anthony Davis should be starting at center over Joel Embiid, his ideal starting five (and what he thinks they will settle on), LeBron James and Steph Curry playing together, Dalton Knecht’s skill set, Bronny James’s defense, Maxwell Lewis’ recent struggles, Colin Castleton, and more.

If you enjoy this episode, please consider subscribing, rating and reviewing.

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:48 Team USA beats Canada reaction
4:58 Why Anthony Davis should be the starting center
7:41 The bench unit works well together
13:06 My projection for the eventual rotation
13:58 LeBron & Steph two-man game
15:08 Closing thoughts on Team USA
15:56 Lakers summer league reaction
19:05 Dalton Knecht observations
24:52 Bronny James observations
29:34 Maxwell Lewis observations
33:14 Colin Castleton observations
35:36 Blake Hinson observations
36:53 Armel Traoré observations
38:26 Closing thoughts on the California Classic
40:03 Outro