Buha's Block with Jovan Buha

Jovan Buha answers your questions on the coaching search and offseason plans in the latest Buha's Block mailbag.

Jovan covers the Los Angeles Lakers’ most likely roster-building route this offseason, how strong the JJ Redick coaching rumblings are, how Mikal Bridges would fit, the best non-star targets for LA, the best role players around a hypothetical LeBron James/Anthony Davis/Trae Young core, the need for more frontcourt size and athleticism, if Zach Edey makes sense if the Lakers keep the No. 17 pick, if Kyrie Irving really was an option at the 2023 trade deadline, the Lakers’ future post-LeBron, and more.

If you'd like Jovan to answer your questions in a future mailbag, drop your question in the YouTube comments (or respond to him on X/Twitter when he tweets out he’s doing a mailbag).

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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:43 What is the most likely route for the Lakers this offseason?
6:26 How strong are the JJ Redick rumblings?
8:08 Should LA go after Mikal Bridges?
11:58 Who are the best non-star targets?
18:40 Are the Lakers shopping Rui Hachimura?
20:42 What are the ideal player archetypes around Trae/LeBron/AD?
24:23 D’Angelo Russell’s future?
27:48 Is LA going to prioritize more frontcourt size and athleticism?
31:32 Should LA draft Zach Edey at No. 17 (if they keep the pick)?
33:54 Was Kyrie Irving really an option for the Lakers?
38:08 Is Zach LaVine at Klutch Pro Day a sign?
40:13 Do the Lakers have a bright future post-LeBron?
44:27 Outro

With the conference finals underway, here is one lesson for the Los Angeles Lakers from each finalist.

Jovan Buha covers the impact of Minnesota’s size and length (and especially their frontcourt), Dallas’ trade-deadline activity turning their season around and showing you can significantly improve without acquiring a star, Boston’s 3-point volume and one of the most decisive trends of the playoffs, Indian’s all-in trade for Pascal Siakam and the importance of finding a star that complements your roster, and more.

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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:14 Minnesota Timberwolves
9:19 Dallas Mavericks
17:44 Boston Celtics
23:58 Indiana Pacers
29:16 Overarching lesson from all four teams
31:24 Outro

Jovan Buha welcomes Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report and Sports Business Classroom to break down the Los Angeles Lakers’ salary cap outlook entering the 2024 offseason and the various roster-building paths they can take this summer.

Eric and Jovan discuss the exceptions the Lakers could have available to them, the pros and cons of LeBron James opting in vs. opting out, making a trade on draft day vs. waiting for the offseason, how aggregating players in offseason trades works, why D’Angelo Russell is the pivot point of the offseason, how his decision affects Max Christie and Taurean Prince, free-agent point guard replacements for DLo, how Trae Young, Donovan Mitchell or Darius Garland would fit in LA, and more.

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

Chapters:'
0:00 Intro
1:15 What are the likely tools LA will have available in free agency?
6:13 LeBron opting in and extending vs. opting out and re-signing
10:55 Difference in making a draft-day trade vs. waiting for the offseason?
16:03 How aggregating players in an offseason trade works
24:03 Why LA will have three picks available to trade regardless of NOP's decision
27:35 Why DLo is the pivot point of the offseason (and affects Max Christie)
39:10 Free-agent point guard replacements if DLo walks
46:35 When DLo could be traded if he opts in
47:30 Trae Young’s fit in LA
49:26 Where else could DLo end up?
55:43 How LA could flesh out the roster around a third star if they trade DLo
58:06 How a sign-and-trade three-team trade could work
1:03:00 Why the Lakers are unlikely to go over the second apron
1:04:47 How do empty roster charges factor in?
1:10:27 Darius Garland could become available
1:11:55 How willing would Cleveland be to help LeBron/the Lakers?
1:15:55 Why the Lakers and the Bulls trading is unlikely
1:17:39 How do the Reddish and Hayes player options impact things?
1:23:05 Where you can find Eric online
1:23:48 Apply for Sports Business Classroom!
1:27:39 Outro

Jovan Buha welcomes Khobi Price of the Southern California News Group to break down the recent Los Angeles Lakers buzz surrounding JJ Redick and Donovan Mitchell.

Khobi and Jovan discuss Khobi's first year on the Lakers beat, the pros and cons of JJ Redick as the Lakers' potential head coach, the other candidates they like, the X-factors of the job, the importance of how LeBron and Anthony Davis feel about the coaching search, Donovan Mitchell's potential fit as a third star, three stars vs. upgrading the supporting cast, roster lessons LA can take from these playoffs, and more.

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

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:54 Khobi’s Mo Bamba story
4:36 Khobi’s first year on the Lakers beat
6:38 The pros and cons of JJ Redick as LA’s potential next coach
19:16 Our favorite non-Redick candidates
31:12 LeBron & AD will have a say in all of this
38:15 How would Donovan Mitchell fit? Three stars vs. supporting cast upgrade
53:04 The importance of nailing roster-building approach this summer
1:01:08 What roster lessons should the Lakers take from these playoffs?
1:20:54 Outro

Jovan Buha breaks down his report at The Athletic with Shams Charania on JJ Redick, James Borrego and Sam Cassell emerging as the three leading targets for the Los Angeles Lakers during their coaching search.

Jovan covers the three frontrunners, the rest of the candidate pool, what the Lakers are looking for from their next coach, legendary Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski (aka Coach K) advising them, and more.

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Chapters:
0:00 Lakers coaching search update
1:12 What LA is looking for from its next coach
2:36 Why this is more of an AD hire than a LeBron hire
3:47 Coach K is advising LA during this process
4:57 JJ Redick
6:06 James Borrego
6:41 Sam Cassell
7:50 Which coaching candidate do you prefer?
8:00 Outro

Jovan Buha analyzes the five most important offseason questions for the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Jovan covers why the coaching search is so important, how the week leading into LeBron James' option deadline could influence his decision, why D'Angelo Russell might be the pivot point of LA's summer, the two different roster-building paths, the draft picks they can trade, and more.

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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
0:32 Question No. 1: Who is the next Lakers coach? 
8:57 Question No. 2: What happens with LeBron?
13:01 Question No. 3: What happens with DLo?
21:25 Question No. 4: Which roster-building path?
27:32 Question No. 5: How do they use their picks?
31:50 Stay tuned for more
32:59 Outro

Jovan Buha answers your questions on the coaching search and offseason plans in the latest Buha's Block mailbag.

Jovan covers the Los Angeles Lakers potentially trading the No. 17 pick, the timeline of the coaching search, if Micah Nori and David Adelman are candidates, D'Angelo Russell's market, his prediction for the next Lakers head coach, optimism for Jalen Hood-Schifino, Max Christie's future in LA, and more.

If you'd like Jovan to answer your questions in a future mailbag, drop your question in a comment below (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
0:44 Will LA trade the No. 17 pick for an upgrade?
4:28 Timeline on coaching search?
9:17 Micah Nori and David Adelman in the mix?
10:38 D’Angelo Russell’s market this summer?
14:49 Prediction for the Lakers’ next coach?
19:51 Jarrett Allen for picks + filler?
23:10 Any optimism with JHS?
30:11 Gabe Vincent and CP3 at PG?
33:16 DeMarcus Cousins an option?
36:29 How likely is Max Christie to stay in LA?
39:01 Outro

As the Los Angeles Lakers begin their coaching search, there are three important lessons from the tenures of Frank Vogel and Darvin Ham that they need to apply moving forward.

Jovan Buha covers the importance of nailing the basics with their next coach, why the Lakers will need to be more competitive with their contract offer, prioritizing the alignment between the coach, front office and players, why the new coach has to be more adaptable than his predecessors, why the coach also needs gravitas (and how that favors JJ Redick), and more.

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

0:00 Intro
0:40 The basics of this coaching search
6:39 Lesson No. 1: Alignment between the coach, front office and stars
14:31 Lesson No. 2: Adaptability based on roster personnel
20:05 Lesson No. 3: Gravitas and commanding the locker room
30:59 Lessons recap
32:49 Outro

In Episode 19, Jovan Buha reacts to the news that the Lakers fired head coach Darvin Ham on Friday, May 3, 2024.

Jovan covers where the season went wrong for Darvin Ham, why this isn't all his fault, the latest names he's hearing on the Lakers' coaching search, what the organization is looking for, which candidates he finds most intriguing, and much more.

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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:32 Where did things go wrong?
18:02 This isn’t all Darvin Ham’s fault
21:35 The latest on the Lakers’ coaching search
29:10 Jovan's coaching candidate rankings
31:47 Outro

Jovan Buha reacts to the Los Angeles Lakers' 108-106 loss to the Denver Nuggets in Game 5 of their first-round NBA playoff series at Ball Arena on Monday, April 29, 2024.

Jovan covers the Lakers' Game 5 loss, the margins of the series, his report at The Athletic, the future of LeBron James, the future of Darvin, many of the questions the Lakers are facing, what we learned about LA in the postseason, the Lakers' needs this offseason, why he thinks JJ Redick is an interesting potential coaching candidate, the reality of this series, Denver's greatness and more.

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

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
2:38 Breaking down our report at The Athletic
17:21 Takeaway No. 1: What this all means moving forward
24:43 Takeaway No. 2: What LA learned in the playoffs
32:25 Takeaway No. 3: The reality of this series' outcome
38:42 Thank you for the last few months!
41:17 Outro