Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers have talked about using what they believe is increased depth, and people wonder if that means perhaps even expanding the normal 9-10 man rotation into 10-11, or even up to 12 guys? 

There are certainly examples of teams pushing those boundaries in an effort to play at a higher level of intensity. 

Of course, the only way for the Lakers to get to that number, realistically, is for Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero to force JJ Redick's hand and put them in the rotation by outplaying some of the other options. It's certainly possible, based on what we saw in the summer from Thiero and the skill set he brings to the team, and then the scoring/shooting capabilities of Carr that were on display as well. 

Could either of them be good enough to find regular playing time even if the rotation doesn't expand? Certainly possible, if not at the start of the year by the end of it. 

There's another question at play, too. The Lakers have to balance the need to win games -- this is not a rebuilding team with an eye towards the future, even with an awareness that more work needs to be done to build a true title contender -- with the need to develop Thiero and Carr. Some of that can happen in the G-League, but not all of it. Redick is going to need to give both guys meaningful opportunities to play and improve on an NBA court. That means putting up with mistakes, but even more than that, helping play those guys in ways that play to strengths and help hide weaknesses, with very specific instructions on what's expected in each shift. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

PHOTO CREDIT: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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The Lakers have a significantly different roster this season than last. That everyone knows. 

How it'll get used is an open question. 

Plenty of people think the team has a little more usable depth this season, especially if players like Cam Carr and Adou Thiero prove to be capable of handling minutes. The Lakers want to figure out how to use defensive oriented players like Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams. They need to get offensive spark plug Collin Sexton real minutes. Jake LaRavia played all 82 last year, and in the first half of them at least was productive. 

And on Thursday at practice, even Kevon Looney, generally seen as a guy not slated for much PT, was being talked up pretty significantly. 

Now, not everyone is going to play to the top of his potential. Not everyone is going to stay healthy. But for the time being, at least, Redick has the full menu available to him, and has to figure out how to use it. There have been a few teams in the last couple years who have tried to expand their rotation beyond the standard 9-10, pushing 11 and even 12 guys playing night to night. That can get complicated, but has some upside. Will Redick try that? Or will it be something where it's 10 (generally) on a nightly basis, but some of the names change? 

The players could make this decision easier, or they could make it a lot harder. Redick is surely rooting for the latter. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: What kind of rotation will Redick run with? 

SEGMENT 2: Is Looney really gonna play? 

SEGMENT 3: New PA announcer, new front office name. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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At Wednesday's practice, JJ Redick got a little reflective, looking back on his early days as Lakers head coach. He noted that while the confidence he could do the job was always there, at times it felt like cosplay. Not surprising, really, given that it was his first head coaching gig at any level beyond grade school coaching his kids.

That feeling, and an intense desire to try to control EVERYTHING going on around him is likely why Redick was, to say the least, a little tightly wound in that first season.

But last season saw a bit of a mellowing with Redick, and now entering his third year in LA (with two 50-win seasons behind him), Redick definitely feels more calm and at ease. That should, at least in theory, help him be a better coach. And it's a big year for Redick, who finally has a rim protector on defense and a roster he feels makes much more sense as a whole than anything he's had here before. So what will he do with it? How will the offense change? Will he find floor combos that maximize the team's potential, and of his role guys?

Plenty to look forward to.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

PHOTO CREDIT: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

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It's early, less than a week in. But listen to JJ Redick and the rest of the Lakers, and it's clear they're working hard to forge a real identify on both sides of the ball. 

Defensively, Redick has already talked about how the days of 1-5 switching are over with the arrival of Walker Kessler. It's going to look more like 1-4, but even then with some caveats. And just that change will make the Lakers look a lot different defensively. Add to that the constant talk of disruption and deflections and intensity, and you start to see what the vision is on defense. 

Offensively, Austin Reaves said Wednesday that the Lakers are looking to use fewer ball screens, which makes sense given that their two primary weapons function well, if not better, without them. Reaves described a more "free flowing" offense, and Redick noted how they want to expand the playbook a little in their early offense beyond what they did last year. 

Put it all together, and it feels like the Lakers want to take advantage of a roster that a) will be together (in theory) for a bit, and b) has a skill set they believe is more coherent. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: JJ is building out an identity, early. 

SEGMENT 2: Early plans for the offense and defense. 

SEGMENT 3: Why the Lakers can build it out a little faster. 

PHOTO SEGMENT: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

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JJ Redick has some decisions to make, not just with the starting lineup -- while he says that only three of the five spots are settled (if we have to tell you which ones, you're probably at the wrong podcast), most people believe that Quentin Grimes is also very likely to start. So that leaves a fifth guy. Will it be Sandro Mamukelashvili? Ziaire Williams? Jake LaRavia? Matisse Thybulle, for that defensive presence? What about a wild card like Adou Thiero? 

The decision Redick makes there will obviously have a ripple effect on the rest of the rotation. So he's likely thinking about which player combinations work best over the course of 48 minutes, not just who might be the "best" player available to him to fill that spot. 

The good news for JJ is that the Lakers don't really have to worry about the politics that might go into the decision. None of the players he's choosing from are likely to rock the boat if they don't "win" the competition for the fifth starter? 

According to our Locked On Lakers summer survey, fans are leaning now towards Williams, thanks to his defensive range and athleticism, and a degree of versatility despite a pretty thin frame. 

Williams is also one of the role players fans are most excited to see, part of a group that should give Redick a chance to deploy players with a little more cohesion in skill sets. Whether you believe the parts are better this year than last, there's definitely an argument to be made that they fit together in ways that make more sense. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

PHOTO CREDIT: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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Two days into the Lakers season, one thing is clear: Walker Kessler is an extremely optimistic young man who believes in the inherent awesomeness of his teammates. So when Kessler said on Tuesday that he believes the Lakesr are going to have a "nasty" defense, and meant it in the most positive way possible, it definitely raised some eyebrows. 

In his mind, the team's defensive quality is being underrated. 

Determining whether he's right depends a little on how we're defining terms. Are the Lakers underrated in the sense that they're secretly goign to be a top five defense, taking the league by storm? Probably not. 

But are they underrated in the sense that many folks feel like they could be a disaster on that side of the ball? That they're going to be worse than last year's ranking of (about) 20th, depending on who's data you use? 

That's a different story. 

Put last year and this year side by side, and it's actually quite reasonable to believe the Lakers are going to be better on that side of the ball this season. Mostly because of Kessler, but also because there should be a level of defensive cohesion that wasn't present a year ago. 

So are the Lakers going to be "nasty" good, or "nasty" bad? 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: Kessler says the Lakers are going to be nasty. 

SEGMENT 2: Are the Lakers better or worse this year on that side? 

SEGMENT 3: Finding a coherent style of play. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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The Lakers have arguably the most elite offensive force in basketball in Luka Doncic, and that without question provides them a certain level of confidence every time they take the floor. They know as long as they have that guy, they have a chance to win, even on a night where the team isn't playing well. 

But the larger questions around this team aren't on that side of the ball. People don't know if the Lakers, led by Luka and Austin Reaves, have enough defensive talent to thrive. 

You wouldn't know that from the level of confidence expressed by Lakers players at Monday's Media Day, however. And that confidence can be boiled down to the presence of one guy: Walker Kessler. Luka noted how hard it is to play against Kessler, which was one big reason he wanted the former Jazzman on the Lakers. Quentin Grimes, Jake LaRavia, Zaiare Williams, Matisse Thybulle -- anybody expected to play a lick of defense on this squad noted how much more freedom they have to play aggressively knowing that Kessler is behind them. 

Kessler's defensive metrics back up that confidence, but will it translate to higher pressure, higher stakes basketball now that he's in LA? 

If the answer is yes, the Lakers will then have one of those dudes on both sides of the ball, and it'll make a big difference in their prospects. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

PHOTO CREDIT: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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The new-look Lakers made their season debut Monday with Media Day, and it definitely felt like the start of a new era. Lotsof new players, changing roles and shifting expectations around a team that is expected to be good, but not expected to contend. 

But that's what media says. The players didn't talk about long term plans or rebuilding over time. They talked about winning this year, and expressed confidence in the talent on hand to get it done. There were a lot of themes that stuck out: 

• They all thought that trip to Slovenia was really valuable, even beyond obviously wanting to seem appreciative.
• Luka is a draw. The role guys all seemed to understand what playing with Luka could do for them, and how he’ll make their lives easier.
• Defensively there is a MAJOR vibe shift in terms of confidence players express, and that’s all Kessler. I realize some of it is seen as speculative and there’s a chance he doesn’t meet expectations, but THEY clearly believe they have one of *those guys* and that could make a significant difference in how they play.
• It's a very likable group overall. Rob Pelinka noted last week it should be a group that fans enjoy cheering for, and I think media day reflected that.
• Whether intentional or not, they have multiple core players who have had to really grind through uncertain circumstances to establish themselves as players in Reaves, Grimes and Mamu. I think that’s potentially really good for building a culture. 

In combination with what we heard from Pelinka and JJ Redick last week, it definitely feels like the Lakers made strides in bringing in a group of people that can set a culture. Decent people and (hopefully) high end players that help usher in a new era in Lakers basketball. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: The new look Lakers make their debut. 

SEGMENT 2: Big themes! 

SEGMENT 3: They believe in the potential of the group. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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Media Day! It's the first day of school, NBA style. 

And for the Lakers, it's truly a new era, as Luka Donćić opens the season as the sole superstar voice on the team. He is going to be the leader of an entirely new group, tasked with setting culture and a tone that is going to, hopefully, result in the next year or two in a team ready to compete for a championship. And it's a role he's said he admits is more meaningful to him now, and that he's ready to step into in earnest. 

It's part of a new chapter for the Lakers, where they're clearly trying to build continuity -- something emphasized by Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick in last week's press conference, and that they've lacked in meaningful ways over the last few seasons. In part by choice, in part by circumstance. 

It'll be fun to watch Luka grow into the role, and how his leadership style shapes the next phase of Lakers basketball. 

Meanwhile, the Lakers need to figure out how to get the roster down to 15. Is there any advantage (mostly in goodwill)  to letting a player go now, while he has a better chance of hooking up with another team? 

And who should the Lakers be cutting, if it comes to that? 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers are officially Luka's team in every way now. 

SEGMENT 2: How Luka's interest in leadership has grown. 

SEGMENT 3: How should the Lakers get the roster down to size? 

PHOTO CREDIT: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

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The season officially kicks off on Monday, with Lakers Media Day. It unofficially kicked off Thursday, when Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick met the media. They answered questions for just over a half hour on a range of topics, and generally sounded like people pleased with a busy summer's work and ready to begin the Luka Era in earnest, with a team that is his now on every level. 

Some of the highlights: 

• Pelinka said that once they knew LeBron was leaving, they built a template based on 1) Keeping Austin. 2) Finding a "franchise center." 3. Getting younger with "dribble, pass, shoot" types who could work well around Luka. Certainly they believe the mission was accomplished in that regard. 
• JJ said three spots were locked in the starting lineup. (If you need us to tell you which... how did you get here, anyway?) And while he didn't reveal any big hints about the other two, he did say it wouldn't be "two white guys." Sorry LaRavia and Mamu. There's only room for one of you. 
• JJ and Pelinka both agreed this roster makes sense, in terms of its construction. They've put something together that is coherent in their eyes, even if it's incomplete. Speaking of which... 
• Both Pelinka and Redick made it clear that the Luka-centric rebuild wasn't going to be executed in one offseason. This is a project that is still in progress. Asked if he thinks the Lakers have a championship caliber roster, Pelinka deferred, and certainly didn't say yes. 
• They're done switching 1-5 now that Kessler is in the fold. That, said Redick, was a strategy borne from necessity, not preference. 

More to come on Monday at Media Day! 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: Pelinka and Redick meet the media. 

SEGMENT 2: A roster in progress. 

SEGMENT 3: Competition for starting spots. 

PHOTO CREDIT: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

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FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

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