Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers kick off the post All-Star portion of the schedule tonight, in a make up game against the Charlotte Hornets at the Crypt. At 32-20, they're well-positioned to finish inside the top six seeds in the Western Conference, and avoid the play-in game for the first time in a while.

Moreover, guys are getting healthy. While LeBron James is listed as questionable for tonight's game, he was able to participate in most of Tuesday's practice and at the least seems likely to play either tonight or tomorrow in Portland. Meanwhile, Dorian Finney-Smith, Gabe Vincent and Jaxson Hayes are all healthy. Luka Dončić will see his minutes restriction get less restrictive against the Hornets, and assuming all goes well JJ Redick believes it should disappear entirely very soon. 

So things are looking good! 

But the biggest reasons to stay bullish on the team going forward aren't related to the health of LA's stars—that's table stakes for a successful stretch run. It's in the potential for the Lakers to produce defensively, even after trading away Anthony Davis and Max Christie in Luka deal. Last week's attention-related debacle against Utah notwithstanding, the Lakers not only entered the break on a hot streak on that side of the ball, some of it came with Davis sidelined, even before he was traded. There is a little bit of proof of concept, and the key comes in how the roster has shifted with the addition of Finney-Smith and the return of Jarred Vanderbilt. This, plus the resurrection of Gabe Vincent as a viable rotation player, has shifted the dynamic of the team's D in significant ways. First, they're all good defenders. But more than that, they allow other players—think Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura especially—to slot into responsibility levels more appropriate for their defensive profile. (Meaning, they don't have to carry as much weight, which is good because both are a weaker defenders.) Both work hard and try to follow the game plan, which works well if they're not expected to play featured roles as stoppers. 

There's still a lot of ground to cover. The Lakers have to figure out how Luka works best in their defensive schemes. But the notion the Lakers are destined to fall off significantly following the trade shouldn't be taken as gospel. It could happen, but it's not a given. And there's a good chance they could be just fine, too. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Luka is getting closer to no restrictions. 

SEGMENT 2: Reasons to be bullish on the Lakers defense. 

SEGMENT 3: The DFS and Vando effect. 

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The NBA Squad Show brings together hosts from various Western Conference teams to discuss progress and expectations. They analyze which teams have made the most strides towards their goals, with Memphis and Oklahoma City emerging as top contenders. The hosts debate the challenges facing teams like Houston and Minnesota in the competitive Western landscape. They also explore the delicate balance between financial constraints and maintaining a competitive roster, particularly for small-market teams like Memphis. The conversation touches on coaching hot seats, potential roster shakeups, and the impact of the NBA's collective bargaining agreement on team-building strategies. Throughout, the hosts offer insider perspectives on their respective teams and the broader Western Conference dynamics.

0:00 Intro: Teams making progress in Western Conference

5:40 Thunder's progress towards championship goals

11:17 Defining success for Rockets and Grizzlies

16:55 Can play-in teams feel good about progress?

21:43 Coaches on hot seat in Western Conference

27:34 CBA challenges for small market teams

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At this point, no matter how the Charlotte Hornets try to slice and dice this, it doesn't appear that the deadline deal that would have made Mark Williams a Laker will go through. 

So while in the short term, it leaves the Lakers thin in the middle, the failed trade may still have served another very important purpose. This from the always excellent Marc Stein, and his Substack: 

"Yet there has been no tangible dismay from the Dončić camp about his new team walking away from the Williams deal. Sources told The Stein Line that Dončić, in his first discussion about roster construction with Lakers vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, told Pelinka that he understood it might take until the summer to make that addition ... and came away impressed by how swiftly the Lakers initially moved to try to address that void."

It remains to be seen whether the Lakers ultimately fill their center void more successfully in the offseason, whether by acquiring a player better than Williams, an equivalent at a lower price, or maybe just getting someone with a less risky health profile. Maybe Williams actually stays relatively healthy going forward. Nobody knows at this point. But for the Lakers to have already done some work in the goodwill department with their new superstar—a player who is expected to sign an extension in Los Angeles (if for no other reason than finances), but is by no means obligated—is important. 

The Lakers have, for better or worse, made some big swings for their stars over the last few seasons. Williams was a high risk, high reward move done in part to impress Luka. Russell Westbrook was an comically bad idea done in part to service the franchise's history of star effery, but also to satisfy LeBron. 

The actions may not be wise, but the Lakers can definitely say they try. 

So far, so good when it comes to building a good relationship with Dončić. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers get some benefit from the Williams non-trade, even if they don't get Williams. 

SEGMENT 2: LeBron gets "energy" from Luka. 

SEGMENT 3: Tier 2.5, baby!!!

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The All-Star Game lost one potential Laker when Anthony Davis was traded to Dallas. (Luka Dončić wasn't going to play thank to the games he missed to injury.) 

Relatively late in the afternoon on Sunday, LeBron James announced he wouldn't be playing, taking the time to rest his bothersome foot and ankle instead. 

"“I was hoping that it would feel a lot better this morning, but it’s not where I want it to be... And with 30 games left and with us trying to make a playoff push in the wild, wild, West, I feel like it’s very important for me to kind of take care of myself and understand what’s coming on," James said. “So, I won’t say it’s maintenance, but it is maintenance,” he said. “At the same time, I have to look out for myself when it comes to this to this injury I’ve been dealing with for years.”

So on the one hand, sad for the NBA and for fans, who have been watching him play in every game since 2004. (That, sidenote, is a stunning bit of trivia.) On the other... this is a good thing for the Lakers. Yes, it means LeBron is nursing an injury, but we knew that. And likely, doing whatever it is they do in modern ASGs wasn't going to hurt him, but why risk it? James is prioritizing the final 30 games of the season. Ultimately, he needed the break to get his body right. Unrelated to All-Star, obviously, Luka noted last week that he needed a mental and physical break. 

All of this is a reminder that the Lakers seem to have a lot more to play for than they did in game 25. Not that they're favorites in the conference—that honor still obviously goes to the Thunder—but given how wide open the West is, the way the Lakers have played in the last month or so, pushing themselves well up into the top 6 gives them as good a shot as everyone else. Assuming, of course, the two stars are the best versions of themselves. Luka needs to round back into form after missing almost two months. LeBron needs to find ways to keep it, physically. 

But whether James or the other guys on the team, you get the sense that they're no longer having to play mental games to convince themselves that the spring could bring meaningful basketball. That's a big shift, and something to be excited about coming out of the break. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: LeBron sits out the All Star Game. 

SEGMENT 2: The NBA needs to get offline. 

SEGMENT 3: The Hornets seem to be giving up on the Mark Williams trade. 

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It might sound strange to some that Luka Dončić admitted after Wednesday's clunker of a game for the Lakers, in which Luka himself was pretty clunky, that he really needed the upcoming All-Star break. Physically, in part to continue working his way back following the calf injury that cost him nearly two months of play, and definitely mentally. 

It's easy to forget, given how talented these players are, the amount of resources available to them, and the sheer amount of money they make, that even the biggest superstars are still people. It's something crystalized by JJ Redick when he noted that his ASB would be spent filling out insurance paperwork and trying to find a more permanent place for his family to live following the loss of their home in the Palisades fire. 

For Luka, it's been a different kind of stress, but similarly draining. It can be argued that no employee in America is less threatened by job transfer (or in the NBA, a trade) than a superstar in his mid-20s. Like, those guys have security. Luka wasn't pushing his way out, or demanding a trade. This wasn't something he saw coming in the slightest. And not only did Dallas trade him, they took serious shots at his professionalism on the way out the door. Even if some of the criticism is fair—Dončić does need to take better care of himself as NBA seasons pile up on his body—how it was delivered, by people representing the organization he saw as an ally, is jarring. 

So Wednesday in Utah, it's very possible Luka hit a mental wall. And a physical one, with the altitude and the reality that it's often the second big workout that's harder than the first. 

There's a lot riding on this trade. Given how well the Lakers have played over the last month, the Dončić deal is no longer one to think about solely as a move for the future. The Lakers are in the thick of it in the Western Conference, even with their "all-in" move for a center falling apart. It matters if Luka slumps a little in his first games as a Laker, insofar as the standings are concerned. So it'll be interesting to see how fans react if Luka comes out of the break and doesn't put up his "classic" numbers. 

Down the road, we might all need to re-calibrate what Luka's numbers ought to be. Is he going to put out stats at the same rate playing next to LeBron James and Austin Reaves? What numbers ought to go up, high as many already were? The "feeling out" period includes fans, who will find out with time if their own systems of evaluation for guys like Luka need recalibrating to account better for context. 

All this to say, there's some reason to worry Luka won't bounce back effectively for the second half of the season. There's far more reason, however, to blieve he'll be back to what he was before injury. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Luka needs a break! 

SEGMENT 2: Why there's a toll... even when it looks like players aren't using it. 

SEGMENT 3: Why the All-Star Game is obsolete. 

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The Lakers have, for the most part, been in a tremendous rhythm over the last few weeks. 

So on Wednesday in Utah, when they were decidedly not, it was actually pretty jarring. LA was out of sorts for most of the night, playing shorthanded (no Dorian Finney-Smith, no Gabe Vincent and Jaxson Hayes left early after being hit in the face), and lost all attributes of the defensive cohesion that has fueled this big run of wins. Final score, Jazz 131, Lakers 119. 

Nobody looked great. Luka Dončić finished with 16 points, four rebounds and four assists, but struggled with foul trouble and turned the ball over five times in only 23 minutes of run. LeBron was reasonably quiet. Austin Reaves was a putrid 1-10 from 3-point range. The whole team, in fact, seemed flummoxed by the long stretches of zone defense thrown at them by Utah. They had trouble generating shots with balance offensively—Jazz center Walker Kessler was a problem in the paint—which led to bad balance defensively. They couldn't make a free throw (17-30)!

And man, did the defense fail them. In the second and third quarters especially, the Jazz seemed able to get whatever good shots they wanted. 

So the first half (pre-All-Star break, really) portion of the schedule wraps up in disappointing fashion, but overall there are strong reasons to feel optimistic. At 32-20, the Lakers are firmly in the top six in the Western Conference, with at least a puncher's chance to move up. They've got some serious energy thanks to the Luka deal. Finney-Smith is a good fit, Vincent is playing well, Rui Hachimura has raised his level. Everyone will get a chance to re-charge over the break. (JJ Redick noted he hopes to use the break to finish insurance claims and find an apartment after losing his house in the Palisades fire, a reminder that while the Lakers have been playing games, players and staff continue dealing with significant life issues.) 

But Wednesday also showed there's some work to do. There's reason to believe the Luka/LeBron partnership will come together reasonably quick, but that doesn't mean every night is going to be smooth sailing. Rim protection is going to be an issue, particularly when Hayes—the closest thing they have to a paint presence—isn't on the floor. 

So it's not perfect, but if you asked Lakers fans in October if they'd take 32-20 heading into the break, virtually all would have jumped at it. The Lakers are set to play meaningful basketball as winter turns to spring, which is a nice place to be. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The D collapses in Utah. 

SEGMENT 2: An off night for Luka. 

SEGMENT 3: 32-20. Lots to like, despite challenges coming. 

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Competing in their last game before the All-Star break, the Los Angeles Lakers couldn’t have played any worse than they did Wednesday night in Utah as the Jazz upset the favored Lakers 131-119. Lauri Markkanen led Utah with 32 points, while Keyonte George added 20 off the bench. The Lakers were led in the loss by Rui Hachimura’s 19 points, LeBron James' 18, and Luka Doncic’s 16. The Lakers will return to action on February 19th, when they host the Charlotte Hornets.

Lakers, LA Lakers, Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James, Luka Doncic, Rui, Hachimura Austin Reeves, Dalton Knecht, NBA, Lakers Post cast, JJ Redick, Dave Palet, Lakers vs Jazz, Los Angeles Lakers vs Utah Jazz

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Tuesday afternoon, the Lakers hit the buyout market, signing veteran seven-footer Alex Len, who had been with Sacramento for the last few seasons. 

While early in his career after being drafted by the Suns in 2013 Len showed glimpses of promise, for the most part he's been a depth big, bouncing around the league and never really breaking out. He's got a little offensive game, and has had seasons where the defensive metrics look ok (and others where they most certainly do not). But let's be real: Len's primary positive attribute is size. He's an enormous human. 

And that's the "skill set" that prompted the Lakers to release Christian Wood to make space for him. 

Len is unlikely to play big minutes for LA. He's certainly not going to take a starting position from Jaxson Hayes, who has earned the right to keep his gig and, importantly, is a better player and a better fit with Luka Dončić and LeBron James. What the Len signing says, though, is that the Lakers are moving on from the failed Mark Williams trade—Charlotte is exploring ways to protest the physical results, but as of yet there's no indication it'll actually lead anywhere—and trying to fill out the roster in a logical way. 

Len gives the Lakers a big-bodied bruiser to go along with the bouncy-but-lighter Hayes and Christian Koloko, who is cut from a similar mold. He's taller than Trey Jemison III, and has significantly more experience. He's a type as much as a player, and gives JJ Redick another layer of optionality in the roster, particularly in specific matchups against burly fives. And since Wood clearly wasn't coming back anytime soon, it's essentially no harm, no foul. 

But don't expect the Lakers to lean into a Hayes/Len rotation. Instead, they're much more likely to "go small," but keep in mind "small" for these Lakers... isn't all that small. The new point guard is 6'6". LeBron and Rui, 6'8". DFS? 6'7". Vando? 6'8". Only one rotation regular (Gabe Vincent) is shorter than Austin Reaves at 6'5". This is not a small group, and that's the identity Redick is almost certainly going to leverage. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers sign Alex Len. 

SEGMENT 2: What the Len signing means for how the Lakers will play. Hint... it has little to do with Len. 

SEGMENT 3: How about that Jordan Goodwin!?!?!

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Shop SKIMS Mens at SKIMS.com/lockedonnba. Let them know we sent you! After you place your order, select "podcast" in the survey and select our show in the dropdown menu that follows.

OpenPhone
The #1 business phone system designed to help you keep your work and personal life separate.Right now, OpenPhone is offering 20% off your first 6 months when you go to OpenPhone.com/LOCKEDONNBA.and if you have existing numbers with another service, OpenPhone will port them over at no extra charge!

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The NBA West Squad Show brings together hosts from various Western Conference teams to discuss the latest developments. This episode focuses on the aftermath of the Luka Doncic trade, with Nick Angstadt of Locked on Mavericks expressing his frustration and concerns. The panel debates the impact on the Mavericks and Lakers, particularly with Anthony Davis's injury. They also explore how other teams in the West, such as the Thunder and Nuggets, are positioned after the trade deadline. The hosts engage in lively banter, sharing insights on team strategies, player performances, and potential future moves. The conversation touches on the challenges faced by different franchises and the evolving landscape of the Western Conference.

0:00 Intro: Anthony Davis out indefinitely

5:50 Mavs owner's comments on Luka trade

11:08 Lakers' center situation after rescinded trade

20:45 Thunder as big winners at trade deadline

25:15 Second apron impact on trade deadline

28:48 Grizzlies' trade deadline approach and challenges

32:55 Outro: Wrapping up NBA West discussion

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Ultimately, the game wasn't close enough for fans to get a full view of newly acquired superstar Luka Doncic. 

Not exactly what they wanted, as they poured into Crypto.com Arena on Monday, but a nice "problem" for the Lakers. 

Final score, 132-113. Doncic, who had a 30 minute cap on his minutes in his first game since Christmas, was only needed for about 23:30. It's obviously too early to make sweeping statements about what the Luka/LeBron James Lakers will look like over time, and after such a big layoff Luka's jumper was (understandably) off... but a few things feel safe to say. 

First, the Lakers are going to feature some absolutely absurd passing. Both Luka and LeBron are special scorers, but they are otherworldly distributors. For the Lakers to have two guys at that size, capable of creating passing angles virtually nobody in the league can (then often sharing the floor with Austin Reaves, himself a great passer)? It's going to mean a ton of good looks. And the ball movement is contagious, so it should encourage good habits in that respect no matter what floor combos are out there. 

Moreover, where the Lakers before too often found themselves forcing up horrible shots late in the clock, adding Luka could give them a far better chance to create quality shots throughout all 24 seconds. That certainly was the case on Monday. Players will pass up good shots for great ones. 

Teams will figure out how they want to defend the Lakers over time—and maybe some of those ideas will work—but the percentage of quality shots the Lakers are able to generate should rise precipitously. And importantly, that should have a positive impact on the defense. 

Doncic certainly wasn't great in this one, by his lofty standards. There will be far more remarkable games against much better teams between now and the end of this season. (Or even the end of this month.) But it's already clear that this version of the Lakers will produce things from night to night—even on the nights where they kinda suck—that will be tremendous fun for basketball fans, and the energy of these guys together, with the prospect for a highlight reel pass at any moment (and incentive for supporting players to put themselves at the receiving end) will be good for the Lakers. 

It'll take weeks for Luka, LeBron and the rest of the team, along with the coaching staff, to get deep into the bag of tricks now available to them. It already looks like a roster that could fuel tremendous positive energy if everyone rows in the same direction. 

Meanwhile, the Lakers, at 32-19, are tied for fourth in the West, with one more game against the Jazz before the All-Star break. They've bought some space to figure things out, as needed. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Luka makes his debut as the Lakers crush Utah. 

SEGMENT 2: Wow, that was fun! 

SEGMENT 3: Things are really, really trending up for LA. 

WayFair
After the holiday hustle, there’s nothing like giving your home a little TLC. Give your home the refresh it needs with Wayfair. Head to Wayfair.com right now. Wayfair. Every style. Every home.

SKIMS
Shop SKIMS Mens at SKIMS.com/lockedonnba. Let them know we sent you! After you place your order, select "podcast" in the survey and select our show in the dropdown menu that follows.

OpenPhone
The #1 business phone system designed to help you keep your work and personal life separate.Right now, OpenPhone is offering 20% off your first 6 months when you go to OpenPhone.com/LOCKEDONNBA.and if you have existing numbers with another service, OpenPhone will port them over at no extra charge!

Door Dash
They Swoosh, You Save: when any player scores 50 or more points in a game during the 24/25 NBA regular season, DashPass members save 50% on an order, up to $10 off with promo code NBA50. 50% Off 1 Order (Up to $10 Off) 

• Offer valid from 9:00 AM PT through 11:59 PM PT after a 50 point performance in any game during the NBA season on orders placed at participating merchant locations. Valid only in the United States. Maximum value of discount is $10.00. Discount applies to subtotal only; does not apply to fees, taxes, and gratuity. Not valid for pickup. Limit one per person. Not valid for the purchase of alcohol. Fees, taxes, and gratuity still apply. Must have an active DashPass account. Use promo code NBA50 to redeem. See further terms and conditions at https://drd.sh/8ONpZP/.

FanDuel
Right now, new FanDuel customers can get ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY DOLLARS in Bonus Bets if your first FIVE DOLLAR bet wins!Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. 
 

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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