Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

A drop was dropped on Lakers nation this week with the sale of the team from Mark Walter to Josh Kushner and Bob Iger. Nobody saw it coming, not even (reportedly) the principals until last weekend. 

Lakers fans rightly feel like a rug pull has taken place, and not surprisingly, perhaps, that sentiment seems to be impacting how many are reacting to the news. A poll we put up on the show's YouTube page indicates real pessimism around the sale/new ownership, and a solid amount of angst amidst fresh uncertainty. 

So as details continue to emerge around the why of the sale -- none of it sounds all that great for Walter -- the "what's next" is what matters to fans. And hopefully what's next comes relatively quickly. There is a lot -- A LOT -- that has to get done before this sale can be finalized and the team can start doing whatever it plans to do, whether around the front office, on the business side, or whatever. 

And delays don't help the Lakers, they just keep the team in a state of semi-limbo, operating normally for most day to day things, but in a sort of limbo for other things. Candidates for front office jobs might hold off accepting offers if they think they could get replaced by new ownership. That's just one example. 

Finally, does it matter that Bob Iger once identified as a Clippers fan? 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: This sale could take a minute, which is bad for the Lakers. 

Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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Well THAT was unexpected.

After decades of family ownership, the Lakers will change ownership for the second time in less than a year and a half, with news breaking Wednesday that Mark Walter will be selling the team to a group led by venture capitalist Josh Kushner and former Disney head Bob Iger. 

The valuation is reportedly $12.5 billion, meaning Walter flipped the franchise for a tidy profit, having purchased 14 months ago for $10 billion. 

So why now? 

Theories abound. It could be related to Walter's health, having reportedly suffered a stroke in 2024 that has been challenging to recover from. It could be related to the federal investigation of his companies for insurance fraud. It could be Walter just doesn't love owning a basketball team in the same way he loves owning a baseball squad (he's keeping the Dodgers). Or it could be the aforementioned $2.5 billion. 

We'll learn more with time, but in the here and now there are significant questions about what comes next. The Lakers are in the middle of a significant remodel, tied very closely to Walter's ownership of the Dodgers. What happens to all of that? How long will it take for this sale to go through, and for new-new ownership to put its stamp on the organization? Do they have a similar operating philosophy to what the Lakers presumably were getting, via the Dodgers? 

It's a lot! 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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The first bits of the schedule were released on Tuesday, and (no surprise) the Lakers play a big role in what the NBA now calls Opening Week, and then on Christmas. They're playing on what is technically the first night of the season, but then the Lakers will host the Warriors (another version of ______ vs. Steph!) and then on Christmas, the league has sent LeBron James back to the Crypt, like a big gift from Santa. 

Both games should be entertaining (it's always fun to watch Steph play) and while the lead up to LeBron's return has the potential to be completely insufferable, the actual X-Mas basketball should be great. The Sixers are a super-intriguing bunch, with all sorts of talent, and the Lakers have the potential to be pretty dynamic, themselves. 

So while the NBA isn't exactly going out on any limbs, here, they did assign Luka and the Lakers a couple of good games. 

More schedule coming on Wednesday (NBA Cup draws) and Thursday (full schedule release). 

Finally, Kirk Goldsberry was on with Zach Lowe, and cited Luka as the player he believes is under the most pressure this year. The reasons he cites (which we pass along) certainly make sense, and the argument he makes is not far fetched. But is he right? 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: Luka vs. Steph! LeBron vs. the Lakers! 

SEGMENT 2: What to expect on Christmas. 

SEGMENT 3: How much pressure is Luka facing? 

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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The NBA's annual slowplay of its schedule release began on Tuesday, and two of the marquee games will involve the Lakers. They'll open the season against Steph Curry and the Warriors (although not on the literal opening day, for the first time this decade), a matchup that's overly familiar. (Perhaps a bit too familiar for these purposes?) From there, the Christmas Day slate predictably includes a showdown with ex-Lakers LeBron James and the very new-look Philadelphia 76ers. Spicy matchups? Depends on what you're looking for. Big opportunities for the Lakers. Definitely. 

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The question of value is going to be a huge one for the Lakers this season. Especially in the context of which players provide more of it than their salary might suggest. 

So which guys are most likely to outperform their paychecks? 

The obvious place to start is with the dudes making the least amount of money, but who still have a chance to play an outsized role for the team. Like this year's Marcus Smart. Think players like Ziaire Williams and Matisse Thybulle, as vets playing on minimum deals, or Adou Thiero and Cam Carr playing on rookie scale contracts. But what about guys making a few nickels more? 

Is Quentin Grimes a good candidate to exceed his salary? Certainly he will get a lot of minutes, and on this team will fill a critical role both as a secondary scorer and a guy expected to guard some dudes on the other end. How about Sexton and Mamu? And then there are the guys at the very top of the food chain. Luka has to be elite, and Reaves has to play like a $40 million player must. 

But so much of this conversation starts to settle on Walker Kessler, the most controversial deal the Lakers issued this summer. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers need guys to overperform. 

SEGMENT 2: After the minimum guys, who is next? 

SEGMENT 3: The Kessler Kunundrum. 

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This question came in from a listener, TheStewPup at Kambrothers on Twitter: 

Given the team's lack of (positive) trade pieces, how long do you guys think it will take to turn the team into a true contender? Can they realistically do it before Luka's contract is up?

The answer is obviously really important, not just because they want to win, but because progress in that direction is what will help ensure they hold on to Luka after he (presumably) opts out of his current deal to sign an even bigger one, ideally with the Lakers. But while the Lakers made some big moves this summer, they're still not all the way there. That much is both clear and expected. So how do they cover the remaining ground? 

A story from Bobby Marks on ESPN looks at how next year's offseason could shape up and the factors that will influence it. When you put it together, they could very well have been influenced to act aggressively this summer not only to respond to present needs, but also to anticipate future environments. There will be more teams with cap space. The free agent pool could be equally thin, but the Lakers could be working without this summer's draft capital, given that the one move they seemed sure to make was an aggressive play for a center. 

So there are a lot of steps the Lakers need to cover, from nailing this offseason's pickups to using next year's space wisely to really hitting on young, cost-controlled talent. 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: Can the Lakers get good fast enough? 

Photo Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images

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The Lakers need to fill out their roster, and the biggest need is a forward with defensive versatility who can also shoot a little. 

Dallas forward PJ Washington seems to fit that bill. 

But for this to work, the Mavs would have to want some stuff the Lakers could send them. That's a problem, given LA's relatively bare cupboard of assets. But even more problematic? Apparently the Mavs don't want to trade Washington anywhere. Can't acquire a guy who isn't available. And even someone like Klay Thompson may not be as available as speculated. The Mavs would certainly trade him, but reportedly don't want to buy him out. Probably because they think there's interest and if they're patient, the Mavs might get something in return. 

We'll see. But as we open the mailbag, it answers one of the most common Q's we get, namely whether another big move is coming, or if this is likely the team we'll see open training camp. 

Meanwhile, the Lakers have some spots on the roster that don't get much attention when talking about the rotation. Guys like Dalton Knecht, Jaden Hardy, Bronny James and to a lesser degree, Jarred Vanderbilt. Dudes who take up roster spots and for one reason or another, aren't expected to play much, if at all. 

Could any of them defy expectations? And if so, which one is the best bet? 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers want players, but are players available? 

SEGMENT 2: Are they likely to be the team they are now when camp opens? 

SEGMENT 3: Could Knecht surprise? 

Photo Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

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The great David Aldridge at The Athletic has a review of the summer's activity around the NBA, ranking teams by how successful an offseason they had. That doesn't mean teams finishing higher are better overall, just that the offseason was relatively speaking more productive. The Lakers came in at 11th, which seems pretty fair, all things considered. 

On the one hand, you can argue that in raw terms, they might not be quite as good as they were last season (this is, more or less, a referendum on the impact of losing LeBron James, because there are areas where the Lakers have definitely improved, like at starting center). On the other hand, if you're trying to envision what a long term vision for the squad might look like in the Luka Doncic era, that's a lot more clear now. The Lakers are also a lot younger, and seem to have hit on their first round pick in Cam Carr. 

Overall, there's a lot to feel good about! 

Does Aldridge get his evaluation right? 

The answer does in some ways get to a fairly pervasive criticism of Rob Pelinka's work, hsitorically and this season, about a proclivity for player options. Sometimes, they've been mystifying. This year? Maybe not? 

Finally, Luka finished in the top 10 for NBA2K's 3-point ratings. This is cearly not meant to be a reflection of raw percentages or efficiency, because Doncic doesn't measure up in that regard. But swag? Audaciousness? That he's got in excess. So what was 2K factoring in? And what do things look like when you dig a little deeper into his percentages? 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: The Athletic looks at LA's offseason. 

SEGMENT 2: Why the Lakers gave away the contracts they did. 

SEGMENT 3: Luka and NBA2K. 

Photo Credit: Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images

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The Lakers have a hole at forward. Most people think that hole is at power forward, more specifically. And no question, it would be great to fill it with a high end, versatile defender who also comes with a good skill set offensively. Scottie Barnes or OG Anunoby, or a top shelf defender/ball mover like prime Draymond. 

But of course, those guys are really, really hard to find. 

And as the offseason moves along, it's more likely the Lakers will hold off on filling that spot until the season is underway, or the deadline, or even next offseason. So in the meantime, what do they do with what they have? Well, one thing to consider is the role of Luka Doncic. He is a force offensively who can make a lot of disparate parts work well together, as long as everyone understands his role. But he's obviously not a traditional point guard, because he's so flippin' large. So when people talk about that last starting spot, are they really just talking about defense? 

How does Luka fit in? 

Is what they need not so much a power forward, per se, but a versatile wing who can take on multiple matchups and allow the Lakers to slot players like Luka and Austin Reaves in more suitable ways? 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: Is Luka part of the solution? 

SEGMENT 2: What do the Lakers need at PF? 

SEGMENT 3: How versatility on D is much more important than skill on O. 

Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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