Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

For weeks, the Lakers have been attached to ESPN's JJ Redick as the leading name in their search for a head coach. Nothing has come along to change the idea that the gig is Redick's to lose. 

Tuesday, that sense only grew stronger, as Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Lakers are "zeroing in on (Redick) as the front-runner to be the franchise’s next head coach." Dan Woike of the LA Times essentially corroborated the report. Both say nothing is done yet, and the Lakers, at least in theory, have more work to do before finishing the process. But the pushback against the idea it's essentially Redick's gig barring something weird, was mild to say the least. Even off the record, written on background. 

So it really does appear that Redick is next in line... so why not just get it done? Why do the Lakers and Redick seem ready and willing to wait until after the Finals? Is that really necessary? 

And is this a good idea? The process wasn't exactly great, it could be argued, but that doesn't necessarily mean Redick isn't a good candidate, or is significantly worse than the other guys, whether David Adelman, James Borrego, Micah Nori or anyone else on the list. Should Lakers fans be excited by this? Terrified? Is he really the next Pat Riley? 

Do the Lakers even know what that means, or what qualities actually let that laundry list of wants (A grinder! A guy with a system and structure! A now and forever coach! A respected voice in the locker room!) come to fruition? 

And is Rob Pelinka capable of giving him the roster he'll need, anyway?

 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers are zeroing in on Redick. Even more! 

SEGMENT 2: What kind of process has this been? 

SEGMENT 3: Is Redick a good idea? 

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Lots of response to Monday's show, looking at the relative value of potentially available players like Chicago's Zach LaVine and Washington's Kyle Kuzma, and why raw talent isn't necessarily the best metric to use when deciding who to do after. There's a tricky calculus in play that also involves cost in salary and cost in talent, what's left over after a trade and what holes that trade in theory fills. 

Can the Lakers make a deal for LaVine that overcomes the major questions about his salary (owed about $130 million over the next three years) even if they can keep the cost in talent low enough? Does Washington jack up the price on Kuz precisely because he doesn't make nearly as much money? (In fact, his contract declines in value going forward, as league revenue is expected to pop.) 

It's just one reason Rob Pelinka's job isn't easy. Aside from the part about never ever getting fired. 

More questions, too, about coaching. Austin Reaves, speaking in a conference call to ahead of his appearance in a golf tournament, didn't exactly go out of his way to defend Darvin Ham. He, like the rest of us, wants to see the Lakers bring in a coach with some kind of system. Something they can build with over time. And to that effect, the Lakers are apparently considering some high profile names to be assistants to (presumably) JJ Redick. But what kind of coach does Redick need? 

 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

 

SEGMENT 1: The LaVine/Kuzma Equation. 

SEGMENT 2: The difficult challenge for Pelinka, figuring out relative value and balancing it against need. 

SEGMENT 3: What kind of assistant coaches does JJ Redick need, if the Lakers hire him? 

 

 

 

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The Lakers are still feeling out that space between stars and depth. Depth and stars. But what about those guys who are big names but may not qualify as either? 

Like Chicago's Zach LaVine, who seems perpetually on the trade block now, and therefore always rumored to be a future Laker. The Bulls, reportedly, are getting LaVine back out on the market, and doing so at a reduced price. Yes, LaVine is apparently on sale! So how should the Lakers respond? On the one hand, LaVine is (for all his negatives) still a very good player. He's twice made All-Star teams, and if you're willing to look past a completely disastrous 2023-24 season, is a reliable putter upper of numbers. 

On the other hand, he's not a reliable player of games. The dude is hurt all the time, even before last year. And he's owed 130 million or so over the next three years. That's a lot for a guy with some real imperfections for whom any decline in athleticism would be deadly. 

So should the Lakers bite? How low would the price have to be? 

And more importantly, what are the questions the Lakers are asking themselves is they kick the tires on a deal like this one? What problem would they be trying to solve with LaVine? Would they be better off trying to pick up a guy like Kyle Kuzma, who might be available again from the Wizards. Would a return to LA be better? He makes less money, and might—might—provide more defensive versatility in ways the Lakers could use. But he's definitely not the scorer LaVine is, and the days of hoping Kuz blossoms into a legitimate outside shooter are probably over. And while he's a lesser player than some on the market, you can expect Washington to try and extract some value for Kuz because he is on a VERY favorable contract. 

There are no easy choices out there for Rob Pelinka. 

 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: LaVine for sale!!!

SEGMENT 2: What problems are they trying to solve? 

SEGMENT 3: What about Kuz? 

 

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Earlier this week, we noted an interview done by our friend Trevor Lane of Lakers Nation fame with Taurean Prince in which Prince stated his hope that he's back with the team next season. He also talked about the team more broadly, reflecting on whether he believes they should try to run it back with continuity, or if the team needs big changes to contend. And while he's not exactly an impartial observer (continuity is a vote for bringing him back, after all) the question is legitimate. 

What kept the Lakers from more success? Are the ingredients there, so with better health, a little more luck and improved coaching, could the Lakers achieve more in a brutal Western Conference? 

Or do they need a more dramatic overhaul? 

If it's the latter, does that mean building up depth? Or would that mean getting another star to run with LeBron James and Anthony Davis? Depth might seem like the preferable play, but how do the Lakers do that with the assets they have available? How can they take existing depth and use it to get better players? Can they add without giving up too much stuff? 

And what problem areas ought to be targeted? Is it the need for a viable center? For a genuine defensive wing? 

The answers are not cut-and-dried, and may not make themselves obvious for Rob Pelinka as he moves through the offseason. 

 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Continuity or change? Stars or Specialists? 

SEGMENT 2: Who can the Lakers use to get better? 

SEGMENT 3: How many assets do they have, exactly? 

 

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Not that he was every really in play, but Ty Lue, the Lakers aspirational coach (who, of course, could/should have been hired a few years ago) finally came to an agreement with the Clippers that will keep him on their sidelines for the next five years. Maybe Rob Pelinka was secretly holding out hope that somehow Lue would become available. 

Well, now that's not a thing. 

Meanwhile, the reporting is sending out all sorts of signals. That JJ Redick is poking around for potential assistant coaches. That the Lakers are interviewing James Borrego for the gig, and are doing so in earnest. That more guys are coming! That the Lakers are interviewing Borrego, but really it's with the assistant job in mind. In fact, most of the people on the list are really interviewing for second place. 

What the truth is central to whether or not the Lakers are undertaking a good process to get to the next coach. It's especially important for whether or not they'll be able to put a good staff around Redick, should that be the direction they want to go. 

There's a lot to sort through, and because you tend to hear absolutely nothing from the team itself, we're all left reading the tea leaves, or interpreting the leaks that emerge. FUN TIMES!

Plus, what would signs LeBron could actually go look like? 

 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Ty Lue gets a money belt!

SEGMENT 2: Are the Lakers really interviewing other candidates? 


SEGMENT 3: Is there any real risk LeBron could leave? 

 

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Things are taking a turn. 

Tuesday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Bronny James has been invited by 10 or so teams  to work out with them ahead of the NBA Draft. Nothing unusual there. Except James is only going to accept two of them. Phoenix, and the Lakers. Now that, if it holds is unusual. Bronny is not exactly in a position, based on consensus mock drafts and so on, to be dictating terms or turning down workouts. You'd think he'd be trying to take as many as he could in order to maximize the chances of getting drafted. 

So is he, a player with some potential, sure, but hardly an elite draft prospect, big-footing the process? Or is there something else going on? This on the heels of news over the weekend that Bronny wouldn't be accepting a two-way contract (this coming straight from Rich Paul), only a standard deal. Was this a way to push his stock a little higher? Or again, is he trying to dictate the terms of where he lands? 

And when it comes to the Suns, at first glance it seems crazy for that team to even consider using their first round pick, one of the only picks the team controls for the next 872 years, on a player highly unlikely to help them next season. Unless, of course, they really, truly thought it would bring them LeBron James, too, as a free agent. Because if that's the case, and Pops really would take a massive, massive paycut to play with Son, that's the most profound improvement a team like the Suns could make this offseason, given their cap sheet. 

So are the Suns a real threat, if/when LeBron opts out? How about Philadelphia, who can't give James as much money as the Lakers, but they can give him a lot. 

Finally, mailbag questions! This time, it's about the coaching search. Does it matter that JJ Redick left Anthony Davis off his DPOY ballot? Who are the candidates we'd like to see hired? 

 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Bronny dictating Draft terms?

SEGMENT 2: Are Phoenix or Philly a threat to steal LeBron away? 
 

SEGMENT 3: Coaching mailbag!

 

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The Lakers are reportedly ready to open up their coaching search a little wider this week, with interviews with the big batch of well-regarded assistants (David Adelman, Micah Nori, Chris Quinn) expected to happen relatively soon. 

In the meantime, it's a perfect time to get into the Locked On Lakers mailbag (found in the community section of the YouTube page, or @Kambrothers on Twitter/X) and spend some time talking about the guy who is ultimately responsible for choosing the next head coach. No, not LeBron James (ha!) but Rob Pelinka. How much faith do we have in Pelinka's ability to find sustained success going foward? To this point, would you call his stewardship of the team a success? It's hard to call it an abject failure, with one title and one trip to the Conference Finals... but that's not the same thing as a success. 

From there, it's a question about personnel and the direction the Lakers go next year. How attractive are the Lakers still for the make-good type players they'll need to fill out a roster? Are they still viewed as a place where players who need some redemption have the opportunity to get it? 

And what about a trade of Austin Reaves, if it means getting back something special? Last year, the Lakers seemed very hesitant to include him in any sort of deal. Do they still have that luxury, if it means getting back an elite level talent? 

Plus, remembering Bill Walton. 

 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Is the Pelinka Era a success or failure? 

SEGMENT 2: Optimism around Pelinka going forward? 

SEGMENT 3: Could/should the Lakers explore trading Austin Reaves? 

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The Lakers head coaching search is going slowly, in part because the apparent frontrunner still has a gig calling games for ESPN. Reports from Shams Charania (and others) continue to put JJ Redick at the front of the line for the Lakers, even while more interviews are set to happen this week, followed by another round of more intensive interviews as June rolls around. Marc Stein  reports there is even chatter around the league about who the Lakers might target to be on Redick's staff. (Hint: It includes guys who are theoretically in the running for the head gig, which feels at least potentially a little ambitious.) 

Nothing, at the least, has been said/done to dispel the idea that it's Redick's job to lose. Maybe that changes as the interview pool widens. Keep an eye on what leaks -- in multiple directions -- after guys like David Adelman, Micah Nori and Chris Quinn sit down for a rap sesh with Rob Pelinka. 

Meanwhile, Rich Paul is on the record saying the Lakers really should be focusing on Anthony Davis in this process, not LeBron James. Which is true - AD is going to be a Laker, almost surely, longer than James. It's also another tea leaf that points to Redick's candidacy, because Team James is going the extra mile to separate themselves from the perception that Redick would be LeBron's hire... which of course is required because people see that, you know, the guy is LeBron's podcast partner. 

Finally, a report over the weekend said the Phoenix Suns plan to make a full court press on James if/when he opts out of his Lakers deal. Which he surely will. The notion of him going to Phoenix for a veteran's minimum or taxpayer midlevel (can the Suns even offer that?) or whatever is far fetched. But is it 100% guaranteed he comes back to the Lakers if he ops out? 

 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: JJ Redick is still the clubhouse leader. 

SEGMENT 2: Rich Paul reiterates that LeBron isn't pulling the strings. 

SEGMENT 3: We're sure LeBron returns if he opts out, right? 

 

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There hasn't been a ton of news out of El Segundo as the Lakers slow play their coaching search and nobody can really do much about next season from a personnel standpoint, because the playoffs are still happening. 

But on Thursday, the calm was shaken just a little bit. BJ Bickerstaff was let go by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Now in theory, that could put him in play for LA's job, if only because there aren't many candidates with NBA head coaching experience. But probably not. What it could do, though, is force the Lakers to speed things up a little because the Cavs, unlike the Washington Wizards (the other open gig) constitutes a real job with appealing players and a smart front office. That means it's possible candidates the Lakers like (Adelman? Redick? Cassell? Etc...) could be wooed by Cleveland, and if the Lakers want 'em they'll have to move. 

So at the least, this could tip their hand a little, because if you see the Lakers suddenly spring into action because _______ is getting down the road with the Cavs, that obviously means they're interested. The flip side holds true as well. Cleveland is reportedly interested in Kenny Atkinson, who at least initially was on LA's list. If he is pursued by the Cavs and not a peep comes from El Segundo? Well, there you go. 

Meanwhile, LeBron James was named to the All NBA 3rd team this week. It's the 20th consecutive season he's managed to make one of the teams. 20. In a row. To put that in perspective, only 10 players have even played 20 seasons. He's now five All-NBA seasons ahead of the next closest guy behind him. 

Finally... is this the year Chris Paul becomes a Laker, for real? 

 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Bickerstaff, OUT!

SEGMENT 2: If no MItchell... who? 

SEGMENT 3: LeBron's long term excellence, plus CP3?

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The Lakers and their two stars got some good news Wednesday, when the league announced its All-NBA squads for the season. LA was represented by Anthony Davis (2nd Team) and LeBron James (3rd Team). Not super surprising, but still a nice honor for two very worthy players. (You could argue, too, that LeBron deserved Kawhi Leonard's spot on the 2nd Team, were you the type of person who likes these sorts of arguments.) 

The question, though, becomes how these performances reflect on the team's larger goals. 

On the one hand, the Lakers are going nowhere if those two guys can't perform at an elite level. And this year, they did, and (health aside) there's no reason to expect a big drop off from either guy next season. On the other hand, they had about as healthy a run from both Davis and James that could be reasonably expected, but the Lakers still couldn't manage to get out of the first round. So is the window open a little wider than thought? Shutting faster? 

Probably depends on the work Rob Pelinka does this summer. And, to be completely honest, a degree of luck as well. With matchups, with health (for the Lakers and their rivals) and about 500 other things. 

Finally, we dip into the mailbag to talk about D'Angelo Russell, the Everlasting Gobstopper of players spending time on the block. 

 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: AD and LBJ to the All NBA teams. 


SEGMENT 2: Are you encouraged or discouraged by the news of the day? 


SEGMENT 3: The Lakers, again, have a D'Lo Dilemma. 

 

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