Episode 29 - What the Future Holds For the Lakers | The No Chill with Gilbert Arenas Podcast Podcast

Can the Lakers Really Lighten LeBron's Load? Plus, Horry says the Lakers Should Retire Coop's Jersey.: On Tuesday's show, we talked about Austin Reaves, his great run to this point with Team USA in the World Cup, and how he might be a catalyst for helping lighten the load on LeBron James this season, something the Lakers have been trying to do for a couple seasons now. One viewer of the show wondered if that's possible, saying in his mind, LeBron wouldn't let that happen. But is that really the issue? Dig into the numbers, and it's clear the team hasn't had any success lowering his burden, even last season after the deadline and the Lakers had a better roster. Why? Well, in part because on offense at least, deemphasizing LeBron is a questionable hoops choice. Is he old? Yes. But he's also still elite, and better at _____ offensively that pretty much anyone the Lakers are going to use (particularly in the role of an orchestrator). Plus, with superstars, it's often the teammates who do t by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

The Lakers Face Long Odds to Make the Playoffs, Plus, Mo Bamba Scouting Report!: Following the All-Star Game, LeBron James framed the last 23 games of the 2022-23 season as being as critical as any regular season games he's had in his very, very long career. That's a lot of games, and plenty of important ones. But with the Lakers once again on the outside looking in when it comes to the playoff/play-in race, he's absolutely correct that they need to hit the ground running hard to even have a chance down the stretch. It can't be a step forward and a step back, two steps forward one step back and so on. The Lakers need to pile up some wins, starting Thursday against the Warriors. It's a tall order to jump over multiple teams, and one the mathematicians don't think the Lakers can do. Whether looking at Basketball Reference, FiveThirtyEight or any other purveyor of analytical projections, the odds favor the Lakers landing outside the top 10 when the season is all said and done. And it make by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

Chargers Hire Sal Lopez as Head Athletic Trainer by Bolt Bros Chargers Podcast

7 min listen

How Much Should LeBron James (and Other Important Los Angeles Lakers ) Play During the Preseason?: LeBron James noted Thursday that he won't be playing in the preseason opener on Saturday in San Francisco, but he does plan to play in about half of LA's six games before the real ones start later this month. That's a pretty decent amount of run, but is it enough? What is too much? The Lakers have, in the past, gone extremely conservative with preseason playing time for stars. We remember a couple years back when James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook didn't get any time together in dress rehearsals before the regular season, and the results showed. On the other hand, LeBron is officially the oldest player in the NBA, and there is no diminishing AD's injury history. And the Lakers do have some continuity, which matters. On the other hand, there are still a lot of questions about the rotation that need to be addressed, and more importantly, the Lakers have a very difficult, road-heavy by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 min listen

What is a Realistic Timeline for LeBron James to Return? Plus, the Lakers Retire Pau Gasol's #16!: Of late, The Athletic's Shams Charania hasn't exactly been the bearer of good news for Lakers fans. And Monday, talking with FanDuelTV, wasn't much different. Charania noted that while the Lakers are going to re-evaluate LeBron James after three weeks, there is certainly some belief that the actual length of LeBron's absence could extend past that mark. Well past it, potentially, calling into serious question just how much regular season action James might get before a (hypothetical) play-in matchup. Or whether the Lakers can hang on long enough to even make those last few games meaningful. And what exactly will be the considerations the Lakers and LeBron make when deciding whether LeBron can/should return to action? It's all very speculative and super-unpleasant for the Lakers, and puts that much more pressure on Anthony Davis to elevate the team, D'Angelo Russell to get back on the floo by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

36 min listen

Is Anthony Davis Ready to be the Lakers' Best Player, Even When LeBron Return?: For the last two seasons, pundits, team officials and Lakers players alike have all agreed that the key to the team's success is Anthony Davis. He needs to be their most dominant player on a night in, night out basis. The difference between All Star AD and MVP caliber AD is the thing that can elevate the Lakers more than any other personnel move that's available to them. The last three games for the Lakers, all wins, have shown what that looks like, as Davis has thrashed the competition. But that's without LeBron James in the lineup, and against subpar competition. So what has to happen for this version of Davis to be the one the Lakers see even when James is back? When the schedule toughens up, and teams game play for even more heavily than they already do? Is it James that has to change? He's been the team's leading scorer in fourth quarters every year they've played together, including the 2020 title yea by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

30 min listen

Chargers Top OC QB Coach Interviews by Bolt Bros Chargers Podcast

21 min listen

LeBron James Gives an Injury Update (Sort of), D'Angelo Russell Opens Up about his Lakers Future: Updates about LeBron James and his injured foot have come out in drips and drabs, and have almost always been couched in very vague language that promises nothing and leaves only a sort of broad, general impression about what might maybe happen, perhaps with a week left in the season or maybe four days or possibly eight or maybe none. Point being, nobody has been saying anything even a little bit definitive. But perhaps it's still been too definitive for James, who put out his own update on social media, which let folks know what he's been up to and also did the SMH at "sources" out there. Granted, LeBron's update was equally fuzzy as anything else that's been reported, and didn't even really refute anything. So what was the point of putting it out there? Time to read some tea leaves! From there, the length of James's absence, combined with the quality of play from Austin Reaves, has some by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 min listen

How Will Darvin Ham Sort Out the Lakers' Rotation? More Moves Coming for Rob Pelinka?: The Lakers have, to say the least, a complex set of questions facing them this season. They include health, personality and now, a wonky configuration super heavy on guards and very light on wings. Wednesday, Darvin Ham and Rob Pelinka will meet the media in the traditional pre-training camp press conference, and will likely get lots of questions about all of this stuff. How they respond will provide some early clues on what's in store for the Lakers this year. Are they going to try to find ways to get everyone on the floor, or are some players who would expect to play going to be disappointed? What about all those, um, vibrant personalities? Are there more moves coming? How does Pelinka view the current roster? A work in progress (slow as it may be) or something close to the final version? Certainly this year's team has the opportunity to be better, if players can stay healthy, but is there somethin by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

What's Next for the Lakers and LeBron James? Is Playing with Bronny Still a Factor?: The immediate business ahead of the Lakers is deciding, or perhaps just finding the right time to announce, the future of Darvin Ham. But while everyone waits on that—and the Lakers did in fact conduct exit interviews internally (and away from probing questions from media types)—one could certainly assume that major stakeholders were asked not just about Darvin, but more importantly what worked and what didn't this year, and what kind of coach they'd like to see next season. That would include, at least in theory, LeBron James, whose own future in Los Angeles isn't exactly an open question, but isn't solidified, either. He is expected to opt out of his deal, and while a return to LA is what most expect and is unquestionably the most likely outcome, the contours of that future are very much unknown. Will LeBron demand three years at the max? A full no-trade clause? Is there anything, really, he co by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

The "Russell Westbrook Experience" - How It Impacts LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers: So 11 games in, Lakers fans (and Lakers coaches, Lakers players and Lakers management) are learning a lot about what it means to be a team featuring Russell Westbrook. The extremes are striking, particularly now while he's not playing particularly well in the aggregate. Is it something people were totally prepared for? How is it impacting the way the Lakers play? And perhaps most importantly, when it's all said and done, how does Westbrook's presence impact the effectiveness of LeBron James and Anthony Davis as a pairing? Because for the last two seasons, there has been an assumption that the combination of Davis and James, if healthy and playing at their top level, automatically makes the Lakers strong title contenders, almost independent of what surrounds them. Given LeBron's new struggles with health, is that still true? And critically, does the addition of Westbrook enhance that partner by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

36 min listen

Will the Lakers Fire Darvin Ham? Multiple Reports Say the Coach is on the Hot Seat.: The Lakers have a lot of decisions to make this offseason, but without question the highest profile choice is about Darvin Ham. Does LA fire him, as is the broad expectation based on multiple reports? If so, why? For starters, you can look to a few recent quotes, some from after Monday's loss and more in a story published by ESPN following the game. In both, Ham defended himself against accusations of mismanagement in areas like lineups and rotations, focusing on injuries that ruined his ability to be consistent. He defended himself against high profile benchings over the course of the season by asking what you're supposed to do if a player is "sh***ing the bed" for 10 games in a row? Given that the only three guys this really applies to are Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and D'Angelo Russell, three of the team's five best players, you can forgive any of them for thinking the coach was publicly, well by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

34 min listen

The Top Chargers Under the Age of 25: On today's show we discuss the Chargers top-3 players under the age of 25, how many Chargers defenders are top-10 at their position defensively, Justin Herbert at the ESPYs and a new analytics hire for the team. Some Chargers have recently gotten snubbed on the top players in the league under 25 so today we rank the Chargers young players. We all know that Herbert reigns supreme but which other young players could be the future of the franchise? ESPN has ranked the top-10 defenders at every position and only Joey Bosa and Derwin James made the list for the Chargers. We get into why both players were deserving recognition and what Chargers could crack the top-10 in the near future. A lot happened over the weekend and we recap Justin Herbert throwing his first charity golf tournament featuring Keenan Allen and being nominated for Breakthrough Athlete of the year at the ESPYs. We also break down new analytics hire Alex Stern and what he could bring to by Locked On Chargers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Chargers

32 min listen

D'Angelo Russell Is the X-Factor for the Lakers. Plus, is this Darvin Ham's Permanent Rotation?: One reason the Lakers have managed to play more competitively over the last few games, including wins in four of six, is the improved play of D'Angelo Russell, who looks a lot more like the guy who was the Lakers best player not named Anthony or LeBron for the first month of the season. Russell's 29 points against Dallas on Wednesday was a reminder that whether you see him as the team's third best player, fourth best, or maybe even something after that, he's got certain skills that aren't easily replicated around the roster. He's the most likely player outside the stars to pop off for 30 points, for example. He's also the best non-LeBron organizer and facilitator on the squad. His point guard skills aren't replicated by Austin Reaves, for examples. So when he plays well, the Lakers look like a different team. When he plays well AND LeBron and AD are on? The Lakers can appear genuinely dange by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 min listen

The Lakers Legacy Podcast Ep. 108: The Art of Tanksy (Embrace the Tank? Is LAL Bad Enough?+ Intro to the Top 2017 NBA Draft Prospects – Fultz, Ball, Jackson, Smith, & More!) by The Lakers Legacy Podcast

73 min listen

Previewing Lakers vs. Grizzlies. Ja Morant or LeBron James? Jaren Jackson Jr. or Anthony Davis?: The Lakers are in a real, live playoff series for the first time in a couple of seasons, and it should be a barnburner! It's the Memphis Grizzlies, who have played quite well all season, save a mid-season lull. It's an intriguing matchup, to say the least. LeBron James and Anthony Davis as established stars, meeting Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., who are ready to emerge in the next generation of the NBA elite. But what else is going on, here? How are the Grizzlies going to match up against LeBron and A.D.? Is Dillon Brooks the key to the series? What about the Lakers role players? How much will L.A.'s perimeter shooting impact what we're going to see. Can Austin Reaves, Malik Beasley and the rest hit enough shots to force Memphis to play things straight defensively? The ability of either team to do damage in transition could be a huge factor, as neither team is exactly elegant in the half by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

44 min listen

LeBron James Makes All-NBA Third Team: Why It Raises Tough Questions for the Lakers: LeBron James has made the All-NBA Third Team. On the one hand, it's a remarkable achievement, given his age and mileage. The level of play he put out this year was pretty remarkable, even before considering how long he's been at it. There isn't much, if any, precedent. On the other hand, the reason James made the third team and not first or second? 56 games. That's how many he played, and it's the third year he's missed a significant number of games since joining the Lakers. So on the one hand, LeBron James is still demonstrably excellent. On the other, it's getting harder and harder to rely on James to be on the court to demonstrate that excellence. So what do the Lakers do? When it comes to figuring out how "in" to go with a James-led team, whether "all" or something more conservative, balancing the paradox of James is a real pickle. Can the Lakers make enough improvements around him (and presumably by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

29 min listen

Will Anthony Davis' Return Make The Lakers Contenders? Plus, First Half Awards!: 41 games down, 41 to go. No, that's not meant as a threat. So with the Lakers at the halfway point, where do things stand? LeBron James spoke Sunday about having a better understanding of what this team is, and how they're going to play going forward, and the identity question is certainly an important one, even if that identity is imperfect. What he can't quantify, though, is just what things will look like once Anthony Davis returns. Not that they won't get better- that's a given- but how much better? And what will Davis look like in this new lineup leaning harder into "small" (i.e. Anthony Davis is a center, LeBron is the backup center, and we're only deploying the classic bigs in specific scenarios) than any season Davis has had here? In theory, it shouldn't be that different. Davis finished virtually every game in the title season at center, and has played more of it this year than the previous two. A by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

29 min listen

The Ring Chasers will Come Flocking to LeBron and the Lakers & NFL Week 6 Preview with Tori Gurley by Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre

40 min listen

JetNation has a New Sponsor: On this special episode Alex interviews our new sponsor Donnie from "SBR", Sports Book Review! Get your expert picks and advice from SBR to maximize your po by JetNation Radio - New York Jets Talk.

24 min listen

LeBron James Says He's Happy With the Lakers, Hopes He Finishes His Career in Los Angeles: In the wake of an All-Star Game for the ages—not in a good way—it's important to remember that for Lakers fans, the most important thing to come from the weekend wasn't anything related to the competition, but things LeBron James said. Talking to the media ahead of the game, James made it clear that he's happy in L.A., happy being a Laker, has been happy being a Laker for the last six seasons, and (assuming nothing drastic changes, and not being able to see everything in the future) anticipates finishing his career in a Lakers uniform. That, in theory at least, should put most of the speculation around LeBron's future, after the emojis and Knicks flirtations and all the other stuff. Right? Right??? Well, maybe not, but for a lot of reasons, this has always been the most likely outcome, assuming the Lakers don't decide early to call off the relationship, or LeBron doesn't have some wholly unique o by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

30 min listen

LeBron & Bronny: The First Father-Son Duo in the NBA?: LeBron & Bronny: The First Father-Son Duo in the NBA? by Hoop Ties

61 min listen

We're BACK!! Off-Season Talk, Trade Rumours, New Coaches everywhere let's gooo! by The Airball Diaries

36 min listen

The Lakers' Preseason Opens Monday. Is Darvin Ham's Early Starting Lineup the Right One?: Last season, the Lakers approached the preseason with an attitude of a team that believed it was championship caliber, had plenty of veteran experience and could afford to, well, ease into the season. The pretend games? Whatever. Not worth the time and energy to take seriously, or in the case of the Big Three of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, participate in fully so that the three of them could build some chemistry with each other, and a roster that had completely turned over. It... didn't work very well. The Lakers didn't just go 0-6 last preseason, they looked even worse than the record might suggest in the process, and a tone was set for the entire year. The Lakers never caught up. So this season, it looks like everyone from LeBron on down is going to be available, and the intensity of these games is going to look different. They don't mean everything, but they do mean somet by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

34 min listen

Is It a Given The Lakers Should Offer LeBron James a Contract Extension? Plus, more on Westbrook's Take on Media/Fans: Nothing is easy about this season for the Lakers, and nothing will be easy about this offseason for them, either. Tons of huge decisions to be made. Now, that includes the future of LeBron James. Not just from the POV of what James wants, but also whether the Lakers would be wise to commit to a core comprised of James and Anthony Davis, since now neither guy can be considered reliable from a health/availability standpoint. Then again, what exactly are the alternatives? Trading James? Trading James and AD? Letting LeBron walk? The team is in a tight spot, because doing better than that core will be hard, but it's reasonable to ask now if that core is enough to win more titles without a stronger supporting cast... something the Lakers don't have much ability to build. On the other hand, there may not be a team in the league with more obstacles in front of them for a tota by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 min listen

LOCKED ON LAKERS -- 3/23/17 -- What is Jordan Clarkson’s ceiling?: A few weeks back, we discussed D’Angelo Russell as in-depth as just about anyone has to this point. Jordan Clarkson has become about as polarizing as anyone on the Los Angeles Lakers, so we decided to give him similar treatment. Greatness ensued. Or s... by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

46 min listen

LOCKED ON LAKERS -- 7/10 -- An extremely early look at the Lakers rotation; Who they should target in buyout season: With the Lakers roster just about set, Pete and I discuss how we feel about it, especially now that we've learned about LeBron James starting at "point guard." We offer up what we think the rotation is going to look like -- or at the very least, how we think it should look. Then, we figure out how best to use that last roster spot and whether it makes sense to open another one up. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

48 min listen

193. Brogdon's a STAR; is Turner an All-Star? Lamb's 6MOY Case and LeVert on the road to Recovery: We have a LOADED show for you today. In segment 1, Alex and Facci hit on the injury updates to LeVert and Sabonis, and touch on why Lamb is on track to win 6th Man of the Year, although just a small sample size. In segment 2, Alex and Facci discuss the star level of play from Malcolm Brogdon. His relationship with Coach Bjorkgren and how his leadership is huge for the growth of this team. The guys close out this segment discussing the level of play Myles Turner has been playing at. What has changed this season from prior seasons, and why he should be in the All-Star conversation. Lastly, the guys touch on the young players getting minutes, what the future is for all of them, and why Aaron Holiday is stuck in a weird spot on this roster. Alex and Facci close out the show previewing the Hornets game for Wednesday and reflect on the life of NBA TV Analyst and former Indy Star Pacers Beat Wri by Setting The Pace: A Pacers Podcast

63 min listen

Can the Lakers Be Contenders if They Trade for Kyrie Irving? (Guest, Trevor Lane, Part II): In Part I of our interview with Trevor Lane of Lakers Nation, we talked a lot about what the Lakers are now. In Part II, we focus on what they might become, if the team can swing one of the rumored deals on the table for Russell Westbrook. First and foremost, which deal does Trevor think is best for the Lakers? He's a believer in the Kyrie Irving swap, based on the upside, especially if the Lakers can get a couple other players back in the deal. First, Kyrie is still a transcendent talent, all the weirdness aside. Second, acquiring him with someone like Joe Harris would sort out the current rotation in a more coherent way, while making the spacing around Anthony Davis and LeBron James significantly better. Yes, there are risks - significant ones, at that - So how much better would the Lakers be, if they managed to pull this off? Would they become contenders in a crowded Western Conference? High by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

34 min listen

How Worried Should the Lakers Be About LeBron's Minutes? Time to Move Taurean Prince to the Bench?: On the one hand, it's been incredibly fun to watch LeBron James put up the numbers he has over the last couple of weeks. The production has been impressive for any NBA player, before you get into the context of a (more or less) 39-year old in his 21st season. Once you factor that in? Wow. But at the same time, as many viewers on the YouTube channel have noted, there's a price to be paid for this type of effort, when it comes to James, and generally that price has been... well, James himself. Injury. Wear and tear. Fatigue. Eventually, the bill comes due. Of course, the Lakers were designed to take the load off James, with (in theory) added depth and higher end talent in the form of Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell, depth players in Rui Hachimura, Taurean Prince, Gabe Vincent and Christian Wood. But the returns on the supporting cast have been mixed. And that means the burden on LeBron by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

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Episode 29 - What the Future Holds For the Lakers

Episode 29 - What the Future Holds For the Lakers

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