Are LeBron and the Lakers Showing Signs? Plus, Trade Rumors Around Jerami Grant and Ben Simmons!

Lakers lose to Nets, LeBron James Has a Foot Issue, Fans are Losing Patience.: The Lakers are faced with a genuine Catch-22. They may not be able to make the playoffs without pushing Anthony Davis and LeBron James past safe limits of physical output, but if the org pushes them past those limits either or both are likely to get hurt, in which case they'll miss the playoffs. This was the issue facing the Lakers Monday in Brooklyn, where both James and Davis sat the front end of a back-to-back following Saturday's epic OT loss to Boston. The hope was that maintenance was the driving force behind keeping both in street clothes, and in the case of Davis it probably was. But Monday we learned that LeBron is battling a foot problem that put a fresh spin on his absence. And Lakers coach Darvin Ham wouldn't say if James will play tonight against the Knicks at the Garden. He said they didn't want to get ahead of themselves. That's not going to make Lakers fans feel better! Because if there's no by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 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

NBA GM Poll Reflects Anthony Davis's Reputation Dropping Around the NBA. (LeBron Still Respected!): Every year, NBA.com produces the GM poll, asking execs around the league all sorts of questions about players, teams, coaches and beyond. In most years, the Lakers and Lakers players are well represented, given their high profile, high expectations, star power and so on. This year, however, when it comes to the Lakers the results are notable mostly because the Lakers are an afterthought. LeBron James pops up in a couple of categories, Darvin Ham in another. The Lakers are expected to finish around 8th in the conference, which makes sense and certainly isn't unfair. Most notable, though, is the near-total absence of Anthony Davis, who doesn't get mentioned among the best defensive players, centers, power forwards, MVP candidates and so on and so on and so on. One place he does pop up? Breakout candidate, a place usually reserved for much younger players. In total, it shows the massive rep by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 min listen

Is LeBron James Almost Healthy Again? Plus, a Big Road Trip and Connecting Russell Westbrook, DeMar DeRozan and Talen Horton-Tucker: The Lakers could use some good news, and per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, that's on the horizon. LeBron James may be returning the court as soon as Friday in Boston against the Celtics. To put it mildly, his seven game absence (eight counting Wednesday in Milwaukee) has put a strain on the team. It's set the stage for a difficult five-game roadie, and also made it hard to even evaluate how good or bad the Lakers really are. 15 games in, it's not a cop out to say you're not sure what this roster can accomplish, because it hasn't yet been seen fully intact. But was it constructed correctly to begin with? DeMar DeRozan's recently (re)expressed desire to have become a Laker this offseason got people talking. A summertime trade with San Antonio would have been complicated to make, but what does it say about the Lakers front office that they so emphatically chos by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

It's Only August, But LeBron James Is Coming For the Doubters: Summer League for the Lakers might be a relatively sleepy time - if anyone playing for the sort of Lakers right now ends up playing a role with the big team this season, things have likely gone off the rails in indescribably horrible fashion - but that doesn't mean there's no intrigue. LeBron James and Russell Westbrook appeared courtside together in Vegas, and then LeBron put out a (now seemingly mandatory?) Insta workout post/message-to-the-haters that got a bunch of people's attention. Now, pretty much everyone thinks the Lakers are going to be really good, and it's just a question of whether the ultimate result is a championship. But that's neither here nor there. What matters are the fictions athletes construct for themselves. So what is LeBron doing? Next, Seth Partnow at The Athletic has a great breakdown of why predicting results this year is so tricky. Russ is a statistical anomaly of his own (good and bad), and by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

How Much Will Austin Reaves Cost The Lakers in Free Agency? Can Anthony Davis Consistently Dominate?: The Lakers are hanging on the fringes of the Western Conference Play-In race (the top 6, at this point, is a real stretch). They've been doing it without LeBron James, who remains sidelined with a bum foot. Before Sunday's game, Darvin Ham said that the team expects James will be available before the end of the regular season. Yahoo's Chris Haynes reports that while it's certainly a possibility James could return, if he does, he won't be 100%. Or really anywhere close. So what exactly would the Lakers be getting with a diminished-but-available LeBron James? Is that guy enough to help fuel that miracle playoff run that some kiiiiiiinda refuse to rule out, just because he's LeBron James, has won a title with A.D., and the West just isn't that dominant this year? Is he enough to help get the Lakers through a play-in game or two? Most fans, right now at least, would take the latter and cro by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

35 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

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

Free Agency Begins: How Will The Lakers Fill Out the Team Around LeBron, Davis and Westbrook?: Everyone's had the weekend to think things over, and the Russell Westbrook trade has only grown more interesting.. The process of moving forward, filling out the team around the new Big Three of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Westbrook begins today as free agency opens. Where do the Lakers get the rest of their pieces? Who are the most likely candidates to join the the purple and gold to chase a title? Certain players - Carmelo Anthony, for example - feel almost inevitable and would make some sense, but the competition for talent around the league will be fierce. The Lakers aren't the only squad that can offer an opportunity to go win a ring. So what happens at 3:01 pm PT, when the derby officially begins? Is DeMar DeRozan really an option, given the haircut he'd have to take? What about Rudy Gay, or some lesser-but-critical names? Could Otto Porter be had for the taxpayer midlevel? Would h by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

40 min listen

Westbrook For 6th Man of the Year? Could LeBron Enter the MVP Race? Plus, Lakers Trade Targets!: Our friends at Betonline have put out a fresh set of odds for postseason awards, as teams near the halfway point of the NBA season (it's coming quickly, folks). What's interesting about the Lakers in this area is, primarily, that so few Lakers are even mentioned. Guys like Anthony Davis, who had briefly put themselves on the board for MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, are now off it. Only Russell Westbrook remains, and not only is he a betting favorite for Sixth Man of the Year, he's the betting favorite. Should he be? It's certainly a strange year for 6MOY, without a ton of obvious candidates on really strong teams. And certainly Westbrook has made a good pitch, and has a compelling narrative (and we can tell you, narrative is a huge factor in media-driven awards). But would someone like Jordan Poole (Golden State) or Malcolm Brogdon (Boston) be more worthy? Will the same media priming by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

31 min listen

LeBron James is Putting More Pressure on the Front Office as the Lakers Win More Games: The Lakers have won five straight at a time when the rest of the conference is slumping. The Suns and Clippers have both lost six straight. The Jazz are sliding, the Blazers with them. as a result, the Lakers aren't just in contact with the play-in, they're creeping up on the real live playoff teams. Just a couple games back of the five spot. That's a ton of unexpected progress at a time when, with Anthony Davis (and more!) on the sidelines, the Lakers just weren't thought of as a competitive team. Yet here we are! And with that, LeBron James is cranking up the heat on the team's front office to kick it into high gear and make some trades to help improve the roster. Not later, not next season, now. In a walk-and-talk following Saturday's win over Sacramento with The Athletic's Sam Amick, LeBron said without saying that he thinks the front office should make a move. Sunday on Twitter, he tried to dia by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

35 min listen

Is It Possible LeBron James Wouldn't Sign an Extension With the Lakers?: LeBron James has spent a great deal of his time in Los Angeles fighting significant injuries. He's been told to stay off that bad ankle this spring/summer for at least a month, probably more. So with all that in mind, and his advancing age and tremendous NBA mileage, it's at least worth contemplating the risks of offering him a $90-plus million extension this summer. But this week, Sam Amick of The Athletic wrote an interesting story that asks the other side of the same question: Would LeBron automatically accept an offer from the Lakers (as everyone assumes the organization will do)? What are the reasons LeBron might turn them down? What might have changed about his perception of the franchise? Is it really any different now than it was when he signed with them originally? When he signed his first extension with the team? Finally, everyone (James included) poked fun at the Timberwolves for, let's call it an extre by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 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

LeBron James Passes Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as All-Time Scoring Leader, but Lakers Lose to Thunder: The range of emotions on display Tuesday at the Crypt was extensive. On the one hand, LeBron James accomplished something truly remarkable, passing Lakers (and NBA) legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leader in points scored. It came late in the third quarter, with a turnaround jumper over Oklahoma City forward Kenrich Williams. For James, it was the culmination of 20 years' worth of incredibly consistent performance. 27 points a game for two decades, on top of all the assists, the winning and more. One doesn't just stumble into 38K+ points. He was surrounded by family, by friends, and by basically everyone he considered a key part of his journey as a player and a person, and seemed genuinely moved by the moment and the achievement, even while knowing that the record would be his, barring some type of catastrophic happening. For all his talent, particularly given LeBron's by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

34 min listen

LeBron James Carries the Lakers Past Rockets. How Long Before Anthony Davis Returns to Help?: Watching LeBron James these days is, from a basketball standpoint, a blessing. Seeing any player, let alone a 38-year old, post the kind of numbers he has over the last month or so is genuine fun. You can't love watching the NBA and appreciate incredible athletic achievement without finding this run incredible. For Lakers fans, though, it's also a little uncomfortable. Because he is, unquestionably, putting out a tremendous amount of effort for the Lakers to to tread water while Anthony Davis remains sidelined. (The Lakers are currently 9-8 since Davis went down, which is pretty impressive given the other injuries the team has faced.) Is there a limit to this? At some point, does he hit a wall, where the production can't be sustained at this level? Does the body break down? If so, where exactly does that leave the team? The same context that makes his play so engaging is what makes it unsettli by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

LeBron Makes History in Another Lakers Loss + FS1 NBA analyst Ric Bucher by Straight Fire with Jason McIntyre

42 min listen

Lakers Mailbag, Part 1: Can Beverley and Westbrook Co-Exist? Would Myles Turner Give LA an Elite Defense? And More!: It's the end of August. The Lakers have made one trade (Patrick Beverley, welcome!) and are looking to improve by making more. Will it happen? Is Russell Westbrook automatically headed out the door? What does the rotation look like if he stays? These are just a few of the questions we address in Part 1 of our Locked On Lakers mailbag, taped live at the Du/er store in Los Angeles! We start with questions about Westbrook and the roster. Could they still waive-and-stretch? Regardless of what they do with Russ, LeBron and Anthony Davis have to dominate for this team to have any chance, right? Deeper into the roster, what are reasonable expectations for Max Christie? What could he show to indicate he'll be a solid NBA player one day? From there, we answer a segment's worth of questions from Locked On viewer Alan, who stopped by the Du/er shop. He had a trifecta: Could Pat Bev by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

34 min listen

Previewing the Lakers' strengths and weaknesses, Plus NBA Fantasy Talk. Guest: Josh Lloyd: With the season fast approaching, the Kamenetzkys decided to get a perspective from outside Los Angeles about where the Lakers stand. How outside? Try Melbourne, Australia, with Josh Lloyd, the host of Locked on NBA and Locked on NBA Fantasy, They broke down the Lakers on both sides of the ball, along with how things could shake out with so many new faces. Will the Big Three come together? Is Russell Westbrook an easier fit in certain respects than credited? Is a bounce back season coming for Anthony Davis? Plus, how do the Lakers shake out from a fantasy perspective, and a look around the NBA? What will become Kyrie Irving's uncertain status with the Nets, and does a destination for Ben Simmons actually exist? Hosts: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: How much defense did the Lakers lose from last season, especially with Trevor Ariza out for at least two months? Will Ariza's absence shift by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

36 min listen

The NBA Comes Down - Kinda - on Suns Owner Robert Sarver. LeBron Says More Punishment Needed.: It's not been a good week for the NBA. While we inch closer to training camps and the start of all the fun stuff, the league announced it would be suspending Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver for a year and fining him $10 million for ... well, a tremendous amount of racism and misogyny that permeated the organization for years. An independent review confirmed the core of what ESPN's Baxter Holmes revealed in a report last year, and put the league in a postion where it had to act. Still, the consensus is that Sarver got off easy, and when Silver spoke to the media about it Wednesday, he seemed to confirm that different rules exist for owners vs. players, when it comes to conduct. Certainly Lakers star LeBron James seemed ticked, Tweeting his disapproval. As did Chris Paul. Others will surely follow. But Silver inelegantly noted the League's hands are tied, insofar as it comes to removing Sarver by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

35 min listen

How Will LeBron James' Return Impact a Red-Hot Anthony Davis? Plus, Patrick Beverley suspended!: The Lakers kick off a critical back-to-back Friday in San Antonio, and presumably LeBron James will be on the floor, hopefully for both ends. In his absence, the Lakers have found a little rhythm offensively (albeit against weaker competition) and Anthony Davis has gone bananas, in terms of his overall production. So the question for the team becomes figuring out ways to keep Davis in the space he's in with James back on the floor. Because the overall numbers for LeBron this year, offensively speaking, aren't great. His rating isn't high, relative to teammates. The team has performed better in his absence, with a lot more efficiency. Is that all on James? No, but his personal numbers speak to that type of inefficiency, as well. And overall, the all just seems to have been a lot less sticky over the last week-plus. Players are moving more, and are being rewarded for it. In a perfect world, a by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

Anthony Davis Explains His Injury... But Not When He'll Return. Can LeBron Keep the Lakers Going?: The Lakers had a busy weekend. LeBron James celebrated his 38th birthday in Atlanta by burying the Hawks in an avalanche of high end, classic James performance. 47 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists, on 18-27 from the floor. LeBron, who had a slow-by-his-standards start to the season, is now putting up numbers eerily similar to his career stats. He is, in short, balling at a very high level, particularly over the last 10 games. But can he continue at that level in a January where the Lakers need to start making moves in the Western Conference to insert themselves back into the playoff race out West? Particularly when, as we learned before the game, Anthony Davis is still a giant question mark. Davis spoke to the media in Atlanta, and broke down his breakdown. There's a stress injury in the foot and a bone spur in the ankle. The pain is starting to dissipate, but hasn't gone away complet by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

35 min listen

Report: Lebron James Could Miss Multiple Weeks With Right Foot Injury.: Sunday was one of, if not the, best night of the year for the Lakers, who staged an epic 27-point comeback to beat Dallas and continue their push into the Western Conference playoff race. But it did come with a catch. LeBron James finished the game following an injury to his right foot in the second half, but he was clearly uncomfortable and limped noticeably as he left the building. It was, to say the least, concerning. Darvin Ham put as optimistic a spin on the situation as he could, but noted they'd need to learn a little more before issuing a definitive update. Well, there's still no update, but reports from Shams Charania of The Athletic indicate the news isn't good. James is expected to need multiple opinions to figure out the problem and miss multiple games before returning to the floor. The Lakers, he says, are bracing for him to miss weeks. It's the type of news that feels par for the course. Just when thi by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 min listen

Do the Lakers Have a LeBron James Problem? (Spoiler Alert: Yes, They Kinda Do): For much of the early season, there was an intense focus on the performance of Anthony Davis, and how it wasn't bad, exactly, but was definitely disappointing and not nearly at the level the Lakers need to be successful this season. But over the last seven or so games, that has definitely changed. Meanwhile, LeBron James hasn't just struggled with his health, dealing with a series of maladies (including an ankle issue that could keep him out of tonight's game against Portland). He's been pretty ordinary on the court, as well. At least by his standards, and the standard to which the Lakers will need. The effect has been particularly noticeable on offense, where LeBron's rating trails his other name brand teammates (Davis, Russell Westbrook). He's been particularly disappointing in fourth quarters, exemplified by Monday's 2-8 showing. So what do the Lakers do about it? Can they get him going, assuming James c by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

31 min listen

Is LeBron James Signaling to Rob Pelinka He Wants to Retire a Laker? Plus, Rui Hachimura's Fit So Far.: The Lakers take on Indiana tonight, looking to win a second straight game and set the table for a 3-2 finish to the road trip that started with so much frustration in Boston. But while there's plenty of focus on the team's record, there's also a lot of attention on the team's star. LeBron James is about a week away from passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer. And he's going to push way past the Cap, because James noted following Tuesday's win that he plans to play for a few more years. Over the course of the season, James has made it clear he's in no hurry to retire, and still believes he can play at a very high level (demonstrating that on the floor, too). He's also clarified his position on playing with his son. LeBron doesn't need to be teammates with Bronny, just share a professional court with him at some point, should fortune smile on the younge by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

34 min listen

Anthony Davis Dominates, but LeBron James Sits with a Knee Injury as the Lakers Lose In Philly: The Lakers just can't keep the band together. Two nights after the team's Big Three of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook FINALLY got on the floor together after six-ish weeks of waiting, the grand experiment was again put on hold Thursday in Philly. LeBron James woke up with a sore left knee and couldn't suit up against the Sixers. Anthony Davis played, and played perhaps his best game of the year, but it wasn't enough to overcome a solid Philly squad. In part because the supporting cast just didn't show up. Davis and Russell Westbrook did their part, but literally nobody else showed up for L.A. in any meaningful way. For the Lakers to win, that needed to happen. It didn't. So once again they dip below the .500 mark, with a tough game Friday in Charlotte and another in Atlanta Sunday morning to cap off the road trip. There is much to unpack, starting with the distressing noti by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 min listen

Will Darvin Ham's Inexperience Prevent the Lakers From Making the Play-in?: The Lakers, according to the fine folks at Tankathon (and by other measurements as well) have the league's easiest schedule down the stretch. That includes tonight's game against a hobbled New Orleans squad, and Wednesday against the Rockets, who are awful. They see the Bulls twice, get a beat up Dallas team, the Suns (at least once) without Kevin Durant and the Magic. By the time the schedule grants two games against Utah, the Jazz may or may not still be playing for a playoff berth. (Of course, they're saying the same thing about the Lakers on Locked On Jazz.) So the idea they could be playing significant games down the stretch, even understanding that LeBron is going to miss a huge chunk of time, isn't at all far-fetched. Not given how the Lakers have played since the NBA's trade deadline, Sunday's loss notwithstanding. To get there, they need top shelf performances from Anthony Davis, and on days where he's by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

36 min listen

LeBron Tweets "Hour Glass" emoji. Who is out of time? Darvin Ham? Rob Pelinka? The Lakers?: For a while, it looked like the most important Tweet to come from a Laker Tuesday in Atlanta would be Christian Wood's, where he "lol"'d right after the Lakers announced a starting lineup that included Jaxson Hayes instead of him, filling in for Anthony Davis. After the game, Wood said it was just a wayward QT. Nothing to see here. Nobody believed him. But all of that was soon eclipsed by LeBron James, who simply sent out a near-empty hourglass. That clearly put people on notice. Was he talking about Darvin Ham, and losing patience with him? Reminding Rob Pelinka to take action, because the season is now running short and the Lakers (and LeBron himself, broadly) are nearly out of time? All of the above? It's another indication things aren't right in El Segundo, and nobody is comfortable with it. It speaks to the disconnect between the locker room and Ham, and potentially the locker room and Peli by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

34 min listen

Is Trading LeBron James an Option? Plus Adrian Griffin Enters the Lakers Coaching Search: ESPN's Stephen A. Smith on Wednesday said the Lakers should trade LeBron James, since Russell Westbrook and Anthony Davis torched their value, and there's no other way to improve... but is it even possible to create a deal that would make sense for both sides? Meanwhile, The Lakers coaching search has added Toronto assistant Adrian Griffin. Solid resume, though he's not even on the board when it comes to the oddsmakers forecasting who might get the job. The longest longshot? James as player-coach! Assuming he's not traded, of course. Finally, LeBron expressed his disgust at the voting for Most Improved Player, which went to Memphis guard Ja Morant. Not because he thinks Ja isn't good, but because he thinks he was too good already to even have been considered. So is he right? LeBron's problem with the voting gets to a bigger issue: Save maybe Rookie of the Year and 6th Man of the Year, does anybody by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 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

Why Laker Fans and L.A. Don't Seem to be Reacting to LeBron James Breaking Records: The Lakers had a busy weekend, winning an inspiring game Friday in Toronto before Saturday in Washington in a most irritating way, one this team has been prone to all year. Bad defensive decisions, questionable coaching, cold and stagnant offense, horrible turnovers and so on. It was a reminder that this team isn't unpopular with fans because they lose - though that obviously doesn't help - but because how they often lose makes these Lakers hard to like. Meanwhile, LeBron James passed Karl Malone for second on the NBA's all time scoring list Saturday... and while obviously people noticed, the reception, particularly locally, hasn't been overwhelming. Is it just because the team is losing? What else is in play, here? It touches on LeBron's tenure in LA, the legacy of Kobe, how we view individual achievement, and more. And as he closes in on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at a time when the Lakers are (at least curr by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

31 min listen

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