Is Trading LeBron James an Option? Plus Adrian Griffin Enters the Lakers Coaching Search

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

The Kyrie Irving Rumors Gain Some Steam, While the Lakers Prepare for Free Agency: Free agency begins this week in the NBA, and the Lakers have a tremendous amount of work in front of them. But as the curtain rises on rebuilding yet another brand new Lakers roster, there's more smoke billowing around the Kyrie Irving-to-LA conversation. Not any fire, yet, it would appear, but with careful NBA reporters saying that LeBron James and Kyrie are communicating and that there's some substance to the interest, it's not nothing, either. And with James Harden reportedly set to take a less-than-max-length extension with Philadelphia, does that change the arithmetic around Kyrie's leverage, whether in Brooklyn or L.A.? What about LeBron's leadership? In an interview with Bloomberg, Golden State's Draymond Green noted that LeBron's presence would help mitigate Kyrie's relative lack of leadership skills. Certainly not a guy you'd want as a frontman, for sure... which means LeBron has to be here as l by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

34 min listen

LeBron Says He Wants to Retire (many years from now) as a Laker! Plus, the Lakers' Draft Needs.: As part of his Space Jam promotional tour, LeBron James appeared on the "Smartless" podcast with Will Arnett, Jason Bateman and Sean Hayes, and among many subjects, touched on his basketball future. In a nutshell, he wants to play another several years, and all of them in a Laker uniform. What's crazy is how absolutely sane the notion of him playing well into his forties feels. LeBron also talked about his future in Hollywood, and what he could have in common with Denzel Washington, Liam Neeson and The Rock. From there, the Kamenetzkys break down what type of player the Lakers should target with the 22nd pick, assuming they keep it. Should they target a high ceiling, or a high floor? What skills should they covet? Is it even possible to find a multifaceted player late in the first round? Finally, Team USA lost what is ultimately an insignificant game against Nigeria, but basketball fans are by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

31 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

Has Darvin Ham Discovered His "Death Lineup" for the Lakers? (i.e., D'Lo/Reaves/Vando/Lebron/Davis): In the wake of Saturday's ultra-intense, ultra-exciting double OT win over Golden State in San Francisco, there was plenty to discuss. The superlative performances of LeBron James and Stephon Curry. The continued excellent play, including one of the most shockingly ballsy 3-pointers in recent history, from D'Angelo Russell. And, of course, the incredible shot in the arm provided by Jarred Vanderbilt. But most prominent among Lakers fans was probably the combinations in which all of those players were used. Darvin Ham finally seemed to lean into last year's post-deadline starting lineup. The one that helped propel the Lakers to a Western Conference Finals appearance, and that (until Thursday against Chicago ) had not, for all intents and purposes played together. That changed Saturday, and the Lakers clearly benefitted from the change. On the season, in very limited minutes, that lineup by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

36 min listen

BONUS CROSSOVER EPISODE: The Warriors Reportedly Tried to Trade For LeBron at the Deadline.: Andy Kamenetzky and Cyrus Saatsaz host a crossover episode to discuss the shocking news broken this morning by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski and Ramona Shelburne that the Golden State Warriors reached out to the Los Angeles Lakers to discuss a potential blockbuster trade that would've traded superstar LeBron James to the Warriors. Talks never got particularly far, beyond it reaching ownership level, with Joe Lacob speaking directly to Jeanie Buss, who said she'd only sign off on a deal involving LeBron if that's what the superstar wanted. Lacob was then referred to Klutch boss Rich Paul, who confirmed that LeBron wanted to remain in L.A., and that was that. The King stays in L.A. But no doubt that even as a hypothetical, this is fascinating stuff. Plus, it speaks to the tenuous place both franchises were in a couple of weeks ago. Segment One: Holy (bleep)! This call happened! Segment Two: Who wo by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

28 min listen

Have the Lakers Closed the Door on Myles Turner and Buddy Hield? Plus... More on LeBron and BaldGate!: Wednesday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that the Indiana Pacers expect to open the season with Myles Turner as their starting center. Which means, definitionally, that he will not be acquired before then by the Lakers with Buddy Hield in exchange for Russell Westbrook and two first round picks. Nor is it expected that the Lakers will trade for anyone on the Utah Jazz as they look to rebuild after trading Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell. So what are they going to do? Does Rob Pelinka just plan on punting the season? Does passing up an opportunity now mean the Lakers won't have a better one later? Are any of the options available to them today better than what might be behind doors as the season proceeds? Could Turner and Hield be an option closer to the deadline? Are any of these trade options better than simply waiting, holding the picks and combining that with some cap sp by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

30 min listen

Is LeBron James Already Taking Shots at Rob Pelinka, Jeanie Buss and Lakers Management?: Maybe it's nothing... but nobody seems to think that. Lebron James, who is no stranger to passive aggressive use of social media to make a point, posted Thursday on Instagram a highlight dunk, and a question: "How long will you be taken for granted?" It was widely interpreted as a shot at Lakers management, with the idea they're wasting a still highly productive James. Or at the least, he seemed more than willing to let people make that assumption for at least a day. And James, no neophyte when it comes to social media, certainly understands how a post like that would be interpreted. So what does it mean if James is already taking shots? Does it change the calculus for how the Lakers can and should look at the trade market? Does it raise the temperature on Rob Pelinka to relent and make a deal he'd otherwise rather pass on? Is there reason to believe that some of the problems with the offense are d by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

30 min listen

How Confident Should Lakers Fans Be In Darvin Ham during the Play-in or Playoffs?: Lakers fans have not necessarily warmed up to Darvin Ham in his first season as Lakers head coach. There have been consistent complaints, mostly about his rotation choices, throughout the season. He has received a lot of flak for what has been an inconsistent, often wildly frustrating season. On the other hand, to say the man has been dealt an imperfect hand would be a colossal understatement. He started the year with a mismatched roster that became even more mismatched at different points thanks to significant injuries to LeBron James and Anthony Davis. He's dealt with the whole Russell Westbrook thing, which was no picnic, and managed to make it work about as well as it could. From a buy in standpoint, Ham has done good work. And as the roster improved, lo and behold, so has the team's performance. So how good a coach has Ham been, and could he be the reason the Lakers win or (in the eyes of fans, more by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

Mailbag! Lakers trades, Free Agency, LeBron's role and more. Plus, Adam Silver Speaks!: The Kamenetzky Brothers often take listener questions during a show, whether solicited over Twitter (@kambrothers) or email (kamenetzkybrothers@gmail.com). But every now and then, they go into full-on mailbag mode! Like today! First, however, they addressed NBA Commissioner Adam Silver's press conference before kicking off the NBA Finals, which were fairly frank about how crummy this past year was for the players, whether physically or mentally, in ways that may not be fully understood until a few years from now. On the flip side, the league's coffers are getting closer to whole, which was the reason everyone endured this in the first place. What to make of it all? From there, MAILBAG!!! The Kamenetzkys took a slew of questions from loyal listeners like @visiontoKAT, @LakersInMyBlood, Jim Joes, @CNTNation, @m1kk0_ and @donfurleone, hitting a wide range of topics about the Lakers... and beyond. Ho by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 min listen

Is LeBron James Almost Back? Is Frank Vogel the Lakers' Biggest Offseason Priority?: ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that LeBron James is getting close to a return from his high ankle sprain, maybe hitting the court sometime this week. How quickly can James get his feet under him, and what does his return mean for guys like Dennis Schröder, who have thrived in outsized roles in his absence? Meanwhile, Woj also reports the Lakers will spend the summer putting together a contract extension for Frank Vogel. What has made Vogel, at best the team's third choice a couple summers ago, such a success? Finally, what's remarkable about the sale of a LeBron James rookie card for $5.2 million isn't the $5.2 million... HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: James is (almost) back. After Monday's game, Anthony Davis and Vogel spoke about the need for players like Schröder to stay aggressive once he's back, continuing to guide the offense and punish opponents when the opportunities present. by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

29 min listen

Rob Pelinka Preaches Continuity for the Lakers Roster, Patience as LeBron James Considers Retirement: The big news setting the table for this Lakers' offseason came Monday night, after the team lost to the Nuggets in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals, and LeBron James indicated he's considering retirement. Like for real. Now maybe it's a leverage play, maybe it's just the fatigue (and the likely need for foot surgery) talking. But maybe he really is mulling it over (a possibility that too many are underselling). One thing, though, was clear at Tuesday's exit interviews - Rob Pelinka, Darvin Ham and everyone else on the roster were taken by surprise when LeBron said what he said. Nobody had an inkling this was on his mind. And the Lakers, as you'd expect, plan to give him every ounce of time he needs to make a decision. (Whether that means simply deciding he has the juice to keep going, or exerting the influence he wants to exert, or a little of both.) Pelinka also made it clear t 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

LeBron James and Anthony Davis Hope to Return Friday Night. Plus, Could Quin Snyder Replace Frank Vogel?: The Lakers lost in Utah on Thursday, which is to be expected given the absences of Anthony Davis and LeBron James. But as time runs out on the season (and the Lakers once again find themselves in 11th place in the West, out of the play-in tourney), they might get some good news: Both of LA's stars hope to play Friday night at home against the Pelicans. If they can, would (knock on wood) six games with their Big Two be enough to vault past San Antonio and get themselves back in the tourney? And if LeBron just wants to come back to qualify for the scoring title... would that bug you as a Lakers fan? Meanwhile, assuming the Lakers do make a coaching change this offseason—a crazy hypothetical, no doubt—there would instantly be tremendous speculation about who would replace Frank Vogel. One name? Quin Snyder, current coach of the Jazz, himself on the hot seat for not pushing the Jazz de by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

Lakers vs. Warriors, LeBron vs. Steph: Previewing the Play-In Game with Sam Esfandiari and Andy Liu: The Lakers will do battle in the play-in game for the seven seed on Wednesday night against a hot Golden State Warriors and an even hotter Steph Curry. For a deep dive into the matchup, the Kamenetzkys spoke with Sam Esfandiari and Andy Liu from the Light Years podcast. How did the Warriors, who largely struggled during the first half of the season, reach playoff viability? Are they just Steph and his helpers, or more of a legit team? Who are the players beyond Steph and Draymond Green who matter most? Can Andrew Wiggins be counted on? Can the Warriors dictate style? How should the Lakers scheme against this foe? How should we regard this latest chapter of what's been a fantastic rivalry between Steph and LeBron James, two of the most influential players in league history? All this and more!!! Hosts: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Sam and Andy explain how the Warriors got their by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

36 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

Should the Lakers Trade Anthony Davis? What Could That Look Like? Guest, Daman Rangoola!: The Lakers face some serious challenges in rebuilding a championship caliber team. If the goal is still to maximize LeBron James, is the best way to do that by trading Anthony Davis? What exactly would that look like? What kind of return could the Lakers get? Would they be better off targeting another established star, or would it be better to try to use Davis to find two or three young starting caliber players? Depth, you may remember, was a problem for the Lakers this year. Those questions, and more, are at the core of Part II of the conversation with Daman Rangoola (@damanr), a huge favorite on Lakers Twitter and a must follow for Lakers fans. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky with Guest Daman Rangoola SEGMENT 1: How Davis disappointed in multiple ways this season, and calls into question whether he should be counted on to be the superstar that the Lakers build around once LeBron is gone. Espe by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

35 min listen

Are LeBron and the Lakers Showing Signs? Plus, Trade Rumors Around Jerami Grant and Ben Simmons!: LeBron James won his eleventybillionth Conference Player of the Week award this week, to go along with other honoraries he's gained over the course of his career. Little things like Conference Player of the Month, MVP and Finals MVP. But while it's nice, and indicative of the way he's played of late, obviously LeBron doesn't care about that sort of thing. It is, however, one small sign that things are slowly turning around for L.A.. Or could be, at least. That's if LeBron can stay healthy, given his workload. And if Anthony Davis can recover quickly from his knee injury. And if Trevor Ariza returns quickly enough from his absence, and then contributes in the way the Lakers hope he can. So there are variables! Meanwhile, it's about time for some early season MVP predictions and straw polls, and what's notable for the Lakers isn't who is on the list, but that the people you'd expect to be on by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

Dillon Brooks Pokes the Bear. Will LeBron James Take the Bait? Plus, Game 3 Adjustments.: Memphis swingman Dillon Brooks has a well-earned reputation as a Grade A pest/agitator on the floor, and after the Grizzlies won Game 2, he took some shots at LeBron James. He called the NBA's all-time leading scorer "old." He said he doesn't respect anyone until they drop 40 points on him. He said he's poking the bear, and he knows it. So what does any of this mean for Game 3? Is it performance art from Brooks, meant to get himself in the mindspace he thinks he needs to be in? Brand building? Both? Or does he really think he's going to get inside LeBron's head? And if he does, is there any chance it works? Because, to be fair, Brooks is super annoying. Would you expect LeBron to play any differently than he normally would? And might normally mean going off for a big number because Game 3 is so critical? Meanwhile, what ought the Lakers look to fix in Game 3, beyond coming out with more intensity by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

36 min listen

NBA Draft Preview with Mike Garcia: Can the Lakers Find a Rotation Player at #17?: The Lakers are in a unique situation when it comes to Thursday's NBA Draft. First, they have a first round pick, and seem inclined to actually use it, rather than automatically defaulting to sending the selection away in favor of a more established player. And given the amount of turnover teams face now across the league, sentiment around picking the best player available tends to trump picking for need. Then again, for the Lakers, who are on an accelerated timeline thanks to the arc's of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, they need a guy who can fit in with that core, and ideally could do it quickly. So are there any players who could step into a rotation next season that will be waiting at the back end of the draft? What exactly goes into that type of selection? What skills translate quickly to fill a niche at the NBA level, when a player isn't going to step into a starring or big scoring role? We ask tho by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

38 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

Is Jason Kidd leaving? Plus, we remember the Lakers' 2009 championship!: Jason Kidd is always a hot name for coaching searches, and this offseason is no exception. The Lakers' assistant coach will reportedly interview with the Orlando Magic, which prompts a discussion about his credentials... and also his off-court baggage. It's also the anniversary of the Lakers' 2009 championship, which the Kamenetzkys covered. What are the biggest memories of that team? And finally, they kick off a series examining the performance of key players. It begins with the back of the rotation: Markieff Morris, Jared Dudley and Ben McLemore. Hosts: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: It feels like Kidd will be coaching somewhere else next season, despite a mediocre reputation as a tactician and many past transgressions away from the court. The Kamenetzkys discuss the compartmentalization allowing this to happen, as well as what traits the Lakers should target in his replacement. SEGMENT 2: Twelve years by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

36 min listen

Lakers Lose 114-108 to Nuggets, Stand Pat at the Deadline, Unveil Kobe Bryant Statue: Man alive, Thursday was busy. It started with the NBA's trade deadline. Over the last few days, it started to look more and more like the Lakers wouldn't be major players on Thursday. And it turned out, they weren't players of any kind. They didn't make a move at all. GM Rob Pelinka said the team worked hard to find a way to upgrade, but couldn't match the right player with the right price. "You can't buy a house that's not for sale," he said. Should the Lakers have done more? Been willing to overpay? Could the inactivity influence what LeBron James does this summer? Was there an opportunity they missed? One thing that's clear: Pelinka will have a ton of pressure on him this summer. Meanwhile... There was also the unveiling of the Kobe Bryant statue. Or more precisely, the first of three Kobe Bryant statues that will eventually stand outside the arena. The ceremony was exactly as you'd expect - a well by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

34 min listen

Listeners React to Anthony Davis Trade Hypotheticals, and the Potential Return of Westbrook: Tuesday, the show was centered around the hypothetical idea of the Lakers trading Anthony Davis. Why they ought to at least consider it, how it might help LeBron James and what kinds of packages they should look for. (Especially when trading Russell Westbrook is/should be a higher priority.) It's a thought exercise as much as anything—the Lakers are very unlikely to actually move him—but gets to the challenge of this offseason. It elicited a lot of reaction, which kicks off Wednesday's episode as well. People thought it was a great idea or a monumentally stupid one, with very little in the middle. Which gets to how complicated the repair job is for the Lakers. There is no clear path, it's a bunch of options all muddy and overgrown. Wouldn't they be better off just rolling with the core they have, asks one listener to Locked On Lakers on YouTube? Very possibly! But possibly, not, too. Meanwhile, by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

Kyrie Irving is Recruiting LeBron James to Join the Mavericks. Would the Lakers Actually Trade Him?: The rumors linking Kyrie Irving to LeBron James are pretty old hat at this point, but Monday provided a new wrinkle. Instead of Irving heading to LA to join James with the Lakers, The Athletic's Shams Charania reported that Irving has called LeBron to try and get him to come to Dallas. He's got a fan club there, including Irving, Mavs star Luka Doncic, their coach in Jason Kidd, and more. But while Charania's report got everyone's attention, and fast, the actual mechanics of getting James to Dallas are laughably hard. Maybe he'd accept a buyout, if the Lakers would actually offer him one, which they won't. And even then, it seems unlikely he'd leave the kind of money on the table that he'd have to sacrifice to go from a team that made the Western Conference Finals to one that just missed the playoffs. So what about a trade? Well, have you looked at the Mavericks' roster lately? Woof. Wh by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 min listen

LeBron James Confirms He's Not Retiring (SHOCKER!!!) and Darvin Ham Has Words For Mike Malone: It's official. During Wednesday's ESPY Awards, LeBron James confirmed he's not retiring and will return to the Lakers. You may go on living the lives you were already engaged in with no change whatsoever. But all jokes aside, while the news wasn't necessarily even news by this point, there was some interesting psychology with LeBron's theatricality, as well as what we suspect was actually going on in his head when he floated the idea of hanging up his sneaks for good. In the meantime, Darvin Ham is nothing if not confident. So when visiting the #thisleague UNCUT podcast with Chris Haynes and Marc Stein, maybe it shouldn't be surprising that Ham had some spicy moments. Those 10 teams that passed him up and hired other guys? They "****ed up, royally," he said. Denver coach Mike Malone, who (along with his team) spent an unusual amount of post-title time talking about beating the Lakers? Ham hea by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

30 min listen

Can the Lakers Close Out Memphis in Game 6? Will Darvin Ham Adjust His Bench Rotation?: The Lakers hit a wall on Wednesday, missing shots and falling short against a highly motivated Memphis Grizzlies squad in Game 5. LeBron James looked tired, but vowed to be better in Game 6. And surely the Crypto.com Arena crowd will be jacked up for the first closeout game the fans have seen in a very, very long time. One key will be keeping that energy flowing throughout, and not allowing the Grizzlies the ability to put fear into nearly 20,000 folks. It'll help for the Lakers to hit some shots, because these sub-30% 3-point nights aren't gonna get it done. It'll help to force some turnovers, and create easy buckets. It'll help for LeBron to do good stuff early, after a really bad night on Wednesday. And would it also help if Darvin Ham tweaked the rotation? There have been many, many calls for Ham to quit running with the small lineups while Anthony Davis is off the floor, where LeBron or Rui Hac by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

36 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

LeBron James, Dennis Schröder, Thomas Bryant Could Return as the Lakers Hit a Crucial Stretch: The journey of 1,000 miles, otherwise known as "Operation Get Back to .500" begins with one step. That's tonight, as the Lakers play a promising-but-not-yet-good Detroit Pistons team at the Crypt. They'll have reinforcements, with Dennis Schroder and Thomas Bryant likely joining the lineup, and more importantly, with LeBron James a real possibility to suit up. He was a full participant in Thursday's practice for the Lakers - albeit a non-contact practice for all involved - and Darvin Ham said James was running and jumping, looking "great." So if LeBron can play, the Lakers really have no excuse to drop a game to the lowly Pistons, right? And they really should beat a San Antonio squad rapidly coming back to earth after a quick start, right? They can't get back to .500 in a day or a week or even a month, likely. This is a project. And while technically, it doesn't matter which teams they beat by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 min listen

Why Darvin Ham Should Coach the Lakers, and Is a Kyrie Irving/Russell Westbrook Trade Worth the Risk?: The Lakers are down to Terry Stotts, Kenny Atkinson and Darvin Ham. One will be the next head coach. So after a series of scouting reports breaking down each guy, who ought to be the hire? The answer is Ham, but why? And what about the other guys? Would either constitute a real mistake? Meanwhile, if Rob Pelinka can't do serious work improving the roster, does it even matter who coaches the Lakers next season? Speaking of new talent, the relationship between, um, "mercurial" point guard Kyrie Irving and the Brooklyn Nets has soured, with the Nets reportedly unwilling to give Irving the long-term extension everyone expected. (Not surprising, given how the last couple seasons have gone.) If he leaves Brooklyn, the oddsmakers think the Lakers are a relatively probable landing spot. Is this a good idea? How deep into the Kyrie Irving Business should the Lakers get, even if it means gettin by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

34 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

Is Trading LeBron James an Option? Plus Adrian Griffin Enters the Lakers Coaching Search

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

Related podcast episodes