LeBron James Makes All-NBA Third Team: Why It Raises Tough Questions for the Lakers

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 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

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

What Do the Lakers Owe LeBron James? Is Rob Pelinka Not Keeping Promises?: The 2022-23 Lakers are in deep trouble, but are also, by all indications, in a holding pattern when it comes to making deals to try and rescue this season. As they head into Tuesday's tilt with Orlando seven games under .500 and staring down a long stretch without Anthony Davis, the prospect of another disaster of a season has people asking whether the Lakers are wasting the best/rest of LeBron James's career. What do they owe him? Did Rob Pelinka really make a commitment ahead of training camp to do anything to try and win while he's here? How big a commitment did James make to the Lakers, really? Yes, he signed an extension, but just for a year, plus an option. It's not like he created some sort of blood pact with the team. But all of this begs more questions. Are the Lakers correct in holding tight, even if it makes them look bad in the reflection of their own history, with Team James, and in some media circl by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 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

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

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

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

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

Should LeBron James Shut It Down for the Season? Plus, the Return of Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope!: The Lakers are in a bad space. The odds of this thing turning out well, or even close, are increasingly slim. Through it all, LeBron James is playing on a bum knee and what appears to be a more finite amount of time to be LeBron James. Setting aside totally understandable personal priorities like catching Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all time leading scorer, is James really gaining much playing in the last 20% of the season? Are the Lakers? Is discretion the better part of valor, even though James says he'll play unless his body says he can't? What signal does it send if he stops playing when he could continue? Even if it comes with pain? How is it linked to the conversation about heart from Thursday's show? Finally, Friday night marks the first game for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Kyle Kuzma since being traded away by the Lakers for Russell Westbrook. Both players 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

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

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 Out at Least Two Weeks, Lakers Lose in Memphis, but Offer Reasons For Optimism: The Lakers got a little more clarity on LeBron James Tuesday, learning that the injury to his right foot will be re-evaluated in two weeks. So more than likely, it means James misses at least 10 games, which would basically mean half of what the Lakers have left to play. And that's the optimistic outcome. So it's going to be life without LeBron for a little while, and the Lakers got their first taste of it in Memphis, losing 121-109 in a game that was actually closer than the final score would indicate. The Lakers, who played VERY hard throughout, were within four deep into the fourth quarter, and save a very loose third quarter defensively held up well against one of the best teams in the Western Conference. The big problem, though, was of their own doing. The Lakers set a season high for turnovers, not only helping provide the Grizzlies with easy points, but robbing themselves of 26 potential field by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

28 min listen

Are LeBron James and Anthony Davis Still a Championship Core? Guest: Jovan Buha, The Athletic (Part I): The Lakers have a lot of work to do this offseason, but one of the more foundational bits of business is figuring out what they still have in their star core. After two years of injuries scuttling seasons, is the core of LeBron James and Anthony Davis still one that can be reliably championship caliber? If the Lakers are nervous about the pairing, what exactly can they do to move on? Can they have Lebron but not necessarily go all in to win with him? This is the starting point of a two-part conversation with The Athletic's Jovan Buha, It kicks off answering the "What do they have?" question regarding James and Davis, and from there moves into "What can they get to make things better?" Should re-signing Malik Monk really be the team's top priority? Are there more pressing needs, even if Monk represents their most positive contributor from this season who isn't under contract? What els 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

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

The Lakers Get a Badly Needed Win in Orlando Behind (Tweet Deleter) LeBron James and... Patrick Beverley?: LeBron James entered Tuesday's game in Orlando with the NBA's longest active streak of scoring 30+ points in a game. That came to an end for the Lakers, in the best way possible. James was excellent against the Magic, but he had lots of help in LA's 129-110 win. The Lakers just didn't need to be carried in quite the same way, and for one night at least, that's good news. Particularly given that the Lakers play again tonight in Miami. Against the Magic, who entered having won nine-of-ten, the Lakers had six players reach double digits, including Troy Brown Jr. (who exploded for 15, his first double-digit performance since November) and 21 from Thomas Bryant (who continues to play well in part by staying in his lane - taking 3-pointers, rim running and leaning into the pick-and-roll. And perhaps most significantly? Patrick Beverley continues his run of quiet good play, reaching doub by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

34 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

Is LeBron James Still Better Than 95% of the NBA? (And Is That Good Enough for the Lakers?): While a lot of the attention (understandably) around LeBron James following the season ending Game 4 loss to the Nuggets earlier this week was centered on the whole "I might retire" thing, James also had other interesting stuff to say. Notably, he told ESPN's Dave McMenamin that should he decide to come back and play next year (which is where most would put their money, even if some aren't taking the possibility of retirement seriously enough), he believes a full summer of rest and rehab of his injured foot would get him back to the player he's been. Why? "Because I'm still better than 90% of the NBA," he said. "Maybe 95." So is he right? (Spoiler alert: Yes.) But the bigger question for the Lakers is whether that's enough. And even more specifically, how do they construct a team that allows him to be that hyper-elite, top 10+ player in the moments of the season that matter most? This is where by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

35 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

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

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

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

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

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

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 James Pledges Never to Miss the Playoffs Again! Plus, Russell Westbrook Scenarios!: He's on vacation, but LeBron James, serial watcher of basketball, is still glued to a television watching the NBA Playoffs play out without him, doesn't like it, and Tweeted that never again will he miss the playoffs. But while James didn't mention the specific team he'll be with, he presumably meant "with the Lakers. But all jokes(?) aside, it's a reminder of how much distance the Lakers have to travel before contention, even on the fringes, is a legit possibility. So with that in mind, is it an opportunity for the team to enter next season with a little more humility? Talk about building to something, and maybe turn down the heat on the season at the start? Because they'll definitely be sporting a brand new roster, and Lord knows a little time under the radar could be helpful. From there, a comment left on the Locked On Lakers YouTube page provided the inspiration for an entire show on Friday. by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

32 min listen

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

Lakers Lose By 44 to Sixers, An Angry LeBron Says "A Lot" Must Change Going Forward: LeBron James became the NBA's all time leader in minutes played on Monday in Philadelphia, combining regular season and postseason floor time. Never in those 66K+ minutes has LeBron had 48 where he lost by more than the 44 points the Lakers lost by to the Sixers. It was, by amount, the fourth largest loss margin the franchise has ever suffered. And again, the franchise has played many, many games of basketball over the decades. It was, in short, a monumental disaster, on the heels of arguably the best game the Lakers have played all year, beating the Cavs in Cleveland on Saturday. So what needs to change going forward? "A lot," James said after the game. He didn't elaborate as to what, even asked a few times. But on a night like Monday, there are plenty of things to point to. Defensive coverages? The Lakers absorbed a 3-point barrage and seemed slow to adjust. They had bad possessions and untimely turn by Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

33 min listen

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LeBron James Makes All-NBA Third Team: Why It Raises Tough Questions for the Lakers

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