Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

It seemed like Collin Sexton would make his Lakers debut in the opener on Wednesday, but alas he was given one more game to rest. Well, now he's completely off the injury list, so while there could (and likely will) be some restrictions on Sexton, he'll be able to deliver some of what he brings to the rotation. It starts with outside shooting and rim pressure, and extends to the support he brings the Lakers as a ball handler behind Luka and Reaves. It will also make a bench unit that provided real scoring punch on Wednesday with even more juice. The question, though, is how it might over the long term impact the start lineup. Would it make more sense with Sexton available to shift Quentin Grimes to the starting lineup? Maybe not Friday against the Clippers, but over the long term? Plus, Friday's game is part of an early stretch offering the Lakers an incredible opportunity to get off to a strong start. They'll see the Clippers twice, Utah, Golden State again and Portland (at home) before the Raptors visit…

Wednesday's season opening win over the Warriors was notable for more than just the smack talk between Luka Dončić and Golden State rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. Although that's definitely getting a lot of attention. There's also the matter of what Luka did before the game. It started with a full page ad in the LA Times, thanking Lakers fans for their support of the team, and what he says they will work to make a championship effort. Luka also took care of parking at the arena for 150 or so fans, This is on top of donations to wildfire relief, the reconstruction of Kobe murals, and other acts for his new community in LA. Doncic has said he hopes to retire a Laker, and is behaving like a guy who believes a meaningful connection to the city is important. Austin Reaves, in a conversation with Melissa Rohlin of the California Post, was asked about the difference between Luka's reception/relationship with Lakers fans and LeBron James's, having played and developed good relationships with both. (Obviously he and Luka…

The opening game in the 2026-27 NBA season couldn't have gone any better for the Lakers, who need to get off to a good start with their completely revamped roster. That's exactly what happened, as the purple and gold got rolling after a back and forth first quarter, outscoring the Golden State Warriors 68-35 and breaking the game wide open. Final score, 127-105. Early returns on the Big Three? Excellent. Luka Doncic finished with 28 points in only 30 minutes, along with eight rebounds and seven assists. Austin Reaves had 23/6 with a pair of steals, and Walker Kessler was a perfect 12-12 from the floor, en route to 26 points, nine rebounds and two blocks in his Lakers debut. And even when Kessler wasn't finishing at the rim, it was clear his Lakers teammates were working hard to get him the ball. A ragged first quarter featured too many turnovers, many of which came trying to force feed the ball to Kessler. Clearly everyone is excited to have a new toy to use. And while the new Big Three was the driving force…

The Lakers' season kicks off tonight in a classic (if perhaps forced, post-LeBron?) matchup against the (very short-handed) Golden State Warriors. The punditry consensus is much higher on L.A. than Golden State, but both teams have many questions to answer heading into the season. To break it all down, the Kamenetzkys talk with Chuck Walter (Locked On Warriors). Hosts: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky, with guest Chuck Walter! Photo credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast. PrizePicks Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNBA and use code LOCKEDONNBA and get $150 if you win your first $5 lineup! Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon. KALSHI Today's episode is brought to you by Kalshi. For a limited time, Download Kalshi and use…

It's Opening Night for the Lakers, who will be hosting the Warriors at Crypto.com Arena to kick things off. And it's a game they need to win, not just to get things off to a good start, but to take advantage of a shorthanded Warriors squad. But beyond that, it's the start of what truly feels like the beginning of the Luka Dončić Era, not the Luka and Era. This is his team, assembled to leverage his skills and preferences. It does, as JJ Redick has liked to say, feel more coherent than squads they've had in the last few seasons, and it certainly feels like something more permanent. It's the start of something with this roster, rather than a feeling of playing out the string. Where it goes, nobody knows, but there are lots of reasons to be excited. It starts with Luka, and moves to Austin Reaves, who had a really good preseason after signing his huge offseason deal. Walker Kessler gives the Lakers real rim protection they've lacked since Anthony Davis, and guys like Sandro Mamukelashvili have quickly become…

The Lakers did what was widely expected on Monday as the NBA's roster cutdown day arrived. Dalton Knecht was released to get the Lakers down to 15 players. That closes the door on a VERY recent #1 pick, and given how promising a start Knecht had, is a pretty shocking end. So what went wrong, here? Did the Lakers do the right thing? Should they have released Bronny James instead? What is the lasting damage to the franchise for having two straight top picks wash out (Jalen Hood-Schifino, we hardly knew ya)? There's a lot to unpack, even beyond just Dalton himself. It does increase the pressure on the (currently injured) duo of Cam Carr and Adou Thiero to pan out, because the draft cupboard is exceedingly bare at this point, between picks that have been traded and others that are committed to potential swaps. Speaking of injuries, the Lakers might be getting one of their banged up guys back, which is good news. Collin Sexton spoke with the media in El Segundo on Tuesday, and while he didn't commit to getting on…

Who are the BEST and WORST teams in the NBA heading into the 2026-27 season? With opening night just around the corner, Locked On NBA Daily reveals its official 30-team NBA Power Rankings, organized into S-through-F tiers!

The Lakers had until this Monday (2 pm PT) to get their roster down from 16 players to 15. Reports persisted throughout the offseason, chronicling a desire to make a consolidation deal, sending out two non-rotation players (and draft assets) for one more playable guy. That was always a long shot for a variety of reasons. The most logical end was them having to eat a contract, with three obvious candidates: Jaden Hardy, Bronny James, and Dalton Knecht. A case could have been made for James being the player cut, but the more likely conclusion was Dalton as the odd man out. It's a very logical, very predictable end to his time in L.A... but also one filled with heavy disappointment and ramifications for the present and future. Hosts: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky Photo credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast. PrizePicks Visit…

Nobody expects the new-look Lakers, with so many moving parts, to be operating like a well-oiled machine at the end of one preseason. That said, it's pretty clear that many fans and media types expected the machine to look somewhat oiled. Or ready to be oiled. Or at least assembled so someone can get around to oiling it. Wherever you are on that spectrum—the big question of how much progress the Lakers made, what sticks out as good, what pops out as bad, and where the big unknowns still are—is not insignificant. Arguably the easiest portion of the team's schedule comes in the first 20 or so games. It's a good situation for a group that could still be jelling in those early games... unless they're too disjoined to take advantage. Why did the Lakers treat the preseason the way they did? And from there, when guys that matter were on the floor, how did the product look? Where did the Lakers surprise? What are the big question marks? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The Lakers are disjointed coming out…

The Lakers finally got the Big Three on the floor together Friday in their preseason finale (a 121-106 loss) against the Nuggets, and the results were... mixed. Particularly early in the game, they were a turnover machine, as the chemistry between Luka, Reaves and Walker Kessler was very much a work in progress. No real surprise there, but still kinda disappointing given the high hopes. So lots to work on there. Big nights for Ziaire Williams and Sandro Mamukelashvili, and a surprising start for Matisse Thybulle as JJ Redick busted out a starting lineup that might -- might -- be what's used on Opening Night. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky PHOTO CREDIT: Jon Endow-Imagn Images Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Square Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/NBA ! #squarepod KALSHI Today's episode is brought to you by Kalshi. For a limited time, Download Kalshi and use code Locked On to get $25 when you trade $25. Kalshi. Trade what’s next. Gametime Today's episode is…

The Lakers are trying to get the roster down to 15 players, and at the least, seem to be exploring ways to do it that don't involve straight-up cutting Dalton Knecht. Jake Fischer reports on Marc Stein's Substack that the Lakers are exploring a trade: The Lakers, meanwhile, have been engaged in trade talks to try to get their roster down from 16 to 15 standard contracts and perhaps even acquire some additional frontcourt help in the process. League sources say that the Lakers and Bucks have held exploratory trade discussions on a framework that would ship former first-round selection Dalton Knecht to Milwaukee (along with second-round draft capital) in exchange for big man Jericho Sims. Yet it must be said that I've also heard some pessimism from sources briefed on those talks that such a trade will actually go through. The Lakers might be forced, if no deal materializes between now and Monday's deadline, to simply waive Knecht to get down to 15." Would it be worth giving up a pick to get Sims? How much…

The Lakers may finally have the band, or at least the band members that matter the most, on the floor for preseason play Friday night. Thursday in El Segundo, Ziaire Williams returned to practice, as did Adou Thiero. Luka Doncic practiced in full. Even Collin Sexton participated in everything except full contact work. Likely won't play Friday, but at least Sexton is on a decent path to play opening night. So aside from him and Cam Carr, who is out with an injury JJ Redick didn't describe because he doesn't have to until the regular season begins, That means we should see, finally, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler on the floor together. After Tuesday's impressive debut for Kessler, and a really nice game from Reaves as well, to get a feel for how the whole package could look will be fun. Plus, since all of the guys who are in the running to start at the four are available, we get a window into that, too. Meanwhile, the NBA's annual GM Survey was released on Thursday, and where the Lakers and Luka…

The Lakers have a little less than a week to get their roster down to 15 players. Rob Pelinka has noted that they have been, and still are, looking to make a 2-for-1 "consolidation" type deal that would allow the Lakers to shrink the roster without cutting a player. That feels unlikely, in the sense that anything that might be available to them probably would have presented itself, but there's still the possibility that as teams shuffle players around before the start of the season that some type of opportunity might arise. How big a price should the Lakers be willing to pay? If it doesn't result in them adding a player that contributes to this year's rotation, probably not a ton. So how to the Lakers get down to 15? We've talked about how the math impacts things - why Jaden Hardy's contract has value. We've talked about considerations by position (they don't have as many 1/2s as 2/3s). But we haven't talked much about merit. Has anyone earned a spot? And why does this conversation about the back end of the…

The Lakers are always in a win-now posture, though win-now doesn't always mean exactly the same thing from year to year. ESPN has an interesting story up looking at the level of proverbial win-now desperation each team across the league ought to feel. The Lakers landed at fourth. Why? Because they have a roster that's pretty much set, without much draft capital or salary cap space to make signficant changes should the formula be a little off. And if things go wrong, the (broader) theory goes, so does their ability to keep Luka Doncic happy, and in purple and gold. So are they right? Sort of? Certainly Zach Kram (who wrote the story) correctly diagnoses the box the Lakers are in, and notes that they are now, and could remain, in a tier that's behind the Thunder and Spurs in the West, given how young those teams are, and their current level of excellentness. But LA does have a chance to improve this upcoming offseason, and if they've chosen the right guys this summer -- especially players like Walker Kessler,…

Luka Doncic sat out of Tuesday's preseason loss to the Warriors in Las Vegas. Not because of any reported injury, even a minor one, but just for what JJ Redick described as a "night off." Ziaire Williams, Cam Carr, and Collin Sexton were among the other players not in uniform. No question, the Lakers are incredibly conservative when it comes to injuries, and it also makes sense to be very careful in the preseason. Sexton, for example, is clearly dealing with something, given the length of his absence. (Redick expressed optimism that he'd be ready for the regular season, FWIW.) But when a healthy Luka sits in what was pretty likely a scheduled game off, are the Lakers missing out? They have a ton of new pieces, and a big need to get off to a good start, given the relative softness of the first 20 or so games vs. the post All-Star stretch. What is lost when players miss games, and practices? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky PHOTO CREDIT: Candice Ward-Imagn Images Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Square…

Lakers fans have been waiting a while to see Walker Kessler in purple and gold following the massive offseason sign and trade that brought the giant center to LA. Tuesday in Vegas against the Golden State Warriors, they finally got their chance. And it's fair to say that the first impression was a very good one. Kessler had 11 points, nine rebounds, a steal and a block in 16 minutes. He was a team-leading +15. Basically, he looked exactly like you'd hope. Rebounded effectively, was an obvious impediment to the Warriors around the rim, and showed opportunistic scoring off the pick and roll and on the glass. Very, very encouraging start. Austin Reaves, meanwhile, was cooking, with 28 points in only 25 minutes of play, to go along with seven assists. Seven turnovers, too, but Reaves was playing with an aggression and confidence that stood out even for a guy who normally has plenty of both qualities on display. Sandro Mamukelashvili continued his strong preseason, with 10/7/2 in 21 minutes off the bench. The…

The Lakers look like a team that should be pretty good, and have some balance and coherence to the roster construction. But everyone also knows the Lakers are, as currently constructed, a tick or two below the elite squads in the West. So what is their biggest need? ESPN says "starting caliber forwards," and explained thusly: "Look, there's going to be a little less positional certainty whenever LeBron departs. Rather than target a single replacement for the four-time MVP, the Lakers invested their resources into re-signing guard Austin Reaves, acquiring starting center Walker Kessler and compiling a grab-bag collection of unproven forwards with varying skill sets. In his season tipoff news conference, Lakers coach JJ Redick said that both starting forward spots would be up for grabs. Redick's long list of options includes Quentin Grimes, Matisse Thybulle, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Ziaire Williams, Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt and Adou Thiero. Regardless of who wins the job, the Lakers will ask both forwards…

The Lakers entered the preseason with two starting spots theoretically up for grabs. (Though most people think one of those spots was always Quentin Grimes's to lose, and to this point, it doesn't seem that he has.) But that leaves one spot available. Who are the most prominent candidates? Sandro Mamukelashvili Jake LaRavia Ziaire Williams Matisse Thybulle Adou Thiero The good news for JJ Redick is that all of these guys have had strong preseasons to this point. Williams has been hurt, but flashed the skill set that made him an early dark horse to win the gig. Thiero continues to show growth, and his absurd levels of athleticism. Thybulle's defensive reputation precedes him, while LaRavia has had a fantastic bounceback through three preseason games, after a terrible second half to last year. And Mamu has arguably been their best non-Luka player in the first three games. So what direction will Redick head? Which way should he go? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The Lakers are still searching for…

So there seems to be some reasonable optimism that Walker Kessler will be back on the floor soon, where he can make his Lakers debut. But what about Collin Sexton? The backup guard, expected to play a significant role off the bench as a playmaker, three-point shooter and bucket getter, is still on the sidelines, and has been described by JJ Redick as a little behind Kessler. The diagnosis is a somewhat vague "lower leg injury," so presumably something kneecap or below? On one of his two legs? For the Lakers, it's important to figure out how they're going to respond should Sexton miss real time, or in any instance where one of their three primary guards isn't available. One solution is to have Sandro Mamukelashvili handle as much work as possible. The Lakers certainly can put him in critical decision-making positions and have him use his court vision to their advantage. But there are certain things Mamu won't be able to do himself. So if they need more traditional guard skills, where do they turn? Bronny…

The Lakers have had some highlights this preseason, but one massive absence—literally and figuratively—has undercut some of the optimism. Walker Kessler jammed his left pinkie on the backboard early in the preseason, and has been limited since. He's missed all three of the team's preseason games. But this weekend, he was back on the floor, playing without restrictions (other than some tape on his fingers). Those bullish on Kessler's impact this season (including the hosts of this podcast) and his capacity to elevate the Lakers defense (especially via rebounding and rim protection) are excited to see what comes next. It also raises a significant question, one that has been somewhat answered in the preseason, with mixed results. What do the Lakers do when Kessler isn't on the floor? Whether the 15-18 minutes a night he's not playing while healthy, or the 48 minutes that open up in those games he's not available for? (Hopefully not too many of those.) We've seen in the preseason that the Lakers will struggle…

Luka Dončić is a tough nut to crack. He's not a basketball and global celebrity, but even more than a decade into his professional career is uncomfortable with fame. Still, he's the centerpiece of the NBA's crown jewel franchise, which has not been completely turned over to him. Doncic knows he needs to let people in a little, and has spent the offseason doing just that, as Chris Mannix reports for Sports Illustrated in a very good, highly insightful profile. Like his Lakers teammates and coach JJ Redick, Mannix went to see Luka in Slovenia, and profiled him there. That's been the mechanism for letting people in. The story details how Doncic is slow to let his guard down, but beloved once he does. His love for basketball is palpable, as is an increasing enthusiasm for golf. But more importantly, the story illustrates Luka's role in building this year's Lakers squad, and shaping the direction of the team. He talks about taking blame for last year's hamstring injury, which functionally ended LA's season. It's…

The Lakers still are waiting for the preseason debut of Walker Kessler, who sat out a third game with an injured finger. (FWIW, he in a halftime interview said it was fine, they're just being really, really cautious.) As for the guys who did play? Luka made it to the line nine times, and while he wasn't exactly hyper-efficient from the floor (6-16) he was playing with palpable joy and is very clearly ready to go. Austin Reaves made his preseason debut, and lived in the paint, piling up eight assists and five boards. Sandro Mamukelashvili finished with 19, along with four assists and continues to impress in the preseason. Jake LaRavia continues to build confidence after a terrible second half to last season. All in all, plenty to like in what finished as a 114-110 Lakers win. So what comes next? The Lakers don't play again until early next week, so it's very fair to start looking for Kessler on the floor between now and then. And Collin Sexton, who also hasn't played yet in the preseason. At some point, even…

For Monday's big show, we talked with Lakers sideline reporter (and new Substacker) Mike Trudell about the big questions surrounding the team this year. What will the defense look like? Who is most poised to thrive in the new system? Which newcomers are you most excited about? And perhaps most importantly, how does the new architecture support the talents of headliners Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves? Well, we're back with more questions, this time looking at where the Lakers stand relative to the competition in the Western Conference. Obviously they've had a lot of turnover, but so have the group of teams generally placed behind the Thunder and Spurs at the top of the conference. So are the Lakers, generally picked in that five or six slot, actually more of a three or a four? At least potentially? As good as the Rockets? A step above the Wolves? What about the Nuggets? Any surprises in there? How much does a bad Pacific Division help the Lakers? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky PHOTO CREDIT: Jayne…

The Lakers play their third preseason game of the very, very young season Thursday night, but already some signs are shining through, giving glimpses of what this team could look like over the course of the '26-'27 campaign. There's a lot to be excited about, and great storylines to follow. It starts with Luka Donćić, a perennial MVP candidate and arguably the league's most elite offensive weapon. There's Austin Reaves, trying to take the next step after being given a massive contract. All the new guys, from Grimes to Mamu to Kessler who form what is a new core for this team, the first time they've had a group of players under contract for a long time. The young guys, Cam Carr and Adou Thiero, have shown promise, and could fill a void the franchise has had for a while, in terms of player development. Who is the fifth starter? Which players are most likely to pop in their new roles? What about new ownership? What about current management? Joining us to break all of this down is Mike Trudell, the great Lakers…

In Monday's preseason opener, the Lakers were short a few important players, but still managed to put together a top shelf effort to beat Sacramento. One night later, they were down even more guys, and found the limits of what the remaining talent on hand could deliver. The Warriors took control early, and never gave it up in a game that was never close. Final score, 124-98 The Lakers were without Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, Ziaire Williams, Collin Sexton and Matisse Thybulle. That's six of the top eight guys in the rotation. And not only that, the Lakers really played without a point guard, since Bronny was the closest thing they had to a one, and his shortcomings as a true lead guard are no secret. Were there highlights? Kinda. Sandro Mamukelashvili had a nice game, with 15 points. Quentin Grimes had a few moments where his ability to put the ball on the floor to score was on display. Adou Thiero had a spectacular dunk. But overall, this was a throwaway game in most ways, because the Lakers…

The Lakers' 127-103 preseason win over the Sacramento Kings highlighted several potential positives about the team moving forward. Active, relentless, disruptive defense. Free-flowing offense geared around paint touches and threes. Luka looking like Luka. Several new faces looking like pieces that fit. All in all, tons to be enthusiastic about, even while acknowledging the "Kangz" factor. But the game also may have revealed elements that are part of any NBA season, but are nonetheless less pleasant for the players involved. Namely, the rotation and who may not be part of it. Obviously, a one-game sample size should be treated as such, but given who was/wasn't available, plus some dots that feel connectable, Monday night felt like it might have signaled the potential roles moving forward for Jarred Vanderbilt, Jaden Hardy (assuming he's on the final roster), and Dalton Knecht (an even bigger "assuming he's on the roster"). We'll see how Games 2-5 play out, but for now, it's reasonable to wonder about clues…

Well, that went about as well as you could ask. Luka Dončić dropped an easy breasy 21 points, the Lakers shot the lights out in the first half especially, and the defense came to play as the Lakers romped in Sacramento, 127-103. As you'd expect, JJ Redick spread the playing time around, and with Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton and Arthur Kaluma in street clothes with (non-serious) injuries, but basically everyone who played contributed. It gave a little extra time for some of the newer players to stretch their legs, and for guys like Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams (3-3 from downtown) Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili (two threes, five dimes, two steals) did some good stuff. Jake LaRavia, who had a horrible second half to last year, had a confidence building night, and the youngsters looked good. Cam Carr finished with 19 points, and Adou Thiero had a pair of steals and, this is cool, four assists, showing better feel for what's going on around him. We'll see what the Lakers put on the…

The Lakers have a lot of needs going forward, and not a lot of ways to meet them. Not much draft capital, limited cap flexibility, and so on. So it's critical that their young, cost controlled players develop into real, useful NBA players. That starts with Cam Carr and Adou Thiero, both of whom could push for playing time this season if their improvement arc continues. But while those two are the most important part of the young player equation, the development challenge doesn't stop with them. The Lakers also would benefit in a big way from hitting on some of their two-way players, finding rotation-caliber players in players that weren't drafted. They've got a decent history in finding those guys, with Alex Caruso and Austin Reaves representing the biggest successes. So can Arthur Kaluma, Chris Manon and AK Okereke become the type of players the Lakers need? The organization seems to be approaching their two-way guys with specific positions (wings) and skill sets (athleticism, defense) in mind, as opposed…

It's been a while in coming, but the new-look Lakers are going to play a game on Monday. Preseason Game 1, up in Sacramento. JJ Redick hasn't made it totally clear who is going to play in each game, or who has been held out of practices at different times, and all of that good stuff. So we'll need to see what the lineup looks like once that's announced. And who knows what the lineups will look like throughout the five preseason games. A dress rehearsal or two, likely. But beyond that, people want to know what the product is going to look like. What will the defense anchored by Walker Kessler look like? How much switching will we see? Will the team be a big ball pressure group? Try to interrupt the passing lanes? And what about the other end? Any clues about what JJ Redick is planning in Year 1 post-LeBron? How will the new guys be used? In what combination? Which guys will force Redick's hand for more PT? Which guys will give some away? Not all of that will be resolved on Monday night, but we'll start to see…

The Lakers have talked about using what they believe is increased depth, and people wonder if that means perhaps even expanding the normal 9-10 man rotation into 10-11, or even up to 12 guys? There are certainly examples of teams pushing those boundaries in an effort to play at a higher level of intensity. Of course, the only way for the Lakers to get to that number, realistically, is for Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero to force JJ Redick's hand and put them in the rotation by outplaying some of the other options. It's certainly possible, based on what we saw in the summer from Thiero and the skill set he brings to the team, and then the scoring/shooting capabilities of Carr that were on display as well. Could either of them be good enough to find regular playing time even if the rotation doesn't expand? Certainly possible, if not at the start of the year by the end of it. There's another question at play, too. The Lakers have to balance the need to win games -- this is not a rebuilding team with an eye towards…

The Lakers have a significantly different roster this season than last. That everyone knows. How it'll get used is an open question. Plenty of people think the team has a little more usable depth this season, especially if players like Cam Carr and Adou Thiero prove to be capable of handling minutes. The Lakers want to figure out how to use defensive oriented players like Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams. They need to get offensive spark plug Collin Sexton real minutes. Jake LaRavia played all 82 last year, and in the first half of them at least was productive. And on Thursday at practice, even Kevon Looney, generally seen as a guy not slated for much PT, was being talked up pretty significantly. Now, not everyone is going to play to the top of his potential. Not everyone is going to stay healthy. But for the time being, at least, Redick has the full menu available to him, and has to figure out how to use it. There have been a few teams in the last couple years who have tried to expand their rotation…

At Wednesday's practice, JJ Redick got a little reflective, looking back on his early days as Lakers head coach. He noted that while the confidence he could do the job was always there, at times it felt like cosplay. Not surprising, really, given that it was his first head coaching gig at any level beyond grade school coaching his kids. That feeling, and an intense desire to try to control EVERYTHING going on around him is likely why Redick was, to say the least, a little tightly wound in that first season. But last season saw a bit of a mellowing with Redick, and now entering his third year in LA (with two 50-win seasons behind him), Redick definitely feels more calm and at ease. That should, at least in theory, help him be a better coach. And it's a big year for Redick, who finally has a rim protector on defense and a roster he feels makes much more sense as a whole than anything he's had here before. So what will he do with it? How will the offense change? Will he find floor combos that maximize the…

It's early, less than a week in. But listen to JJ Redick and the rest of the Lakers, and it's clear they're working hard to forge a real identify on both sides of the ball. Defensively, Redick has already talked about how the days of 1-5 switching are over with the arrival of Walker Kessler. It's going to look more like 1-4, but even then with some caveats. And just that change will make the Lakers look a lot different defensively. Add to that the constant talk of disruption and deflections and intensity, and you start to see what the vision is on defense. Offensively, Austin Reaves said Wednesday that the Lakers are looking to use fewer ball screens, which makes sense given that their two primary weapons function well, if not better, without them. Reaves described a more "free flowing" offense, and Redick noted how they want to expand the playbook a little in their early offense beyond what they did last year. Put it all together, and it feels like the Lakers want to take advantage of a roster that a) will…

JJ Redick has some decisions to make, not just with the starting lineup -- while he says that only three of the five spots are settled (if we have to tell you which ones, you're probably at the wrong podcast), most people believe that Quentin Grimes is also very likely to start. So that leaves a fifth guy. Will it be Sandro Mamukelashvili? Ziaire Williams? Jake LaRavia? Matisse Thybulle, for that defensive presence? What about a wild card like Adou Thiero? The decision Redick makes there will obviously have a ripple effect on the rest of the rotation. So he's likely thinking about which player combinations work best over the course of 48 minutes, not just who might be the "best" player available to him to fill that spot. The good news for JJ is that the Lakers don't really have to worry about the politics that might go into the decision. None of the players he's choosing from are likely to rock the boat if they don't "win" the competition for the fifth starter? According to our Locked On Lakers summer…

Two days into the Lakers season, one thing is clear: Walker Kessler is an extremely optimistic young man who believes in the inherent awesomeness of his teammates. So when Kessler said on Tuesday that he believes the Lakesr are going to have a "nasty" defense, and meant it in the most positive way possible, it definitely raised some eyebrows. In his mind, the team's defensive quality is being underrated. Determining whether he's right depends a little on how we're defining terms. Are the Lakers underrated in the sense that they're secretly goign to be a top five defense, taking the league by storm? Probably not. But are they underrated in the sense that many folks feel like they could be a disaster on that side of the ball? That they're going to be worse than last year's ranking of (about) 20th, depending on who's data you use? That's a different story. Put last year and this year side by side, and it's actually quite reasonable to believe the Lakers are going to be better on that side of the ball this…

The Lakers have arguably the most elite offensive force in basketball in Luka Doncic, and that without question provides them a certain level of confidence every time they take the floor. They know as long as they have that guy, they have a chance to win, even on a night where the team isn't playing well. But the larger questions around this team aren't on that side of the ball. People don't know if the Lakers, led by Luka and Austin Reaves, have enough defensive talent to thrive. You wouldn't know that from the level of confidence expressed by Lakers players at Monday's Media Day, however. And that confidence can be boiled down to the presence of one guy: Walker Kessler. Luka noted how hard it is to play against Kessler, which was one big reason he wanted the former Jazzman on the Lakers. Quentin Grimes, Jake LaRavia, Zaiare Williams, Matisse Thybulle -- anybody expected to play a lick of defense on this squad noted how much more freedom they have to play aggressively knowing that Kessler is behind them.…

The new-look Lakers made their season debut Monday with Media Day, and it definitely felt like the start of a new era. Lotsof new players, changing roles and shifting expectations around a team that is expected to be good, but not expected to contend. But that's what media says. The players didn't talk about long term plans or rebuilding over time. They talked about winning this year, and expressed confidence in the talent on hand to get it done. There were a lot of themes that stuck out: They all thought that trip to Slovenia was really valuable, even beyond obviously wanting to seem appreciative. Luka is a draw. The role guys all seemed to understand what playing with Luka could do for them, and how he’ll make their lives easier. Defensively there is a MAJOR vibe shift in terms of confidence players express, and that’s all Kessler. I realize some of it is seen as speculative and there’s a chance he doesn’t meet expectations, but THEY clearly believe they have one of *those guys* and that could make a…

Media Day! It's the first day of school, NBA style. And for the Lakers, it's truly a new era, as Luka Donćić opens the season as the sole superstar voice on the team. He is going to be the leader of an entirely new group, tasked with setting culture and a tone that is going to, hopefully, result in the next year or two in a team ready to compete for a championship. And it's a role he's said he admits is more meaningful to him now, and that he's ready to step into in earnest. It's part of a new chapter for the Lakers, where they're clearly trying to build continuity -- something emphasized by Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick in last week's press conference, and that they've lacked in meaningful ways over the last few seasons. In part by choice, in part by circumstance. It'll be fun to watch Luka grow into the role, and how his leadership style shapes the next phase of Lakers basketball. Meanwhile, the Lakers need to figure out how to get the roster down to 15. Is there any advantage (mostly in goodwill) to letting a…

The season officially kicks off on Monday, with Lakers Media Day. It unofficially kicked off Thursday, when Rob Pelinka and JJ Redick met the media. They answered questions for just over a half hour on a range of topics, and generally sounded like people pleased with a busy summer's work and ready to begin the Luka Era in earnest, with a team that is his now on every level. Some of the highlights: Pelinka said that once they knew LeBron was leaving, they built a template based on 1) Keeping Austin. 2) Finding a "franchise center." 3. Getting younger with "dribble, pass, shoot" types who could work well around Luka. Certainly they believe the mission was accomplished in that regard. JJ said three spots were locked in the starting lineup. (If you need us to tell you which... how did you get here, anyway?) And while he didn't reveal any big hints about the other two, he did say it wouldn't be "two white guys." Sorry LaRavia and Mamu. There's only room for one of you. JJ and Pelinka both agreed this roster makes…

Austin Reaves signed a massive contract this offseason, moving him from one of the great bargains in the NBA to ... something else. And based on the results of our listener survey, no Laker has more pressure on him going into the year than Reaves. People are worried about whether or not he'll live up to the contract, and whether that contract will age well. They're worried about the defense (which he doesn't help). They're worried, basically, about everything associated with Reaves as a true number two, expected to step in behind Luka Doncic and lead the team. ESPN, for its part, has Reaves ranked at 37 in its NBA Rank project this year, a massive bump from last season (60). Is that a fair placement? And more importantly, what does the slotting say about where Reaves fits into the league's upper crust, now that he's paid like one of those guys? It's a strange space, where folks in that range can elevate to raise the ceiling of a team, or hurt it by underperforming or getting hurt. The Lakers no longer have…

It's the Locked On NBA Top 100 player rankings! Today, Wes, Matt, Haize and Andy come together to rank players 21-30. Will LeBron James continue to slide? Does Cooper Flagg crack the top 30? Find out on today's episode! Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at http://Indeed.com/podcast. Cozy Earth Head to https://cozyearth.com and use my code LOCKEDON for an exclusive 20%. Wayfair Patio season is here and these deals won’t last! Head to https://wayfair.com right now to get your outdoor space ready for way less. Wayfair. Every style. Every home. Odoo Great organizations win because operations matter. And that’s why you should get Odoo. Try for free today at https://Odoo.com/lockedon. Square Get up to $200 off Square hardware when you sign up at https://square.com/go/NBA ! #squarepod FanDuel This season, FanDuel is making the excitement go beyond what happens on the field with the all-new…

The Lakers made a bold push to acquire Walker Kessler in a summertime sign and trade with the Jazz, giving up the rest of their first round draft capital and a whole lot of money to bring in the young, hopefully ascending defensive standout. Some liked the move when it happened, some thought the Lakers overpaid. But if ESPN's summertime player rankings are to be believed, at the least the Lakers spent all this stuff on a player that's pretty good! Kessler landed at 73 in the annual rankings, one spot ahead of Isaiah Hartenstein, one spot behind VJ Edgecombe. The question is if there's room to grow, because if Kessler actually gets better -- and there's a very good chance his offensive numbers rise playing with Luka, who has made far lesser players than Kessler look good -- that puts him more towards the league's top 50. Now the Lakers would be cooking with gas. So what's fair? What's not? And how does Kessler fit even more neatly into what the Lakers are likely going to try to do offensively? HOSTS: Andy and…

The Lakers aren't necessarily expected to contend for a title this season, but Luka Dončić is still one of the favorites for MVP. Which is a testament to both his star power, and his incredible skill as an offensive player, because MVP candidates almost definitionally come from elite teams. But what about the other guys? Who has a chance to be Most Improved from this year's roster? What about Coach of the Year? Could Cam Carr break into the Rookie of the Year conversation? What about Austin Reaves on an All-NBA Team? While there's no question each of these guys would love to take home some postseason hardware and it's always interesting to see what kind of love Lakers players/coaches get for things like this, the real value of the discussion is how it frames where the Lakers could end up. The best case scenarios for this team likely have some combination of Grimes as an MIP, Luka in MVP voting, Collin Sexton in the 6th Man convo, and AR gunning for All NBA. Maybe some of those things don't happen, but a…

A LOT of eyebrows went up among Lakers fans heading into the weekend when news of an investor presentation created by the Josh Kushner/Bob Iger ownership group to bring in more cash to their group and round out the sale of the team from embattled owner Mark Walter. The pitch lays out how the team plans to build the team's value up to (we bleep you not) $30 billion over the next decade. And that, by the way, is more a middle ground estimate. If things go really well, that number could get a lot higher. (So they say.) How they plan to get there seems to be through a combination of very, very aggressive marketing and monetization of everything in the org that isn't nailed to the floor, plus things like international rights, growing value of the NBA more broadly, and a rapid increase in ticket revenue built not simply on price increases (though that's happening, and would have even had the team not been sold again), but by eliminating the role of ticket brokers. That will functionally serve to jack up prices,…

Preseason odds for postseason awards don't necessarily say everything about a team's chances, but they can be instructive. So for the Lakers, who aren't expected to move mountains this year when it comes to the Western Conference standings, where players land on some of the preseason betting lists is worth a look. And thankfully, our friends at Fanduel Sportsbook have their numbers up for view! No surprise, Luka Dončić has the fourth best odds in the NBA to win MVP, which is a testament to the respect he gets as a player, because MVP almost always comes from a team at or near the top of a conference. That's not where the Lakers are expected to be. Meanwhile, who else appears on different lists? Is Austin Reaves seen as a real candidate to contend for an All-NBA slot? What about Walker Kessler for Defensive Player of the Year? Or Most Improved? What does having two players (Sexton, Mamu) in the conversation for Sixth Man mean for the team this year? Especially considering how poor the bench has performed over…

(OFFSEASON SURVEY: PLEASE FILL OUT! https://forms.gle/2MNBuXejasXiPR7c6) Every year, ESPN breaks out its Future Rankings, looking at the prospects every team in the league has going forward, based on things like roster quality, draft capital, financial flexibility, quality of management and quality of market. Last year, the Lakers were 8th. This year, they're 13th. Why the downgrade? Mostly because the financial flexibility and draft capital they had last summer was used this summer. So they fell in those categories. Thankfully, they did rise in roster quality, but the overall effect is a downgrade. So what comes next? On the one hand, 13th isn't bad. To the extent you think these types of evaluations are revealing, you'd want to be higher. But it's not bad. And meanwhile, 13th in the NBA actually translates to fourth in the Western Conference, meaning many of the team's competitors seem to have equally murky future prospects, or worse. And these are the teams the Lakers have to compete against. As in all…

Tuesday at the NBA's league meetings, Adam Silver spoke to the media for the first time since dropping Adam's Silver Hammer on Steve Ballmer and the Clippers. He had a few things to say about the LAC, but of greater interest here were his comments about Mark Walter and the impending Lakers sale. Did the league have any inkling as to Walter's potential financial issues and the existence of a federal investigation when it approved the sale from the Buss fam? Silver says no, and it's certainly believable. He also says he didn't know about the deal between Kushner/Iger and Walter until the handshake was done. That's perhaps a little tougher to believe, but also doesn't really matter that much, assuming the NBA didn't tap Kushner/Iger on the shoulder (their ownership group was looking at an expansion team) and suggest he give Walter a call. No surprise, there wasn't any talk of the impending sale for LA. Too many impending deals. Meanwhile, it's expected the salary cap is going to be a couple mil higher next…

Last week, the big news for the Lakers was an assistant GM, but the team didn't stop there. On Friday, the squad also filled out the sports science staff, adding Keith D'Amelio as their new sports performance guy. (Director of Integrated Performance Systems, technically speaking.) This isn't necessarily a *new* new position—the Lakers have struggled for years to maintain a consistent sports medicine and sports performance department (the evolution of the training/sports science/performance space is a story in itself...). D'Amelio appears to be a new cog in that machine. But it still feels like they're building it out, and hopefully this hire can bring some stability to this part of their operation. Because it's a big factor in how free agents, when presented with opportunities to choose between good franchises, ultimately make decisions. Jeanie Buss meanwhile is representing the Lakers at league meetings, which shouldn't surprise anyone. It's obviously too quick for the Lakers ownership to get a vote from…

Ziaire Williams gave a little more insight in to the trip he and the rest of his teammates, speaking to Sports Illustrated. While the Lakers played some ball, Williams says most of the important stuff from the trip came off the floor, in all the team bonding and team meals, and obviously the window into the world of Luka Donćić. That kind of thing is important for a team that is, for all intents and purposes, starting from scratch. And while teams like Minnesota have had a ton of turnover, the top teams in the conference, and a squad like Houston, still have a lot of continuity. So LA is playing catchup in that regard. Every bit helps. But meanwhile, is Williams potentially the best option for the lakers at the remaining forward spot? There's certainly a strong argument to be made. And from one Williams to another, the Lakers may have dodged a bullet when they rescinded their deal with the Hornets for Mark Williams. The (now) Suns center, who missed 22 games last year, is now going to miss months after…

The Lakers are giving away a lot of bobbleheads this season. Like, a lot. Both for established stars like Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, and fan favorites from days gone by, like Kurt Rambis, Norm Nixon and even Paul Westhead. The Lakers have done the bobblehead thing before, but not in this quantity during the season. And it's a reflection of how fan service and promotion are changing in the wake of the squad's Dodgerification (which is either continuing, or at the least, is continuing with plans already in progress, despite the upcoming sale). And the Dodgers do the bobblehead thing a lot. Because they're incredibly popular, and a fun way to highlight players, both current and historical, as well as popular moments. They're a great way for the Lakers to honor players that can't get jerseys retired or statues out front. And more importantly, it naturally can get a person looking ahead to the next ownership era. Will they have the same respect for history as the Buss family has always had? That sort of…