The Lakeshow Review

NBA media day is upon us, which only means one thing: NBA Basketball is right around the corner. The Lakers gathered last Friday to speak to the media before they kickoff training camp, and we learned quite a bit regarding the outlook of this team. Lots of questions were answered in anticipation to the upcoming season.

Among those questions is the state of LeBron James, and all that surrounds his orbit. According to James himself, he is in a good place. He’s looking forward to the season, and even praised some of the team’s new additions, namely Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia. Overall, he stressed his excitement and feeling of positivity towards the Lakers and the upcoming season. Personally, I’m calling bullshit on this one. For a guy that spent the entire offseason complaining about his ‘timeline’ and needs not being met, I don’t buy that he’s suddenly bought-in and ready to give this franchise his stamp of approval. With that said, I do appreciate LeBron for not coming out and making a spectacle during Media Day with his patented ‘passive-aggressive’ ultimatums. Not that he would have the leverage to issue such demands, since LA did not offer him a contract extension this summer. Thus, LeBron will be playing this season as an expiring contract. We also learned that LeBron will not be entering the season at 100%, and will be prioritizing load management for the upcoming season. Which once again, good thing LA did not offer him an extension. He’s at the point where it’s all diminishing returns from here on out. No shame in being 40, it’s just the reality.

Apparently, Jarred Vanderbilt has been working on his three ball this summer. This was echoed by teammate Jake LaRavia, who confirmed that Vando’s deep ball is in fact looking legitimate. In reality, who knows though. Chances are Vando will continue being a subpar shooter, and of course, any marginal (or significant) improvement will be gladly welcomed. However, one thing’s for certain, it’s good to see him enjoy a healthy offseason and show up to camp with a clean slate. At the very least he will have the opportunity to reclaim his former defensive self, which would be a massive boost to the team. When healthy, he’s likely the team’s best and most versatile defender.

We also had a chance to hear from other incumbent Lakers such as Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves. Rui in particular, looks to be in great shapes and spirits, and the organization definitely has shown him some love. Rui is seemingly in fantastic physical condition, and also said some encouraging things that paint him as a team-first guy. When asked about his preference for staring vs coming off the bench, Rui stated that he plans on doing whatever he has to do to help the team win. Whether that entails starting, or fulfilling a role as a reserve, he’s up for either one. It’s nice to hear these types of sentiments from a player like Rui, as he is the type of guy that can be alternated from starter to reserve, depending on the need or the matchup. It’s great to hear that he’s of this mentality, and willing to put the team’s needs in front of his own. As a result, the organization has thrown out murmurs of possibly adding Rui to their longterm plans, which could be a motivating factor for him to play his best ball this season.

Austin Reaves also had some interesting tidbits. As everyone knows, AR will be playing this season on the final year of his player contract, with the hopes of cashing in on a big payday during next summer’s free agency. By all accounts, AR has repeatedly stated his desire to remain with the Lakers and certainly seems to relish the notion of wearing the Laker uniform. He also looks determined to take his game to even greater heights, even after a gaudy performance last season, which saw him play the best basketball of his young career. He still feels he can get better, and quite frankly, should he be proven correct, he’d easily be worth the type of payday that he’s seeking. Personally, I’m rooting for Austin. He’s a homegrown kid, and I’d love to see him remain a Laker for the foreseeable future. He is obviously betting on himself, and seems to be confident in his ability to continue enhancing his game. If he cashes out, then it’s a win for both him and the organization.

Redemption was seemingly a recurring theme during this Media Day session. Deandre Ayton in particular, is someone who is looking to re-establish his league-wide image. During his interview, he revealed that he’s in fact aware that this could be his final opportunity to prove himself at the NBA level. He also is quite keen on embracing this as a challenge. He stated that he intends to play angry. Angry Ayton! So far he’s shown that he can obviously play. He’s an 18/10 guy for his career, which doesn’t happen accidentally. But if he can channel those talents into a winning form of basketball, night in and night out, he will effectively shatter any and all negative stigmas currently attached to his name. It’s good to see a player embrace the pressure of the bright lights of Los Angeles. Not to mention, embrace the idea that he’s playing with a chip on his shoulder. The Lakers don’t currently have a ton of center depth, so Ayton will theoretically get every chance to make good on those goals. If he can bring some defensive prowess to match his offensive gifts, then he’ll definitely put himself on the map and emerge as a hot commodity within the league once again. Of course, this is all just chatter, and it remains to be seen how it manifests on the court. But so far, it’s the type of perspective that you’d like to hear. Like AR, if Ayton helps himself, he helps the Lakers.

All in all, none of these players seem overly concerned with their individual roles, and are embracing the concept of team unity. Guys seem ready to go, and ready to lock in to whatever role is asked of them. Whether it’s Marcus Smart, or Jake LaRavia, or Austin Reaves, or Rui Hachimura. Team-wide buy-in is essential, and you want to see a group of players that are on the same page and willing to make sacrifices for the greater good of the team. Of course, all of this sounds neat at the moment, right before we kickoff preseason action. Let’s hope this mantra persists deep into the season. If so, it’s a great start and a good place to be. Go Lakers.