The Lakeshow Review

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  • Lakers Schedule For 2026 Is set

    The Schedule Gods have blessed us with some tasty mid-offseason crumbs today, as the NBA released complete schedules for all 30 teams. The Lakers will kick off the 2025-26 season on October 21st at home versus the Golden State Warriors (which we already knew). They will then take on the Minnesota Timberwolves on the 24th of October, a contest which will be interesting to see. It’ll be a good litmus test to see how they match up against the T-Wolves, seeing as how the Lakers were handily outclassed by them in the first round of last season’s playoffs. It’ll be intriguing to see how much progress if any the team has made, and how the club’s new acquisitions will help them square up against the Western Conference’s elite.

    The first 10 or so games of the season do not look incredibly daunting, thus it will be imperative for the Lakers to race out to a quality start to the season. They will get a couple of early tests, including the Warriors on Opening Night, the Timberwolves and later the Spurs on November 5th. San Antonio will feature a healthy Victor Wembanyama entering his third season, as well as newly acquired guard De’Aaron Fox, not to mention another star rookie in Dylan Harper. Safe to say they will be a strong contender to battle for a playoff seed this season. LAs first road trip of the season will happen between the 8th and 15th of November, where they will take on mostly Eastern Conference opponents, in addition to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the reigning NBA champs. This will likely be LAs first “check your pulse” game of the year, as what better way to get an early season gut check than by having to go into the lion’s den against the defending champions. LA fared well against OKC last season, but it remains to be seen how they will integrate their new pieces in order to go up against the elite teams.

    The Lakers will play a total of 14 back-to-backs, which will certainly test their discipline and resilience. They will play three b2b contests in the first couple of weeks. The first two of which will be against the Portland Trailblazers (both home and away). Portland is not playoff material, and I expect the Lakers to take care of business against these types of teams (if they want to be a serious playoff contender that is). They will also have a b2b contest against the Milwaukee Bucks (following a game at New Orleans), to cap off their early season 5-game road trip. Yet another big test will come on December 4th and 5th, when the team will travel to Toronto to play the Raptors, and then fly to Boston to play the Celtics the following night. One would hope that the team will be motivated and ready to play the Celtics, even if it’s during the second night of a b2b. That’s a game where the team must show up, even though Boston will be far from the juggernaut that they’ve been these past couple of seasons, they’re still likely a playoff team in a weak Eastern Conference and a perennially hated rival.

    LA will start their Emirates In-Season-Tournament games on October 31st, when they’ll take on the Memphis Grizzlies. Their IST rodeo will continue when they take on the Pelicans on November 15th, then the LA Clippers on November 25th, then the Mavericks on November 28th. These are all winnable, albeit tough games in my opinion, but the added pressure of the IST will more than likely give opponents an extra incentive to show up and play; let’s hope it has the same effect on the Lakers.

    The team’s first big rodeo will take place in late January, when they’ll embark on an 8-game road trip that will surely test their resilience. Among those games will be contests versus the Clippers, Nuggets, Mavericks and Knicks. Games against Washington, Chicago and Brooklyn will likely soften the impact of this rodeo, but it will still prove to be likely one of the tougher stretches for the Lakers this season. Focus will be key, and we can only hope that the team has developed enough chemistry at this stage in the season. Of course, a bit of injury doesn’t hurt, and you want to have a relatively healthy depth chart for these hairy stretches of the year. But in the end, that’s life in the Western Conference in 2025. You don’t get any breaks, and every team is competitive. LA needs to re-assert themselves near the top of that hierarchy.

    The last road trip of the year will occur in mid to late March, as they Lakers will undertake one final 6-game road trip, after spending most of the second half of February on a homestand. During this trip, LA will play Houston (twice), Miami and Orlando, and then a slew of lesser teams. It’s a manageable stretch, provided the team is healthy. Yet, these road trips are always challenging, as they bring forth fatigue, and players at times hitting the proverbial wall. It’s crucial for the Lakers to gel and develop a good rapport early on, so that it’ll pay off at these late stages of the year. If there’s one thing that can get a team through long rodeos, it’s having players that play for each other. Chemistry and togetherness can always override fatigue.

    All in all, the schedule looks about on par with schedules we’ve seen in years past as of late. Ultimately, the Lakers will have to play whoever’s in front of them. It’s important for the team to stay hungry, develop an identity and maintain a sense of focus throughout. If LA takes care of business against the teams they should beat, and break even against the elite teams, they’ll be fine. The problem arises when the team loses focus, and endures a slippage over a prolonged time. Losing streaks can tank a teams’ seeding, particularly amidst a competitive conference such as the present day Western Conference. This will fall mostly on the hands of the coaching staff, they must keep the team focused, devise a solid game plans and make the right adjustments that will keep the team consistently competitive, therefore helping to avoid long skids. I feel like the Lakers are equipped to be competitive this upcoming season, and I think they should be one of the top 4 teams in the Western Conference. Anything short of that will be a disappointing. They were a 50-win team last season, despite plenty of roster turnover and lack of chemistry (which they eventually paid for in the playoffs). I think this season’s roster will be better than last season’s, and I expect them to play like it. This should be the year when the Lakers definitively and firmly entrench themselves among West’s elite once again. Hopefully they can get the gears in motion once training camp and preseason kick off in early October. Go Lakers.

  • Is Austin Reaves A Championship Caliber 3rd Option?

    As the Lakers get ready for the 2025-26 season, they have answered several questions that were up in the air heading into the offseason. Namely, their search for a center is now complete after the acquisition of Deandre Ayton. Additionally, the signing of guard Marcus Smart will address a gaping hole at perimeter/wing defense. Newcomer forward Jake LaRavia will also bring some youth and scoring at a very reasonable price, not to mention his age suggests he may still have good upside. However, one question that remains unanswered is what the Lakers can expect from their 2nd and 3rd stars, that being Austin Reaves and LeBron James. Specifically, do the Lakers have enough in Austin Reaves to complement Luka Dončić as a legitimate third wheel? It’s a good question, and I’ve heard good arguments for either side. But to me, based on what we’ve seen so far, the answer is yes.

    For starters, Austin Reaves is a very good fit playing next to Luka Dončić. Reaves’ versatility puts him in a good spot playing opposite to Luka. AR is a willing passer, aside from being a capable three-level scorer. He’s also a willing off-ball scorer, which is key playing next to ball-dominant Luka. Being that Luka himself is also an exceptional passer (arguably one of the best in the NBA), ARs off-ball prowess keeps him effective when both are sharing the floor. The fact that both players are williing scorers and playmakers make them a dangerous pairing for defenses, as there’s no “head of the snake” for the defense to zero-in on when it comes to playmaking. Both Luka and AR can dish, so when the defense tries to neutralize one there’s always the other left to contend with. This type of multi-pronged playmaking can create all sorts of chaos for defenses.

    There’s also the fact that Reaves and Dončić yielded the best two-man offensive rating (119.7) out of any Lakers duo. Granted, this is from a 26-game sample size, but I think that the film clearly shows a great synergy between the two players. The analytics seem to correlate this as well. According to Cleaning the Glass, LAs best 5 man lineup with a point differential of +59.8 also happened to be one which featured Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić (along with Gabe Vincent, Jaxson Hayes and Dorian Finney-Smith). The evidence is there to suggest that these two players are great fits, particularly on the offensive side of the ball.

    So now the question is, does Austin Reaves provide both the production and volume requisite to be a legit third option on a championship team? Based on everything we’ve seen so far, the answer is yes. In 2025, AR put together a career year, averaging 20.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 4.5 assists on 46/37/87 splits. Moreover, after the D’Angelo Russell trade on December 29th, when his workload and usage increased, AR responded by averaging 21.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 4.7 assists for the rest of the season. Lastly, after the Luka Dončić trade, Reaves put up 21.9 points (on a stellar 39% from three), 4.8 boards and 5.2 assists in the 28 games that he played after Luka debuted with the team. These are fantastic numbers. Especially for a player that’s viewed as a third option.

    The big drawback with Austin is of course the defense. Can he be enough of a willing and capable defender so that it doesn’t offset his offensive contributions? This remains to be seen. All reports point to Austin Reaves being dedicated to improving his defense during this offseason. But these are simply rumors and we won’t know until we see it during the season. With that said, a little bit of added size and toughness would go a long way for AR. This way he can stay in front of his defender, and employ some physicality to stop his man from simply bullying him. I also think that the addition of Marcus Smart should help the Lakers tremendously on the perimeter, as he can now assume the toughest assignment, relieving guys like AR and Luka on that end. With that said, even a moderate boost on the defensive end would benefit AR tremendously. This is what kept guys like Manu Ginobili, Steve Nash and Jeff Hornacek relevant in the league for so long. They were all known for their offense, but could hold their own on the defensive side as well.

    Overall, I believe Austin Reaves is an excellent fit next to Luka moving forward. He was deadly shooting open catch and shoot three pointers, netting them at 47.8% when left open. This bodes well for spread ball screen situations with Luka playing the role of ball handler, or also simply playing one pass away from Luka and LeBron, thus keeping defenses honest on dribble penetration scenarios. Of course the elephant in room being that in the playoffs, Reaves’ numbers took a dip. He still shot a respectable 38.8% on catch and shoot threes. But it was his off-the-dribble game that suffered. He was playing through an injury, which certainly hurt his productivity. Nevertheless, his production in the 5-game series was underwhelming, although he clearly wasn’t the only problem.

    As far as the salary, I believe Reaves is easily worth the type of money he’d command. If it’s in the $25-30M range, then he’s easily worth that. He makes about $13M currently, placing him markedly below his real market value. When one looks around the NBA and sees names like Isaiah Hartenstein, Jerami Grant, Kristaps Porzingis, Tyler Herro, Dejounte Murray and Jordan Poole all hovering around the $30M+ annual salary range, there is no reason to think AR isn’t every bit as good as all of those players. In some cases, even better. In the current NBA landscape, Reaves is worth that type of money, and he’s proven that he can offer the on-court value to back it. It simply comes down to the type of improvement that he can make on the defensive end. If he can improve, then it’s a no-brainer, he’s worth that money. Another factor will be how the Lakers decide to build the rest of the roster around Luka once LeBron James is out. But all in all, Reaves is an excellent player, one bad postseason be damned, I think he can excel and bring the type of game that will warrant a nice extension which will benefit the team in the long-term. In the meantime, let’s hope that the front office keeps exercising patience and making sound roster moves that gradually improve the team, so that next summer they can get to work. Go Lakers.

  • It’s Luka’s Team Now

    There’s a new sheriff in L.A. His name is Luka.

    After inking his 3 year/$165, it is clear that LA has its sights set on building around their newly minted Slovenian Superstar. This is a new era for the Lakers, after 7 years of building around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. In Luka, the Lakers have yet another franchise cornerstone to build around, and it looks like they intend to make the most out of that partnership. It’s hard to say, especially for us on the outside looking in, as to what exactly stirred these winds of change. Was it new ownership, or simply a sign of the times, or most likely some combination thereof. What is clear is that the Lakers are proceeding with the intentions of setting forth a new era, and a new standard for Lakers Basketball.

    This summer marks a firm detour from the direction in which the franchise had been headed in the last few years. It appears as though the Lakers are no longer pandering to the whims of Klutch Sports or LeBron James. They seem to understand that with Luka in the fold, they have both the imperative and the luxury to adhere to their own timeline, on their own terms. They can let Luka be their franchise player while still allowing their front office to operate as a front office. As opposed to the de facto front office that we had been privy to in the form of Klutch Sports. LA can now operate on its own will without the threat or distractions of outside influences, be it players or agents. They can exercise their patience and fine judgment when it comes to personnel decisions, as opposed to trying to meet the needs of other parties. Perhaps some of this shift was spearheaded by the new ownership group, led by Mark Walter. But one thing’s for sure, the Lakers are manning their own ship once again.

    The Lakers did a brilliant thing this summer. Aside from re-signing Luka, they did something that perhaps set the table for their newfound direction. They went as far as to not even put a contract extension on the table for LeBron this summer. This signalled two things; one, it makes it clear that the Lakers at the very least don’t mind moving on from LeBron, and most definitely don’t view him as the centerpiece of the roster any longer. And two, and maybe more importantly, it signals to Luka that he’s the man. It’s his team and the team is committed to him. Additionally, they signed his guys this summer; Deandre Ayton, a pick and roll big who can finish everything (and shares an agent with Luka), and Marcus Smart, a defensive ace who Luka helped recruit. This summer has had Luka’s fingerprints all over. His influence over the team is undeniable, and he’s clearly the man now.

    There have been rumblings that LeBron is still “monitoring the situation”. Which is hilarious. There’s nothing to “monitor”. He opted in to the final year on his deal, and there has been no extension on the table from LAs side. LeBron has no leverage over this organization at this point in time, or moving forward. If he wanted to flex his GM powers, he could have opted OUT of his deal. But he would’ve run the risk of LA simply letting him walk, which he understood. Not to mention, very few teams had the requisite cap room to outright pay LeBron what he wants to be paid. None of the teams he would’ve liked to join would’ve had that cap space either. LeBron has very little control over the Lakers at this point. He’s going to turn 41 in December, and the Lakers don’t view him as a long term pillar. They will have cap space next summer to resign LeBron. Close to $56M to be exact, and it’s doubtful they’ll be offering LeBron a big chunk of that knowing that the gameplan is now to build around Luka. This isn’t 2018 when the Lakers gave LeBron the keys to the franchise. He’s no longer that player, and the Lakers are no longer that team.

    Next summer, LA will have the cap room and assets to continue to add consequential pieces to the roster. They’ve preserved all of their ammunition in terms of assets and draft picks. So they will be well-equipped to swing deals during the trade deadline next February, or during the offseason next summer. This roster is still incomplete, and will remain so as long as LeBron is taking up over 30% of the cap at age 41. There simply wasn’t any money to add pieces this summer. But there’ll be plenty of opportunity to add pieces next summer, when they’ll have all of the big contracts aside from Luka’s off the books. The Lakers have done a good job of navigating this offseason with patience. Eventually landing on their big fish with Luka’s new deal. They should maintain this type of discipline moving forward, as it’ll serve them well in their pursuit of building sustainable greatness. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Will Boast A More Complete Rotation Next Season

    After inking Luka Dončić to a new contract extension, the Lakers have now crossed off their most important item of this summer’s offseason. Now they look towards training camp where players will convene before they get ready for the season. With new additions to the roster, LA will find themselves with an array of options for how to design their rotations. They now have a legit center to man the position, as well as a seasoned point of attack defender in Marcus Smart who can slide into the starting unit at a moment’s notice. Coach JJ Redick should be able to choose from several groupings to form the best possible rotations. This will be an important component for the Lakers’ success moving forward, as balance, both with the starters and the reserves will be paramount. It was the lack of balance on the roster which hindered the Lakers’ chances last season. This season, with savvy gameplanning, they should be able to devise more balanced rotations.

    The starting unit looks to be fairly set, for the most part. Deandre Ayton will start at center, Rui Hachimura will be the power forward, LeBron will man the small forward position, and Luka will run the show at point. One spot does seem to be in question for me, and that is that of the second guard position. Most likely it will be Austin Reaves who will start. But in order to fully optimize the balance of the team, it should Marcus Smart, in my opinion. Smart is the better defender, and maybe the best defender on the team. Inserting him into the starting unit affords Luka a breather on defense, as Smart can handle the assignment of checking the opponent’s best perimeter guy. I think that Smart with the starters potentially makes the team more balanced than it was a season ago. This also allows Reaves to thrive as a sixth man, where he can have a greater focus on his best attribute which is scoring the basketball. Last season’s Lakers reserves lacked the scoring punch and offensive productivity to keep up with opposing teams. This issue reared its head during the postseason, where the Minnesota Timberwolves reserves boasted a +79 advantage over the Lakers reserves. Particularly in game 1, Minnesota’s bench outscored LAs 43-13.

    I would even go as far as to bring both AR and Rui Hachimura off the bench. Particularly if Jarred Vanderbilt arrives to camp in good health. Vando was a big part of the Lakers’ run to the Western Conference Finals in 2023. His elite disruptiveness and overall defensive tenacity was a key factor in LAs defensive gameplan that season. Lately, Vando’s been slowed down by injuries. But if he returns healthy this season, I don’t see why he shouldn’t be placed with the starters. I’m of the opinion that defense-first players should get the starting nod, while offense-first players should come off the bench. You want to optimize your lineup’s defensive capabilities, particularly with superstars like Luka Dončić leading the charge. Since you know the offense is already taken care of. That’s where balance is important. Not to mention, the idea of establishing a culture. You want to see talented players like AR embrace a role coming off the bench and helping the team out that way. Politics should definitely not factor into these equations. The team comes first, and players should follow suit on those principles.

    With that said, one of Rui or AR, if not both should be brought off the bench. It will make the Lakers a better team. To me, it makes little sense to load up on offense with the starting unit, and bring all of the defensive specialists off the bench. AR and Smart can split the minutes at the 2-guard spot, and Rui and Vando can share 3 slot. This is where coaching comes in. JJ Redick needs to find a rotational balance that best suits the team, based on what it needs, and not any outside factors like player politics. If the team is lacking defense at the perimeter, and suffering as a result, then Austin Reaves needs to come off the bench. Simple as that. If Vando is fully healthy, then he should be starting. Simple as that. The Lakers have the necessary pieces to be a fairly complete team. Their main issue is of course their lack of legitimate two-way players. They have players who can score the ball at a high level, and players who can defend at a high level. It’s up to the coaches to find the right mix and groupings that will allow this team to compete against the best teams in the Western Conference and the NBA.

    The frontourt does look relatively set, for now. Deandre Ayton is the type of big who can score, and use his length to rebound the basketball effectively. He’s also a natural fit as roll man on ball screen actions with Luka, so that makes him a no-brainer to play with the starters. Jaxson Hayes can also go back to playing a more natural role, being that of a backup big. His energy and rebounding are a great compliment to bring off the bench, and eat up valuable minutes as Ayton rests. LeBron and Luka are of course set. So that only leaves AR and Rui as two potential candidates who can either start or come off the bench. The pieces are there for LA to field a robust rotation consistently. It’s up to the coaching staff to sort out each player’s skillset and where they are best suited to play. Hopefully this is done with an open mind and free of bias. If so, I can see this team excelling with the starting unit and a formidable reserve group, and they can get back to playing winning basketball. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers, Luka Agree to Extension Through 2028

    The Lakers have just concluded their most vital signing of this summer, after agreeing with superstar Luka Dončić on a 3yr/$165M contract extension. This keeps Dončić in Purple & Gold for the foreseeable future, until 2028. This is obviously great news for the Lakers, who after a productive offseason where they have patched some holes, still had the looming uncertainty of a Luka extension. Fortunately that has been put to rest, as the Lakers now have clarity and agency over their immediate future. With Dončić under contract, LA can now focus on constructing a perennial contender around their newly minted star. The marriage between the glitz and glamour of LA and a superstar of Luka’s caliber seems like a rather seamless one. He is on the short list of best players on the planet and is the type of player that you can build a contending team around. At 26 years of age, he is also just entering his prime, and the Lakers will have ample roster flexibility moving forward, starting next summer in 2026. The next era of Lakers basketball will be one filled with possibilities, and if they play their cards right, LA can make this partnership a fruitful one.

    Even before agreeing to this momentous extension, the dominoes had already begun swinging in that direction. Dončić had been in close dialogue with the front office throughout their free agency period. Even lending a hand to recruit players like Deandre Ayton (who Luka shares an agent with) and Marcus Smart. It had been rumored by the Slovenian newspapers that Luka (who will be playing internationally with his home country this summer) was planning on staying with the Lakers. Additionally, he’s also been active within the LA community, making charitable donations and contributing to the greater good. He’s seemed invested in LA since the moment he arrived with the Purple & Gold, as evidenced with the vibrant crowd reactions that he’s been showered with. He’s looked and felt the part of a Laker since day one.

    Luka was no longer eligible for the “supermax” extension, after being traded by Dallas, the team that drafted him. With his new 3 year extension, he can now pursue the most expeditious avenue to get that supermax three years from now, when he’ll have ten years of NBA service under his belt. Three years in the NBA is a lifetime, though. And LA will have until then to put the necessary pieces around Luka that will make this roster a perennial contender. The flexibility and the opportunity will both be there, so it’ll be up to those in the front office to maximize every asset and dollar on the cap sheet. The table is set for the Lakers to position themselves as a formidable force in the Western Conference.

    It’s also worthy to note the fact that Luka has been working on his physical fitness diligently this summer. He’s been putting in the work and has been looking slimmer, by all reports. He seems to be embracing the idea of being a Los Angeles Laker and putting his best foot forward trying to be at his best for when the season commences. He understands his role as a Laker and the fact he’s one of the best players in the world, when healthy. On a platform such as that of LAs, his brand and personal opportunities are virtually boundless, provided he puts in the work and does his thing. On a market such as LA, and a global brand like the Lakers, Luka will have the chance to go down as one of the greats.

    Motivated by last season’s playoff defeat, Luka will join the chase for getting this franchise back into the championship picture, The Lakers pledged their allegiance to Luka as soon as they traded for him last February, during the midseason point. After a hastily disjointed second half of the season, one where both Luka and the Lakers struggled to find their footing, the team will have a fresh outlook next season with a full training camp and preseason under their belts. We will see how they respond.

    “Today is a monumental moment for our franchise. Luka Dončić’s future is with the Los Angeles Lakers,” said Lakers President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka. “Luka is one of the game’s most transcendent players, and his on-court dominance and passion is without compare. From the moment Luka became a Laker, there was an immediate connection and admiration between Luka and our fanbase. You can feel it in your spirit when you attend a Lakers game. Luka is an absolute killer on the court, and blends that with a unique generosity and care for the community. Above all else, Luka will lead our franchise to pursue future championships, a goal that will forever define the Lakers.” These words form General Manager Rob Pelinka echo sentiments of excitement and ambition for the Lakers franchise. Both Luka and the Lakers will have their work cut out for them, but let’s hope that they can make the most out of this golden opportunity. If the cards are played correctly and a little bit of good fortune rears its head, this can be the start of a prosperous superstar-franchise coalition. Now let’s see them make the most of it. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Internal Growth Will Be Crucial To Next Season’s Success

    The 2026 Los Angeles Lakers will sport a significantly different outlook than they did last season. The additions of Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart will give the team a different perspective, one which they did not have last year. Ayton will give the team a much needed boost in the front court. Marcus Smart’s defensive tenacity and leadership will also be a welcome addition to a team that’s lacking dogs on the perimeter. With that said, none of the contributions provided by the team’s newcomers will have the impact of what the team’s returning players can bring to the table.

    Firstly, there’s Luka Dončić. There are rumblings that the Slovenian superstar has been diligently working on his training and diet this summer, which has done a number on his physique. He’s apparently looking slimmer, more defined, and more athletic; even gracing the cover of Men’s Health Magazine just recently. Luka will be the biggest key to LAs success this season. If Slim Luka is indeed a thing, the Lakers will be one of the more formidable teams in the Western Conference. Being traded from the Mavericks, and having his name dragged around the media by GM Nico Harrison and the rest of the Mav’s front office seems to have lit a fire in Luka. Hopefully that fire will last through this season, and his entire Lakers career for that matter. When healthy and on his game, Luka is very easily on the short list of best players on the planet. Only two seasons ago, he was scoring champion, and led Dallas to its first finals berth since 2011. Luka is, without a doubt, a player one can construct a roster around and expect to go places. However, Luka’s success starts with Luka. If he’s in tip-top condition then that is a game changer. It allows him to be the best version of himself, while getting the most out of his elite skillset.

    Then there are the next names on the totem pole. Namely shooting guard Austin Reaves, who has plans for a lucrative payday when he can opt out of his contract after the 2025-26 season. AR is coming off a career season in points, rebounds and assists as well as overall usage rate. If he can replicate or better yet build upon these impressive totals, he’ll almost certainly put himself in position for that big payday. For all of his virtues, Austin’t big weakness remains his defense. It’s been a constant “go-to” on opposing teams’ game plans as far as areas to pick on and exploit. To remedy this, AR has been reportedly working overtime this summer in order to improve in that aspect of his game. Time will tell how all of that work is going to pay off. But one thing is for certain; Austin Reaves’ defense is crucial for the Lakers to make a leap as a team. He is usually the weakest link on the court on the defensive end, as his lack of foot speed and agility usually inhibits him from consistently staying in front of his matchup. This rose to the forefront during the playoffs, where AR was heavily targeted and switch-hunted by the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first round of the NBA playoffs. If Reaves can work himself to merely an ‘average’ defender, then that will go a long ways to helping the team. When you consider his offensive prowess, working himself to being merely an ‘average’ defender would multiply his value significantly. He’s already one of the team’s best players, and adding that league-average defensive capability will only solidify that. Not to mention further propel him into elite second option territory. The addition of Marcus Smart should help the team’s defensive makeup, but ARs individual improvement will be crucial given his tremendous value on the offensive side. If Austin does in fact level up on his defensive capabilities, LA will not hesitate to give him that fat contract.

    While individual improvements are of great importance, team improvements are perhaps of equal if not greater magnitude. Head Coach JJ Redick will have to show improvement as a game-planner and decision-maker. During the playoffs, he was clearly outclassed by a more savvy and experienced Chris Finch of Minnesota. The gap in experience between the two coaches is substantial and certainly played a role in this matchup. But LAs coaching staff did not bring much to the table in the form of adjustments. They went out by stubbornly sticking to their original game plan and had no answers for the wrinkles that the Timberwolves hurled in their direction. Hopefully the one year of experience will give the coaching staff enough of a “battle test” to return in better form next year. In the Western Conference, every team is well coached. Particularly those in the elite tiers (the OKS, Houstons, Denvers, Minnesotas, etc.). LA will have to fight fire with fire when matching up with other Wetsern Conference foes and their coaching staffs, and ultimately hold their own over the course of a hard fought playoff series, where savvy game-planning is at a premium. Hopefully last season’s failures will serve as learning experiences to be parlayed into greater playoff success next season. If not, this coaching staff might find itself on the hot seat if they don’t live up to the standards set by the organization’s new ownership group.

    The Lakers’ offseason has certainly been encouraging. Progress has been made when it comes to adding the necessary pieces to improve the roster. But LAs real improvement will have to come from within. From their star players, to the coaches, to the overarching culture established by the front office which will define the coaching staff as well as the locker room. This internal growth will set the table for the newcomers to shine and show their value. Ultimately, it starts with those at the top. Establishing a culture will be crucial to elevating the on-court results, thus the Lakers need leaders that are willing to demand excellence. If these lessons are learned, then the team will be pushing in the right direction. And that’s all we can ask for.

  • Vando’s Health A Key For Lakers Success Next Season

    The Lakers have had an eventful summer of Free Agency, to say the least. It hasn’t been spectacular, but they have managed to fill gaps on the roster, despite limited assets and cap space. Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia and Jaxson Hayes are among the names added. It’s a solid mix of talent, considering that they did not have much cap space to start with, and many teams signed other players for much more. The Lakers will almost certainly be getting great value for their money spent. LA has done a good job addressing some glaring needs on the team. The main one of those being the starting center position. DeAndre Ayton will give the Lakers some much needed production on the frontcourt, seeing as how they played without a center during these last playoffs. Jake LaRavia is another young player with decent upside, who can shoot and score the ball at a high level. He will have a chance to flourish playing alongside the likes of Luka Dončić. A player like Marcus Smart will also provide leadership and perimeter defense, the latter of which the Lakers did not have much of last season. Overall these are some good moves that could give the team a boost next season.

    Perimeter defense is an area where the Lakers greatly struggled last season. Particularly in the playoffs, where players such as Anthony Edwards and to some extent Jaden McDaniels had their way attacking LAs defense on the perimeter. The Lakers were punished on defensive on switches, when players like Rui Hachimura or LeBron James were tasked with containing the likes of Anthony Edwards in space. Much was made about the Lakers’ lack of interior presence on the defensive side, and while those critiques are accurate, an even larger problem, in my opinion, was LAs complete lack of defensive containment on the perimeter. LAs defense often was broke down off the dribble, which exposed their poor help defense as well as their lack of size in the paint. I’m of the belief that effective defense starts at the point of attack. To address this, the Lakers signed guard Marcus Smart. If healthy, Smart will surely help the Lakers in this aspect. He can still hound, harass and stay in front of matchups, which helps limit defensive breakdowns as well as the need to constantly rotate defensively. However, in my opinion, the player who will be most crucial to the team’s defensive success is arguably already on the roster. And that’s of course Jarred Vanderbilt.

    Vando arrived in LA shortly after the trade deadline of 2023, and his impact was felt almost immediately. His defensive tenacity and all-out hustle helped ignite a late season playoff push, after being outside of the playoff picture prior to the trade deadline. For a while, late in the 2023 season, I felt as though Vando brought to the table a Dennis Rodman-like impact. He didn’t light up the box score, but provided a myriad of intangibles that made a positive impact. The steals, the turnovers, the hustle, the defensive motor; for a moment he was beginning to resemble that of a bigger Alex Caruso. He was a crucial part of the Lakers’ run to the Western Conference Finals that season.

    Lately however, Vando’s impact seems to have diminished. Injuries have piled up, which have not only kept him out of action, but have also impeded him from working on his game during the offseason, further derailing his progress. He seemed to be getting back on track late during the 2024 season, and we were starting to see glimpses of his on-court impact once again. But a foot injury against Boston late during the season effectively sidelined him for the rest of the year, including the playoffs, where his absence against Denver was clearly felt. He spent much of that offseason rehabilitating, and wasn’t cleared to resume play until January of 2025. He wasn’t quite the same player last season, as his usual defensive spark wan’t all there.

    For the first time in a moment, Vando seems to be in good health this off-season, and is said to be diligently working on his game. If he can come back healthy and duplicate the level of play that we’ve seen in the past, particularly during the latter half of 2023, he could potentially take LAs defense from merely good to great. Between Vando and Marcus Smart, the Lakers could receive a sizeable boost on the defensive end. One that will help them match up against the elite perimeter threats in the Western Conference. When healthy, Vando is an elite disruptor. He has the ability to stay in front of his man, as well as the instincts to wreak havoc on help defense. He’s an agitator with a plus defensive motor who can change the complexity of a game through his defensive effort. Unfortunately, injuries have plagued his productivity as well as his ability to have a positive impact on games. Fans are down on him, and rightfully so. But if he can come back healthy and recapture his level of play, it’ll be a gamechanger for LA. It’s not like there are many more options. The Lakers are currently capped out around the first apron, and Vando’s salary makes it so that he is somewhat unmovable. If only because other teams would be wary of taking back his salary (his contract runs until 2028 where he will make over $13M that season) given the injury history. With that said, Vando’s resurgence could be a vital in-house solution to one of LAs most glaring weaknesses. His availability and productivity could help take the team’s defense to the next level. Vando and Smart can offer the type of defensive outlook that the team lacked all of last season. Let’s hope we get more glimpses of that gamechanging ability in 2026. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Off-Season Hinges On Luka Extension

    We’re almost a month into 2025 NBA Free Agency and the Los Angeles Lakers look to be a much different team than they were last season. Out is Dorian Finney-Smith. In are DeAndre Ayton, Jake LaRavia and Marcus Smart. Back is Jaxson Hayes. The front court will be significantly different next season with Ayton starting, and Jaxson backing him up. LA will be able to count on more front court depth than they had last season, particularly during the playoffs where their lack of size became a glaring weakness against the Minnesota Timberwolves. They’ve also added a promising rising player in Jake LaRavia, who is on a team-friendly contract, and given his skillset, has the potential to flourish playing alongside Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. They’ve also managed to add a respected veteran and defensive specialist in Marcus Smart, who if healthy, will provide some much needed toughness in the backcourt. It hasn’t been a summer of splashy headlines for the Purple and Gold, yet it has been a fairly productive one. They’ve managed to add pieces that can help the team win now, without sacrificing much, if any future flexibility to makes moves later on. They’ve also shown resourcefulness in their willingness to look to avenues such they buyout market to acquire talent. as they did with both Ayton and Smart. Time will tell if LAs patience this summer will pay dividends moving forward. But at the very least they should have relatively clean books, and more assets in the form of draft picks next summer to bolster the roster and their chances for championship contention. However, the greater success of this approach hinges squarely on the pen of one Luka Dončić, and his plans for his career.

    Luka is eligible to sign a maximum deal of 4-years/$228.6M with the Lakers this summer, as soon as August 2nd. Following the roster moves made this offseason, the organization feels increasingly confident that they can get Dončić to sign a contract that will keep him in Purple and Gold for the foreseeable future. Luka, for his part, will more than likely have the freedom to get creative with his deal. For instance, he could also sign a shorter 3-year/$165M contract that would allow him to opt out after year one or two and potentially pursue a bigger contract. Or he could also sign a 2-year deal for the same reasons. In any scenario, Luka signing that extension is paramount for the organization, as it validates all of their work so far this summer.

    All the cap space and flexibility moving forward won’t have much of a purpose if a franchise player isn’t already in place for the organization to build a team around. That franchise player of course being Luka. The Lakers have made it clear, particularly through their recent decisions, that they don’t intend to capitulate to the immediate demands of LeBron James or Klutch Sports any longer, given that they now have Luka, who has his own requirements and his own timeline. Ayton, who shares an agent with Dončić, was brought in as a pick and roll finishing big that we all know Luka enjoys playing with. Luka has also stated his admiration for Ayton, as well as a desire to play alongside him. Not to mention, the Marcus Smart signing came after a recruitment pitch from Luka. There is an obvious trend behind these moves. The main one being that the organization is clearly shifting their focus and energy into the Luka Dončić/Bill Duffy wagon, rather than the Klutch Sports wagon. The Lakers have concluded that the Klutch Sports Experience has run its course, and it no longer makes sense for the franchise to be centered around a 41-year old star. And they are correct.

    However, their pivot will only be made successful if they can sell Luka Dončić on the notion that LA is his team and the franchise will do all in its power to construct a contender around him. That’s the the last remaining hurdle for the organization to clear this summer. Once that extension is agreed upon, the Lakers will feel much better about their future moving forward. On a positive note, ESPN insider Dave McMenamin, during a recent NBA On ESPN segment, stated that Luka agreeing to an extension is a formality at this point. Reports indicate that he is committed to the Los Angeles Lakers, at least for the time being, and wants to win and prosper with the organization. Who knows where the truth lies, and at this point of the year, these “reports” are merely just that. With that said, with the team’s moves so far, they’ve certainly put themselves in position to hand the keys over to Luka and sell him on their vision for the future. If and when Luka re-signs remains to be seen. But I for one am content that the organization has displayed the type of calmness, patience and professionalism that suggests that they are in control. They certainly aren’t panicking. As a fan, that is all I can ask for.

    Other signs have emerged that potentially suggest that Luka will indeed sign an extension with the Lakers. Beatwriter Martin Pavcnik, who covers Luka’s native Slovenian National team, reports that “The date of his arrival (with the Slovenian team) is still shrouded in mystery, but it is expected to be August 4. This suggests that he may sign a new contract with the LA Lakers before then“. All but suggesting that Luka could sign the extension on August 2nd, shortly before reporting to his national team, for whom he always plays for every summer. Luka seems like a loyal cat. He plays for his home country every off-season because he appreciates their support for him, as well as the love he receives from the Slovenian fans. Hopefully this type of affection extends to his current NBA club, the Lakers, who clearly have the best intentions to solidify Luka as their main pillar within their future plans. Either way, it remains to be seen as to what happens. I’m pleased with the way the team has handled their business throughout this Free Agency period, having not panicked or made any knee-jerk moves to please any form of outside pressure from the media or the fans. As I’ve written before, now is the time to be strategic, and patient. It seems as though the Lakers are of a similar mindset. Hopefully Luka and his team will recognize that, and eventually plant their flag with the organization. Once that happens, the team can focus on the bigger picture: getting back into championship contention. Go Lakers.

  • Marcus Smart Is Lakers Bound

    The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to terms with guard Marcus Smart, following a buyout with the Washington Wizards. Smart and the Wizards agreed to a buyout on Saturday, and he will join the Los Angeles Lakers on a 2 year/$11M deal as soon as Wednesday once he clears the waivers process. Smart gives the Lakers a tough, defensive minded guard who can both start or come off the bench. Additionally, Smart is the type of players who can check the other teams’ perimeter star, thus filling a great need for the Lakers as far as backcourt and perimeter defense is concerned. This is a solid move by the Lakers, as they needed the type of depth and skillset that Smart brings to the table. He potentially shores up some holes and gives the team a wide array of options in terms of lineup flexibility, which they didn’t have before. Smart’s physicality, toughness, leadership and experience will be a major coup for the Lakers’ backcourt, which will look to be more balanced next season, and hopefully bring the team to another level.

    This has been an interesting off-season for the Lakers and General Manager Rob Pelinka. After LeBron James decided to pick up his (albatross) $52M player option, the club was left with very little flexibility or avenues to significantly improve the roster. Outside of trades where they’re sending out assets, LA had very little room to outright sign players to the salary cap. Perhaps somewhat beneficial was the fact that forward Dorian Finney-Smith declined his player option of $15M. This opened up the ability for the Lakers to obtain the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, which they utilized to sign both forward Jake LaRavia and center Deandre Ayton. It also opened up the bi-annual exception (which has a total value of roughly $5M) and that was used to sign Marcus Smart. Essentially, the Lakers managed to turn the departure of DFS (32 years old) into a trio of Ayton (27 years old), LaRavia (23 years old) and Smart (31 years old). Not a bad turn of events, considering the value DFS brought as a perimeter defender and shooter. Getting three guys of the caliber of Ayton/LaRavia/Smart, considering the limited resources, is not a bad coup for this front office. There’s still some work to be done though, as LA will now have to make some roster tweaks in order to open up the full BAE money, which Smart’s contract indicates that he will get. The team waived guard Jordan Goodwin today (who had a partly guaranteed deal) and will likely waive Shake Milton’s non-guaranteed salary. I’d say it’s been a fairly robust summer for the from office, as they’ve acquired legit talent and upgrades, with such limited ammunition. We will see how these pieces end up figuring into the big picture. As things stand, both Ayton and Smart will have the added incentive of performing well in order to re-enter free agency next summer and parlay a higher payday (both have player options after 2025-26).

    One interesting thing to note is that new Laker Luka Dončić helped lend his recruiting skills to land Smart. The Lakers’ star apparently reached out to Smart and pitched him on the idea of playing for the Lakers next season. This is big for two things. A.) Luka knows what this team lacks, when it comes to tough minded players who can defend the perimeter, and B.) Luka recruiting someone like Smart could be a sign that Luka is committed to staying with the team. We will know the latter for sure come early August when Luka is eligible to ink an extension. It is savvy for the team and the FO to seek inout from their best player.

    X’s and O’s wise, Smart is a very good fit with the Lakers. He’s a capable two-way player, with a great emphasis on the defensive side of the ball. He is an excellent perimeter defender, who can lock up the opposing team’s best guard. Additionally, Smart is also a very intuitive and capable help defender. He plays the passing lanes, shoots the gaps, and can wreak havoc via double teams around the perimeter. He has both the motor and IQ to consistently generate turnovers and operates with the type of tenacity and energy than can be contagious. He has the potential to be a leader on the defensive side.

    Offensively, he does have some scoring and playmaking capacity, averaging career totals of 10.6ppg/3.4rpg/4.6apg/1.6spg. His shooting metrics are below average though, as he shoots around 38% from the field, and around 32% from three. He is a capable free throw shooter at 77%. On a team like the Lakers, where he will likely be a 5th or 6th option offensively, these factors won’t be as magnified. I think he can shoot around 42% from the field (he’s had numerous seasons where he shot better than 40%), considering that he will do most off his offensive work off-ball and will get a healthy amount of open looks while playing opposite of Luka/AR/LeBron. He’s a good finisher and a decent catch-and-shoot option, which definitely bodes well. He’s also been a plus playmaker throughout his career, and can be an initiator on ball screens. I like his versatility, and on a much lighter workload, I think we can see the most efficient version of Marcus Smart.

    One of the drawbacks to Marcus Smart is the injuries. He’s been relatively banged up as of late and you’d have to go back to 2023 to find the last season where he played 60+ games. Or 2022 for when he last played 70+. The Lakers are certainly rolling the dice on Smart’s ability to stay on the floor. But for $5M, considering their limited options, it’s a relatively reasonable risk, not to mention, one that carries a very high upside. If healthy, Smart decidedly raises the ceiling on this roster, particularly considering his defensive prowess. But it will all hinge on his ability to stay healthy.

    To me, Marcus Smart is a starter. To get the most out of his leadership, impact and skillsets, he’s best suited to start alongside the regulars. He immediately becomes the best defensive player on the starting unit, which is something they’re sorely lacking. This means that one of Reaves or Rui should head to the bench. I wouldn’t be against either. I’ve always maintained that Reaves would be a great sixth man, however, with his aspirations towards a big payday and the team’s affection for him, this scenario is probably unlikely. That leaves Rui, who will be on an expiring contract and is a highly productive offensive player. Bringing him off the bench will give the team more balance and gives the reserves some much need firepower. Gabe/Vando/Rui/Jaxson is not a bad bench mob to go with, and could certainly give the team an added dimension, or two, which was not present last season. Either way, I like the added flexibility that these moves will bring forth.

    The Lakers have done a good job of staying patient amidst Free Agency period, and awaiting for the right opportunities to strike. Though certainly not perfect, I have to be complimentary of the front office’s ability to fill these holes with so few resources and very little margin for error. It’s also good that they’ve been willing to look to the buyout market for solutions, where they’ve been able to acquire talent at below-market value, with the prospect of rehabilitating their worth. It isn’t the most high-profile approach, but it is a savvy one given their position. They will still maintain flexibility moving forward, not to mention draft picks, expiring deals and young assets at their disposal for potential future moves. Nonetheless, they’ve managed to improve the roster with legitimate talent upgrades. The Lakers are definitely a better team than they were at the end of the 2025 playoffs, and that’s a good thing thing. Perhaps even a Smart thing. OK terrible pun. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Downed by Nuggets in Summer League Finale

    The Los Angeles Lakers have finalized their batch of Las Vegas Summer League games, after falling tonight to the Denver Nuggets, by a score of 106-84. Following a loss to the Celtic last yesterday, LA looked to rebound and finalize the Vegas tournament on a high note. Unfortunately they played perhaps their worst game of Summer League thus far, and were unable to find their footing. Yesterday’s injury to forward Darius Bazley, one of the team’s standouts, coupled with Head Coach Lindsay Harding’s decision to rest other key contributors such as Dalton Knecht and Bronny James, left the Lakers vulnerable and thin on talent. Ultimately, they couldn’t keep up with Denver’s more complete team effort.

    Cole Swider led the Lakers with 17 points on 6-15 shooting, including 2-8 from long distance. The 26 year-old forward has shown flashes of potential, both in this and last year’s Summer League games. But despite his obvious gift for shooting the basketball, he lacks the defensive tools to be a viable rotational player at the NBA level. I still think he’s the obvious candidate for that last 2-way spot, especially after Darius Bazley’s unfortunate sidelining. LA could surely use Swider’s shooting prowess should they need it in a pinch.

    Aside from Swider, LA endured a dearth in scoring from the rest of its starting five. With two players scoring 0 points, and the four starters not named Swider combining to score 9 points. They did receive some solid contributions off the bench, with R.J. Davis scoring 17 points on 6-11 shooting, Ethan Taylor providing 15 points on 5-9 shooting and Sir’ Jabari Rice tallying 14 points on 5-9 shooting. Unfortunately, they were no match for Denver’s balanced attack, who themselves boasted three of five starters in double digits scoring, including 22 points from shooting guard Curtis Jones. They also collected 40 bench points total.

    The Lakers continued to feature a disjointed offensive attack, and in keeping with their Summer League trend, they were unable to get good looks for their shooters to knock down. Effort-wise, the team left much to be desired in the rebounding department, handily losing that battle 53-37. Their transition offense was also anemic, predictably after sitting most if not all of their key guys. I was not a fan of the team’s coaching in Summer League, as they relied mostly on their players’ abilities to play one-on-one. When most of the talent was sidelined tonight, the team had nothing in the way of schemes to keep their offense afloat, and it showed. They lost ugly and looked both lost and undisciplined on offense. Guys like Ethan Taylor and R.J. Davis did what they could to make this a contest, but Denver eventually pulled away late with their aggressive defense and timely transition counters, which led to several open shots. They were the better team.

    The Lakers end Summer League play with a combined 3-4 mark, combining both the Cali Classic and the Vegas Tournament. My main takeaway from Summer League is it has been greatly disappointing. The main goal being obviously to win. The second being tracking the progress of those NBA hopefuls to make the leap to the NBA. None of these guys seem NBA rotation-ready, and the one guy who we know is, Dalton Knecht, showed signs of regression. It’s still too early to call, so we’ll see what he looks like come pre-season. As I mentioned before, this team’s scouting is also lacking. While other teams load up on players with NBA-adjacent skill sets, the Lakers seem to fiill their roster with non-standouts who don’t possess any NBA skills. None of these guys can shoot, run an offense or score in the half-court. It was painful to watch. One of the main things new owner Mark Walter ought to do is completely revamp the scouting department. We want to see the Lakers compete and look like they belong against the rest of the league when it comes to lower level competiton such as G-League and Summer League. This shows the fans that the team cares about player development, and better yet, can rely on their internal youth system to fill small gaps on the roster. We see teams call up guys from the G-League all the time. If a team needs some shooting , or frontcourt depth, they can look to their lower levels to plug those holes. Can the Lakers do that? After watching all seven games of Summer League in 2025, the answer is no, they can’t. If Mark Walter wants the Lakers to be anything like his Dodgers, then scouting, player development and the G-League will need to be key areas of focus, and improvement. I don’t expect there to be any overnight makeovers. But as long as we see incremental changes over time, then that’s progress, and progress is good. Anyways, on to NBA Pre-Season now. Go Lakers.