The Lakeshow Review

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  • Evaluating  the Lakers Roster

    After an eventful offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers seemingly have their roster set to enter the 2025-26 season. It started out with a bit of uncertainty, but the Lakers and GM Rob Pelinka managed to do a nice job to make some key acquisitions that will plug in several holes. The team started their summer spree with the acquisition of young forward Jake LaRavia, after he inked a 2-year/$12M contract with LA. LaRavia gives the team an infusion of youth and potential, as this is definitely a signing that can pay dividends for the team in the coming seasons. LaRavia can score and defend at a reasonably high level, checking two boxes when it comes to team needs. LA continued its offseason spree by landing center Deandre Ayton, who was recently coming off a buyout with the Portland Trailblazers. Ayton agreed to a 2-year/$16.6M contract, and all things considered, was probably the best realistic option for the Lakers to fill their void at the 5. They then went on to get former Defensive Player of the Year guard Marcus Smart, after he signed a 2-year/$11M deal either the team. Smart brings forth a defensive presence and a formidable force on the perimeter, which the Lakers certainly lacked last season. Additionally, the LA brought back big man Jaxson Hayes (on a 1-year/$3.5M contract), who will provide some much needed depth at the front court. The Lakers were also busy at draft night, after selecting Arkansas Razorbacks forward Adou Thiero with the 36th overall pick. Christian Koloko and Chris Mañon have also been brought in as two-way contracts, giving the Lakers some solid young clay to mold for the future, provided that they are committed to further investing in their player development programs. It’s been a fruitful summer for the team and they certainly look like a more complete roster than what they had to work with last season. 

    Of course, the signing of Luka Dončić was absolutely monumental. The Lakers now have a legitimate franchise player to build around for the next years, validating everything else they’ve done so far this summer. Next summer, in 2026, they’ll have even more cap room to add pieces around Luka and the rest off the core. Having a bonafide superstar committed to the franchise certainly gives them somewhat of a security blanket, as they’ve now checked off the difficult part; that being finding and signing said superstar to begin with.

    One of the main strengths for the Lakers is they are top heavy. They certainly don’t lack the star power. They’re led by Luka Dončić and LeBron James, arguably the best pure scorer in Luka and two of the very best playmakers in basketball. Of course, those two are flanked by Austin Reaves, who depending on who you ask, is a budding star in the NBA, and a hell of a competent playmaker himself. The combined playmaking on the team is perhaps one of the best in the NBA. Not to mention, newcomer Marcus Smart also has some ball handling chops and has experience running plays as an initiator. I don’t think that the team should have any issues scoring the ball. Additionally, the Lakers have a nice variety of players that can score the basketball. Luka, LeBron, AR, Ayton and Rui Hachimura are all capable of scoring in double figures on any given night. Scoring will definitely be a strength for this team, as they don’t lack the scorers or the playmakers to consistently keep the offense in high gear. Depending on how Head Coach JJ Redick structures his rotations, the Lakers can also boast a good bench; one which shouldn’t have significant offensive challenges. If they bring either Rui or AR as a sixth man, the team will feature a legit scorer off the bench to complement other capable defenders such as Gabe Vincent and Jarred Vanderbilt. Redick’s lineups and rotations will be key to defining the balance of the roster. The Lakers can be a deep team if they so choose to. 

    On the flip side, the Lakers as currently constructed are a very talented albeit flawed unit. For one, the team lacks a steady assortment of above average athletes on the roster. The best athlete on the starting group is likely LeBron James, who will be entering his 23rd season at age 41. The Lakers feature formidable offensive threats such as Luka and AR, but you wouldn’t exactly call any of them elite athletes. Those two win via their skill and instincts, which is terrific. But one would be remiss to evaluate this roster and overlook the lack of pure athletes. Will it hurt them? I think it will, at times. But I also think that the Lakers have enough on the talent and leadership departments to win consistently. Which leads us into another area that this roster is thin on; that being perimeter defense. Dorian Finney-Smith’s departure can definitely give the Lakers issues, just as Marcus Smart’s arrival will certainly lend a capable hand in this department. But on the aggregate, the Lakers simply don’t have a healthy stable of above average defenders, particularly in comparison to some of the other elite teams in the Western Conference, such as the defending champs OKC. The Lakers can potentially put together a nice combination of defensive stoppers. But that’s relying on several outside factors to swing their way; firstly Jarred Vanderbilt has to get back to his late 2023 form, where he was an elite team defender and disruptor. For that he needs to stay healthy. Furthermore, Marcus Smart needs to recapture his former DPOY level, and stay healthy himself. Then guys like Gabe Vincent, Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton need to hit another gear defensively. None of them are known as perennial stoppers on that end, so it does raise some questions. Yes, I’d say perimeter defense is by far the team’s biggest question mark, and its best case scenario is dependant on numerous variables. But given their personnel, I think the Lakers can get by if the coaching staff can find a way to maximize the team’s rotations. The key will be injecting the starting unit with as many capable defenders as possible while still preserving a healthy dose of scoring, and if that means sending Rui or Austin to the bench so be it. It’s imperative for the starters to be able to defend at a high level, or at least at a competent one. Finally, the aforementioned bench unit can, in my opinion, swing both ways for LA. It could be a source of weakness, or strength. If the starting unit is too top heavy on offense, then look for the bench to be thin. But if there’s a balance established between scorers and defenders within the starters and bench group, then the bench can be a source of strength. For instance, a bench mob of Jaxson Hayes, Gabe Vincent, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia and one of Rui Hachimura or Austin Reaves, I think is potentially a well stocked bench unit. Furthermore it ensures that the starters are well-equipped to both score and defend at a reasonable level. As I stated previously, the effectiveness of the team’s depth will come down to how JJ Redick balances the team’s rotations.

    On the bright side, the Lakers have maintained a ton of roster flexibility moving forward. They will have most of their first round picks available to trade until 2031, with the exception of 2027 and 2029. They will also have a bevy of expiring contracts to work with, including Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, Jaxson Hayes, with the big one of course being LeBron James. The team has positioned itself to have significant cap room during the summer of 2026, where they can potentially re-sign Austin Reaves via his cap hold, after going hunting for big names with the sizeable $50+M cap room that they’ll have at their disposal. This also means that the Lakers will have every opportunity to make a mid-season trade this upcoming season, if they feel the need to plug in a hole. They have the expiring salary plus the draft compensation to make such a trade possible. It all comes down to value vs. risk assessment, and if the team feels like foregoing 2026 summer flexibility in favor of a mid-season acquisition is worth the tradeoff. Either way, the organization has positioned itself in a fashion that affords them options and doesn’t tie them up to a specific timeline. Rob Pelinka, despite not constructing a picture perfect roster, has done an outstanding job of filling out the team via quality acquisitions with the cap room and resources that were available to him. Deandre Ayton is a terrific option at center, considering what was available. He can score and rebound effectively, and is deadly in ball screen situations as a screener and roller, which is exactly the type of piece that Luka needs in order to operate the offense. A player like Jake LaRavia also brings some much needed youth as well as a scoring punch that the team lacked last year. Marcus Smart brings the type of defensive acumen and toughness that’s needed to be a championship team. All these pieces were brought in with just the limited cap space that the team had at its disposal. It’s a very respectable haul, all things considered. Particularly after LeBron James opted in to his player option, and left very little room on the cap sheet. DFS opting out also presented an opportunity, one that Pelinka and the Lakers capitalized on. Once he signed with Houston, it opened up the entire non-taxpayer midlevel exception, which the Lakers split on both Ayton and LaRavia. Essentially turning DFS into two players. While I do think that the loss of DFS isn’t ideal, I do give the team credit for pivoting to a solid plan B. All in all, I like the outlook of the team. I think they’re a better team than last season. Their ability to add pieces without surrendering assets gives them some much needed cap flexibility moving forward, therefore, we can still look at this team as an unfinished product. Even though it already is a good one. 

    Realistically, what can we expect from this Lakers team? Well, I think that from a big picture standpoint they’re in a better spot than they were last season. You also have the added security of having locked up a player the likes of Luka Dončić. Last season, the Lakers finished as the 3rd seed in a competitive Western Conference. I strongly believe the Lakers should be a top 4 seed next season. Anything below a top 5 seed would in my opinion be a disappointment. We also have to account for other teams in the conference like the Rockets and Nuggets improving. With that said, I think the Lakers have improved as well, so I expect them to be in the mix of teams behind OKC, who are the cream of the crop in the Western Conference. Finally, if the team feels like it’s a move away at the deadline, they have positioned themselves to have the flexibility and ammunition to pursue such a scenario. This would further close the gap between them and teams sitting in front in the standings. I expect the Lakers to improve upon last season’s early playoff exit, and they have the talent and the coaching to make that happen. Some things will need to break their way, namely health. But if they can stay healthy, they are definitely a top team in the West, with plenty of flexibility for improvement. Go Lakers. 

  • Luka, Slovenia Dominated by Jokic, Serbia in Final Exhibition Matchup

    After a string of great performances on the international stage, Luka Dončić and his native Slovenia came back down to earth at the hands of Nikola Jokic and his Serbian side. It wasn’t a particularly close game either, with Serbia prevailing by a final score of 106-72. The game was in Team Serbia’s control the entire way with Slovenia failing to keep up with the skill and pace of their opposition. Dončić had looked mighty impressive in the last couple of games that he played, but on this one, against a strong opponent, he did struggle a bit. But so did the entire Slovenian squad, who were completely outmatched by a more balanced and talented group, one led by three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic.

    Luka Dončić had a relatively decent game, finishing with 17 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists. He once again struggled shooting the deep ball, tallying just two makes on 10 attempts. Similarly to last game against Great Britain where he had an off night shooting the three. As is customary for Luka, he did get off to a hot start, scoring 11 points in the first quarter, keeping his side within striking distance. But Serbia’s overwhelming talent kept on pouncing, and by halftime they’d grown their lead up to 28 points. Serbia boasts a very talented roster, one that features no shortage of NBA talent, including the aforementioned Jokic, the Heat’s Nikola Jovic and the Clippers’ Bogdan Bogdanovic. They have no trouble scoring the basketball, even when Jokic isn’t involved. In fact, it was Jovic who led the way with 18 points and 7 boards, alongside Bogdanovic, who scored 14 points on 4-5 from three. Jokic was relatively quiet, scoring 10 points and grabbing 8 boards. He did however control the tempo early on and was instrumental in growing his team’s lead.

    Serbia made sure to clamp down on Luka defensively, often collapsing the defense on his drives to the basket. Slovenia doesn’t have the personnel to make defenses pay in that regard. They don’t have the shooters to space the floor, nor do their other players operate aggressively off ball. Against talented teams like Serbia, Slovenia should look to play aggressively, and they certainly didn’t do that. It is just an exhibition game so we’ll see how they fare next. They do have a mere 1-5 record thus far, with the lone win coming last game against Great Britain, who aren’t one of the premier teams in this tournament. We’ll see how things shake up. But one thing we do know for sure is Slovenia doesn’t have the talent win when Luka is having an off-night, or when he isn’t dominating offensively. In order to win, and to stand a chance against the more talented opponents, Luka has to be his usual MVP caliber self.

    This game unfortunately did very little for Serbia or their chances for success in this tournament, dropping them to just 1-5 in exhibition play. It also laid a blueprint for other teams who will be playing Slovenia in the near future; they can simply load up on Luka and watch his teammates try to create offense, which they haven’t been able to do consistently at this point. The exhibition portion of the tournament is now over, and actual tournament games are set to kick off on August 28th. Slovenia will play Poland to kick-off EuroBasket 2025. For us Lakers fans, they key here is Luka, and how he’s looking and how he’s playing. So far he’s looked great. It’s been good to see his mobility and crispness back to peak levels, not to mentioned the bodyweight he’s shedded which has enabled this. Tonight he had a bad game, but he looked great and has looked great so far in these exhibition contests. That is certainly a good sign. Let’s hope he can sustain that level of play when the intensity and magnitude of these games increases. I think Luka will continue to get swarmed by opposing defenses, especially as games become more crucial. So it’ll be up to his teammates to respond by making defenses pay, thus giving themselves a chance. Hopefully Luka has a strong rebound game against Poland to get his confidence back, and his team’s. Until then let’s just hope the great play continues and the health sheet remains clean. Go Slovenia.

  • Lakers Assistant Greg St. Jean Thinks Luka Still Has Room to Improve

    Luka’s dedication to his physical fitness this summer has been no secret. We’ve heard the reports all offseason regarding his workouts, his diet plan as well as his overall commitment to getting in the best possible physical shape. The hard work is clearly showing, as Luka’s looked great during the 2025 EuroBasket exhibition games thus far. He was particularly dominant in his last game against Great Britain, where he tallied a stat line of 28 points, 6 rebounds and 10 assists in 28 minutes, en route to a 93-81 victory. Luka clearly has listened to the critiques slung his way, and is determined to prove this season that he’s one of the best and brightest stars in basketball. But despite Luka’s progress, and newfound outlook on his physique, Lakers’ assistant coach Greg St. Jean believes that there’s still room for improvements.

    St. Jean has known Luka for a bit, having worked with the Slovenian star dating back to his days with the Dallas Mavericks. When speaking to Edvinas Jablonskis of BasketNews, the Lakers’ assistant had the following to say:

    “I think it’s still a work in progress, I think the summer’s not over yet. And he’s going to continue to get better. I think we’ll continue to see as he gets more in-game shape with some rhythm.”

    “He’s been doing a lot of training, and now he’s going to be playing five-on-five competition. His game last week was the first time he’s played five-on-five in a long time.

    “So it’s a work in progress. We’ll continue to see him play more and more, and as the tournament progresses, and then getting ready for the Lakers season”.

    This is a very important statement, in my opinion. It shows that Luka is deeply committed to having a great showing for his team this season. It also shows that he’s still trying to improve his conditioning, and doesn’t view his current state as a finished product. He’s obviously been paying attention to the murmurs and comments made regarding his conditioning and overall commitment to his game. Luka has in turn made this summer all about showing what type of player he is. Being that he’s a great competitor, he isn’t pleased with the negative chatter and is determined to show the naysayers why they’re wrong about him. Can’t ask for anything more if you’re the Lakers, or Lakers fans. A pissed off and motivated Luka is the best Luka.

    It’s a good thing that Luka’s phycial progress has been reinforced by the game film. It’s been great to see him with his native Slovenia these last couple of weeks, where his game has looked razor-sharp, recalling flashes of some of his better years with the Mavs. There’s a crispness to his movements on the court, and his footwork certainly looks better than it did last season, which dropping weight can certainly accomplish. It’d be quite the sight to see an even slimmer and conditioned Luka at training camp in October versus where he is currently at. It would also show the basketball world that he is motivated to come back next year and perform at the highest possible level, possibly vying for legitimate MVP considerations. Luka knows he is a Laker now and that comes with certain responsibilities. Among those is being the face of the franchise on a platform with such a global visibility.

    Like all the Lakers greats before him, he understands the task and wants to shine in that spotlight. If he brings this same attitude into 2025-26, there is no reason why he can’t own that spotlight in a way that will elevate both his brand and the organization’s. So far Luka has made all the right decisions when it comes to being LAs new face of the organization. He’s kept quiet, kept his head down and worked to get better at his craft. He was already a great player last season, but he clearly isn’t satisfied with that. We can only hope that his type of motivation permeates through the season and through the locker room, as it’s the star player’s job to always lead by example. Until then, let’s hope Luka continues showing out on the international stage and continues making progress on his offseason. Go Lakers.

  • Luka Continues to Dominate on the International Stage

    A week after being sidelined by a brief injury scare while playing for team Slovenia, Lakers star Luka Dončić had himself a night during an exhibition tune-up against Great Britain. The Slovenian superstar finished the game with 28 points, 6 boards, 10 assists and 3 steals in an economic 28 minutes of action. Slovenia would go on to earn the victory, 93-81, marking their first triumph in Euro Basket exhibition play so far. The tournament’s matches are set to start on August 28th. Luka was in his bag all game, displaying his all-around brilliance and knack for filling up the scoresheet. This is a great sign for the LA Lakers, seeing as how Luka looks not just dominant on the court, but in outstanding physical shape. If he comes to training camp looking like this, he’s going to be a problem, for the opposition.

    Luka displayed all the elements that make him a great player during Slovenia’s matchup versus Great Britain. The post ups were sharp, the footwork was clean, the finishing crafty and the passing was ingenious. As is customary for Dončić, he got off to a hot start, scoring 21 of his total points in just his first 11 minutes of action. He then took his foot off the gas scoring-wise, and focused more on executing the pick and roll, whipping passes to open teammates. He was still able to control the pace of play when not scoring, as evidenced by his game-high assists total. The three point shot wasn’t quite there, shooting a mere 2-11 from distance. But those things always seem to even out. What’s important is Luka is looking sharp and healthy, which bodes extremely well for LA this upcoming season.

    After Luka’s brief injury scare against Latvia, last Wednesday, it’s great to see the Slovenian star back on the floor and looking like his old self. It’s also good that his team is monitoring his minutes so as to not overwork him throughout these exhibition games. But Luka is still filling up the statsheet in his limited minutes. Seems like the best of both worlds, Luka impresses while not logging a ton of minutes. He definitely seems locked in and focused. If he continues playing like this, he might actually carry Slovenia far in this tournament, despite the tougher competition when it comes to the likes of Germany and Serbia. It should be interesting to see how this tournament progresses, as Slovenia will take on Croatia, who are led by 3-time NBA MVP and NBA Champion Nikola Jokic, for a final tune-up before they kickstart the EuroBasket tournament on August 28th.

    It will be an uphill battle for Slovenia for sure, as they don’t have the depth to match-up with some of the better teams in the tournament. However, with this version of Luka, the playing field could well be levelled. He’s the type of player that can carry a team by running the offense and creating room for his teammates by way of his gravity. Because of the attention he draws with the ball in his hands, he can set up open shooters or hit a hard-rolling big in the paint for a dunk. So as long as Luka has the ball in his hands, Slovenia should have a puncher’s chance, because he’s just that type of player. From a Lakers-centric perspective though, these games aren’t as much about winning or losing as they are about Luka showing out and staying healthy. If those two things continue then things are looking up. In the meantime, let’s hope Luka’s international tenure helps motivate him to arrive sharp for training camp. Go Lakers, and Go Slovenia.

  • Adou Thiero Is Expected to Be Healthy For September Training Camp

    Los Angeles Lakers rookie forward Adou Thiero is said to be healthy for training camp. The Lakers traded for Thiero on draft night after the Brooklyn Nets selected him with the 36th overall pick in the second round of the 2025 NBA draft. Unfortunately, Thiero sustained a knee injury which kept him out of this year’s Summer League games, but he’s poised to return to the court ready for training camp and preseason. At 6″6, Adou Thiero is an intriguing prospect. He’s quite raw from a skillset standpoint, but he does have a ton of upside. It’s still unknown as far as what we should expect from Thiero this season, his rookie season. But he does possess the tools to potentially be a valuable contributor for this team moving forward.

    Thiero is an explosive athlete. His bounce and first step truly jump out of the film when watching him play. His speed and quickness allow him to be constantly active on defense and disrupt passing lanes. He has fairly good defensive instincts as well, which allows him to generate a healthy amount of turnovers. Then on the other side, he’s a tremendous finisher at the rim, with a robust dunking/finishing package to boot. He runs the floor well, and should be a natural fit playing alongside Luka Dončić in transition. He also happens to blessed with a formidable athletic profile, which you can see when he glides across the court with ease, or when he utilizes his wingspan to create turnovers, or when he finishes a vicious dunk after running the floor in transition. One of the main weaknesses this team will have to contend with is their general lack of athleticism, particularly on the wing. Thiero potentially addresses that by being a long, rangy and springy defensive specialist, while still having plenty of room to grow on the offensive side.

    Thiero’s main drawback is of course his shooting. He’s not a floor spacer at this point in his career, having shot just 25% from beyond the arc during his final season at the University of Arkansas. He shot just over 28% for his collegiate career. Thiero is still raw and unpolished as an offensive player, excelling mostly when he can utilize his great athletic gifts, and doesn’t have to deploy a specific skill, such as shooting the ball. He’s also lacking as a ballhandler, however, as an off-ball player, which he’ll mostly be utilized as, this is not his biggest issue. In order for him to reach his full potential, he must work himself into a resectable long range shooter, as well as someone who can knock down an open three. If he can ever be a corner specialist, with that type of defensive ability, he’ll be a pro for a long time.

    Adou Thiero is of course a Klutch Sports client. So it raises the question, did the the Lakers draft him based on merit, or to curry more favors with Rich Paul, LeBron’s long time agent and head of Klutch Sports? Who knows. But if Thiero can play, and fill a gap on this team while being a steady contributor, none of this will matter. He’s certainly a project at this stage, and I would venture to say that his expectations for this upcoming NBA season should be placed on the lower end of the spectrum. But he is a strong athlete, with a great finishing package and a defensive mindset that can make him very valuable to this team. The Lakers need willing defenders, who are above average athletes to build around Luka Dončić. Thiero certainly fits into that profile. The key for him will be evolving into a legitimate half-court threat on offense, so that he can keep the defense honest, and open things up for himself. It’s not a terribly dissimilar spot from the one Jarred Vanderbilt finds himself in. If Thiero can improve his shot-making as well as his finishing at the rim, he’ll work himself into a very sought after role player. For a second round selection, I think he brings great value and potential, while mitigating the risks involved with young prospects. Even though it might take him several years to reach his ceiling as a player, he can potentially fill an empty niche on this Lakers roster in the future, and if he does, the Lakers will have gone a long way to addressing their lack of athleticism and defense on the perimeter. Hopefully he shows us something in preseason. Go Lakers.

  • Update: Luka Avoids Serious Injury While Playing Internationally

    Lakers star Luka Dončić suffered what could be considered a bit of an injury scare while playing internationally for his native country of Slovenia. The incident happened during a play of an exhibition contest against rival Latvia last Wednesday, during a defensive possession. One of his teammates was chasing his man on a ball screen, opting to go over the screen and attempt to stay in front of his man, before eventually losing his footing and colliding with a helping Luka in the paint, eventually knocking both to the ground. The play took Luka out of action for the rest of the game, as he clearly looked to be in some discomfort, after having a player run into his knees, inadvertently. Player collisions involving the lower extremities, specifically the knees is no joke. These plays could result in guys getting hurt. Scary as it was, Luka received some great news from the team’s medical staff, as he appears to have avoided any serious injury. The Slovenian National Team had the following to say in a press release, “After the match in Riga, the team will continue preparations for EuroBasket on Monday – already on Tuesday, a clash with Great Britain awaits us at Arena Stožice. The team will also be joined in training by captain Luka Dončić, who fortunately finished the game against Latvia without injury”. Needless to say, that’s fantastic news for Luka Dončić and the Los Angeles Lakers, who just recently inked the Slovenian superstar to a 3-year/$165M extension.

    Injuries are a part of the game of basketball. But it’s still a source of anxiousness for both the Lakers and the fans to endure to see star players going at full intensity during international exhibition contests. Safe to say the organization and fans will be keeping a close eye on these contests, as they progress. They are still at the exhibition stage, and the actual games will begin shortly. The Lakers have a championship ambition, after re-signing Luka, and obviously that wouldn’t be near a possibility if he sustained a serious injury. So we all just hope for the best.

    In other news, of a positive note, Luka looked GREAT. He scored 26 points against Latvia, before exiting the contest midway through the 3rd quarter. He has looked phenomenal in his first two games with Slovenia thus far, looking to be in his best physical condition in quite some time. His movement and execution on the floor is looking razor sharp, and that’s a great thing for Luka and the Lakers. The 26-year old will look to rejoin the Slovenian roster in practice this Monday, as they look to finish out their round of contests. Hopefully these games are merely a tuneup for Luka, and he can come in to training camp in game shape, ready to help the team win.

    This offseason has been an interesting one for Luka, as he has been criticized for last season’s early playoffs exit. Much has been said, or written about his weight and overall physical condition. Thus it’s encouraging to see Luka take those words to heart, and channel them to his own advantage. He seems motivated to prove the doubters wrong and come on strong after his big contract extension. It’s good to witness that type of commitment from a star player; the type of thing that trickles down through the locker room and affects teammates positively. Hopefully Luka can finish playing these remaining games with his national team and stay hurt-free. In the meantime, let’s hope players follow suit and arrive ready for training camp and preseason in October. Go Lakers.

  • 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.