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  • Lakers Continue Summer League Skid as They Fall To Celtics

    Following a poor performance against the crosstown-rival Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers took the floor in Las Vegas to face off against bitter rivals, the Boston Celtics. Despite an up and down game for roughly three quarters, one that saw a healthy amount of lead changes, the Celtics eventually managed to pull away and defeat the Lakers by a final score of 87-78. The loss marks the Lakers’ third defeat of Vegas Summer League thus far, dropping their overall record to 1-3. The team got off to a solid start, having led the Celtics 26-21 after the opening quarter. However, they followed that with a 9 point second quarter as they entered halftime down by 5 points, and never quite recovered. This was one of those games were the team simply looked flat, unfocused and undisciplined as they were outplayed by a superior and better-coached Celtics group. Not to mention their carelessness led to 21 turnovers to Boston’s 16, and their lack of playmaking producing only 17 team assists to Boston’s 21. To add insult to injury (quite literally), forward Darius Bazley who’d been one of the few standouts in Lakers Summer League thus far, sustained what appeared to be a leg injury and exited the court by way of a wheelchair. Incredibly disappointing, as he had performed at a high level during the first couple of Summer League outings, and will now likely see his journey back to the NBA (he played overseas last season) be put in jeopardy. Hopefully the big guy will be OK, but it didn’t look to good. He left the game with 8 points and 4 boards in 8 minutes, as he appeared to be on his way to yet another good game for the team. All in all, it was a very lethargic showing by the young Lakers, with some bright spots to be had, but not enough to secure the win.

    Bronny James continued his improvement, and was perhaps the Lakers’ best player tonight, going for 18 points, 3 rebounds and 5 assists on on 7-13 shooting from the field (including 1-4 from three). He looked sharp at times, attacking the half-court defense on drives to the rim and showing off strides with his finishing ability. On the down side, he turned the ball over 8 times, mostly while playing the role of initiator on the pick and roll. Some of it was his teammates not rolling to the basket with conviction, but some of it was also his timing on passes. Often taking bad passing angles or attempting to thread tight windows. That’s what Summer League is for I suppose, so it’s good for Bronny to get those reps in. But I have to go back to what I mentioned a few entries back in that LA simply lacks a true initiator and floor general. They currently don’t have that player on this Summer League group. The offense looks disjointed and it’s hard to get into any type of flow within the half-court, as they rely on rudimentary stuff like handoffs and high ball screens top create shots, all of which good defenses can easily snuff out. It’s a shame that exhibit-10 prospect Augustas Marčiulionis has been unavailable for SL due to injury, as he would’ve made an exciting addition for a team starved for ballhandling and playmaking. Hopefully we’ll see more of him come training camp and pre-season.

    Dalton Knecht had another sub-par showing. In fact, with the exception of the second game of the Cali classic versus San Antonio, Knecht has been pretty bad in every SL game so far. Definitely an underwhelming sign, considering that this is a player who was a standout in the SEC two years ago and showed major scoring potential during his rookie year with the Lakers. Against mostly G-Leaguers and NBA hopefuls, one would expect Dalton to look like doesn’t belong in Vegas Summer League, in a good way. Unfortunately that hasn’t quite materialized. Tonight he scored just 8 points on 3-12 shooting (and 1-4 from three). What’s more concerning is that you see other players of objectively lesser status completely outperform him. Most of the Celtics’ wings had no issues getting their shots off and drilling threes, which Knecht has struggled with so far. The shot creation isn’t quite there, neither is the separation or the shot-making. Very disappointing, as I’m expecting big things from Dalton this upcoming season, so this isn’t the best start. Perhaps that midseason almost-trade for Mark Williams messed him up mentally. Although he had strong performances last season post all-star break. Maybe he doesn’t care much for Summer League, and isn’t going all-in. With that said, if he’s playing this way come pre-season, it’ll be time to start asking tough questions regarding Knecht’s future with the team. He was drafted in the first round of last year’s NBA Draft, and it’s imperative for teams in the current CBA landscape to develop their own talent internally. We’ll see where he’s at come October. Maybe playing with high-end playmakers like Luka and Austin Reaves will open up the floor for him and help his confidence, or at least I hope.

    Christian Koloko had another encouraging game, collecting 12 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists, to go with 6 blocks (his interior defense was tremendous). He’s brought great energy, length and mobility on the front court for the Lakers, and I personally feel like he’s a great guy to have at the G-League level, or as a break-glass emergency for the Lakers and their front court. His rolling game is strong and he can finish at the rim as well. The three ball isn’t quite there, but he can hone his shooting in the G-League. Additionally, Cole Swider also had a good game, producing 12 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists. He only shot 2-7 from beyond the arc, but once again, most of those shots didn’t come from any type of flow or great ball movement. The lack of a true point guard on this Summer League squad truly hurts this team’s ability to generate good looks. The team does move the ball, but there are no natural playmakers or players who pass with purpose. This particularly affects guys like Knecht and Swider, who thrive as catch and shoot options.

    Conversely, the Boston Celtics played a very strong team game. They controlled the pace of play, with their energetic defense and aggressive play in transition. Their ball movement was crisp which led to them getting many quality looks from range, which they made at a 32% rate (compared to an abysmal 21% for LA). The Celtic’s G-Leaguers play the exact same way that their NBA team plays. They try to swarm the opponent on defense, then attack the open floor with rhythm and spacing, which leads to a bunch of quality looks from three. They also move the ball exceptionally well. Yes, pretty much their entire roster might not see any time in the NBA this season, but to their credit, they try to maintain a consistent philosophy, whether it’s Vegas Summer League or the NBA. This is the type of structure that the Lakers need to aim for, organizationally speaking. They need to have an identity that permeates the organization from top to bottom. From the NBA roster, to the G-League, to Summer League. So far the Lakers have played disjointed. Many of their high points have from players’ individually shining, despite a lack of team-wide cohesion. They lack structure on offense, as well as a culture for players to adhere to. Yes, even G-Leaguers. They just got smoked by a bunch of no-namers from the Celtics who did the exact opposite. This clearly isn’t the end of the world for the Lakers, but perhaps it is a wakeup call to start investing more resources into advanced scouting and player development. G-League coaches, assistant coaches, the works. Head Coach Lindsay Harding hasn’t done an impressive job in preparing the team for these games, and it shows. This Lakers squad isn’t loaded by any stretch, but they should have the ability to play to their strengths and execute a solid game plan that makes them look up to standard with the rest of Summer League.

    There’s a lot of work to do for the Lakers, but for now, I hope they’ll finish strong against the Denver Nuggets, in the Summer League finale tomorrow night. Yeah, these games don’t really matter. But it’s still Lakers basketball, and you still want to see them win. Not to mention, display the type of organizational structure that inspires confidence in the club moving forward. You always have to keep improving. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Fall To Clippers In 3rd Game of Vegas Summer League

    After an encouraging showing against the New Orleans Pelicans, the Los Angeles Lakers fell to the crosstown rival Clippers during Monday’s contest of Summer League action in Las Vegas by a score of 67-58 (ugly game). The Lakers now sit at 1-2 in the early stages of Vegas Summer League. LA got off to a nice start, thanks in part to Bronny James, who came out shooting the ball well. Bronny scored 5 quick points in the early portion of the first quarter, providing some rhythm for the struggling Lakers’ offense. Bronny played a much improved all-around game finishing with 17 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists on 6-10 shooting from the field and 3-5 from deep. It was perhaps his best outing in Summer League so far, even going back to last summer. Unfortunately, no one on the team brought that same level of effort or productivity. Cole Swider added 16 points on 15 shots, including 4-11 from three, however, aside from Bronny and Swider, no other Laker managed to crack double digits in scoring. Overall, the team also struggled significantly at shooting the three, going only 9-30 as a team from distance. It was certainly an ugly game for the Lakers, much of it fuelled by one of my early concerns going in to summer league; the lack of a traditional point guard to run the offense. Last Saturday, against the Pelicans, LA managed to move the ball soundly and produce a well balanced offensive attack. Against a more disciplined and physical Clippers, their ball movement was foiled by the Clippers’ suffocating defense, relegating LA to aimlessly swinging the ball around the perimeter, with no real gameplan to break down the defense. Thus they ended up settling for bad shots, and were unable to find any consistent rhythm throughout the contest.

    Dalton Knecht had another rough showing, scoring only 8 points on 3-15 shooting and 1-8 from three. Even though it’s still very early in the year, it does raise some alarms regarding DKs readiness come training camp and eventually the regular season. His shot has looked flat so far, perhaps an indicator of lack of conditioning. He was coming off of an injury suffered during last Thursday’s game against the Mavericks, but one would still expect him to stand out amongst mostly second rounders, two-way contract guys and G-Leaguers that make up every club’s Summer League program. This hasn’t been the case so far, so concerns about his productivity come next season are warranted. Another downside to Kencht’s game at the moment is his defense. He’s seemingly exposed constantly when it comes to help defense and on-ball defense, displaying poor fundamentals and decision-making on both areas. He repeatedly looks lost as a help defender (often wandering off his man on the wing or at the corner), and consistently takes bad angles to close out a driver’s lane to the rim. Alot of these things come down to effort, awareness and positioning. Unfortunately, there isn’t much improvement on that end, or as much as one would have hoped. Dalton is still young but he needs to make strides as a defender if he is to be a viable contributor this season. He has the the tools, athletically speaking, but it’s up to him to put the pieces together and start making things happen on the defensive end.

    As I mentioned, Bronny James had a surprisingly strong performance, maybe his strongest of Summer League yet. He shot the three ball well, which is encouraging. He also flashed some of his driving ability, finishing at the rim over contact on a few occasions and even showing some post-up chops against switches. I think there’s still much room for improvement and growth, nonetheless, it’s great to witness the improvement. Hopefully he can keep getting better. Defensively, one has to like his activity, especially when engaged. In the past he’s often played with a low motor, but against the Clippers, the effort and the hustle were clearly present. This needs to be a consistent trend with Bronny, as that will make up for his lack of polish offensively. Being the first guy to every loose ball is a great way to earn the coaching staff’s trust, which will help keep him on the floor during crucial minutes.

    There weren’t many other standouts, not to mention, this was a very sloppy and slow game for both sides. LA made a decent push to assume control, as they ended the first half only down by one point, 32-31. Even late in the fourth quarter they managed to take a 54-53 lead. But they failed to score consistently to end the quarter, eventually watching the Clippers go on a short run to close them out. The Lakers also did not do themselves any favors, going only 5-13 from the free throw line for the game. It was a very un-synchronized and clumsy performance, which makes it very tough to win these types of games. This SL roster certainly lacks individual talent that stands out, which makes their lack of a legitimate floor general all the more evident. They’re having trouble generating looks, and when NBA guys like Knecht are struggling with their shot, it’s very tough to get any thing going on the offensive end. Moving forward, I’d like to see the team implement more ball movement, and emphasize getting better off-ball movement from their catch and shoot threats, namely Knecht and Swider. This team’s identity seems to be their shooting (at least on paper) and their rebounding. If they can go back to defending aggressively, thus generating turnovers and utilizing their shooters to create space on the break, they will be able to find easier looks during their early offense. The Clippers did a great job of stiffling the Lakers’ gameplan, but the team needs to go back to playing aggressive defense and attack the open floor, as they don’t have much going on the half-court (this is were not having a true PG hurts this group). Hopefully we can see some adjustments, as well as having players like Knecht get back into a groove. If so, they’ll be able to finish on a high note. Now, it’s on to the Boston Celtics on Thursday In Vegas, as the team looks to bring its record to 2-2. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Rebound To Pick Up First win Of Vegas Summer League

    Following a close 87-85 defeat to Cooper Flagg and the Dallas Mavericks, the Lakers Summer League squad picked up their first win of the Vegas Tournament after besting the New Orleans Pelicans 94-81, bringing their tournament record to 1-1. It was an impressive team win, as the young Lakers looked in control of the contest for most of the game. They raced out to a slow start, falling behind to the Pelicans 9-0 at the early stages of the first quarter. But they kept the effort and intensity, managing to secure a 22-19 to end the initial period. The Lakers would not relinquish the lead again, as they mounted a robust team effort, fuelled by 27 team assist (to the Pelicans’ 6), to put New Orleans away and secure their first victory of the Vegas Summer League Tournament.

    The Lakers were led by small forward Cole Swider, whose 21 points (on 8-9 from the field and 4-9 from three) led both sides. Swider is a bonafide deadeye shooter from range, and he’s proven so every opportunity he’s received in Summer League play over the last years. He does a great job of hanging around the corners and capitalizing on open looks from three. He’s also adept at relocating off ball, creating better angles for passes from his teammates. He’d be a solid rotational pro if not for his sub-par defense. But he’s certainly helping this current squad greatly. Darius Bazley (12 points and 10 rebounds on 33 minutes) and Christian Koloko (13 points and 7 boards on 23 minutes) both had strong performances; it seemed as though the Lakers’ big men had an extra pop in their step, as they both ran the floor aggressively and displayed tremendous defensive intensity. Both players combined for 8 blocks. The team’s effort was much better today, as their swarming defense generated a healthy amount of turnovers by New Orleans, which in turn allowed the Lakers to get and run and attack them in space. In doing so, this strategy also collapsed the Pels’ defense at times, creating open looks on the corners for players like Swider and DJ Steward to feast on. This is the type of multi-pronged offensive attack that one would like to see from this Lakers team, both during Summer League, pre-season and regular season. It was a fantastic team effort put forth by the young Lakers.

    Forward and second year pro Dalton Knecht missed tonight’s contest, after exiting last Thursday’s game with a late-game calf cramp. Fortunately, he’s been stated to have avoided serious injury, but ended up sitting out of Saturday’s contest for precautionary measures. Hopefully he will be good to go Monday night against the Clippers. Second year guard Bronny James also had an encouraging showing; registering 14 points on 5-11 from the field and 1-5 from three. Though not a great game on the surface, Bronny’s effort and tenacity was decidedly a step up from the last couple on contests. He was quite active defensively, tallying a pair of steals. He also seemed more aggressive off the bounce on offense, and showed willingness to attack his defender one on one, scoring on a couple of drives to the rim. Not to mention, his off ball movement was crisp as he had some nice backdoor cuts against overplaying defenders. That’s the type of motor Bronny needs to showcase. If he plays with that level of energy then there might actually be a spot for him the big club’s rotation.

    I was impressed by the Laker’s effort tonight, as they really got after the Pelicans defensively and were relatively in control of the game all throughout. The activity from the big men (Koloko and Bazley) was key. Particularly, the way they executed their rim runs in transition, often leading to open dunks, or collapsing New Orleans’ defense to free up shooters running wide. The team played with improved pace and rhythm, and their floor spacing seemed to have the Pels’ defense on constant scramble mode, which the Lakers took full advantage of by way of excellent ball movement. I’m curious to see if they can keep this type of effort up, and if Dalton Knecht can figure into the gameplan without disrupting the team’s flow on the offensive end. If they keep up this level of play throughout the tournament, their shooters will have no issues capitalizing on open looks, not to mention, the defense seems to be getting it together. It was a solid win by the young Lakers, and hopefully they can keep building on this momentum. The Lakers will play the LA Clippers Summer Leaguers on Monday night, so we’ll see what both teams will have in store. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Fall To Mavs In Vegas Summer League Opener

    After capping off the California Classic with a big comeback win against the San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers Summer Leaguers came out flat during game one of the Las Vegas Summer League Tournament against the Dallas Mavericks. Prized number one draft pick Cooper Flagg and the young Mavs took down the Lakers 87-85, giving LA its second loss in 4 games of Summer League play so far. It was an up and down contest, with Lakers getting off to a hot start early on, and securing a 47-43 lead by halftime. The Lakers would go on to give up their lead in the third, after forward Dalton Knecht, who had it going late in the third quarter, was subbed out. LAs youngsters made a strong push to regain the lead, late through the fourth quarter, only to see one of their leading scorers Dalton Knecht, exit the game with a cramp (after blowing an easy layup). The Lakers failed to muster any offense during the final minutes, as they watched their lead evaporate as Dallas took command, eventually closing out the Lakers en route to a 87-85 victory.

    Sharpshooter Cole Swider continued to impress, as the 26 year-old NBA hopeful connected on 6-9 three point shots, on his way to scoring 22 for the night. Big man Darius Bazley also continued his solid play, tallying 8 points and 11 boards. More importantly, he played a key role in holding Dallas’ young ace Cooper Flagg to just 10 points on 21 shots. Bazley put forth a tremendous effort on the defensive end against the number one overall pick, utilizing his length to disrupt and alter shots as well as clean the the glass. Bazley has been a pleasant surprise so far in these games, and the Lakers currently hold an open two-way contract spot. Perhaps he should be the one to get it. He’s been a big part of the Lakers’ relative success thus far.

    Second year man Dalton Knecht had another inconsistent game, scoring 15 points on 16 shots, in addition to going 3-7 from beyond the arc. He was unable to catch a rhythm tonight, but did produce a few bright spots. His defense was fairly decent, and he did manage to string together some good sequences. He led a late 3rd quarter push to give the Lakers the lead, connecting on a couple of threes in addition to having a nice drive and finish at the rim. In a somewhat puzzling decision, Dalton was pulled with about five minutes in the third quarter, and the Lakers proceeded to lose the lead heading into the fourth. Knecht received some rest to start the final quarter, and after checking in he helped LA regain the lead. Unfortunately, he suffered a case of the cramps, after stealing the ball at mid-court following an errant Mavs crosscourt pass. He then drove to the rim, but cramped up as he was going up for the layup. The Lakers were down a point at this moment, and unfortunately failed to produce consistent offense the rest of the way. Following DKs exit, LA saw Dallas push their lead and eventually close them out.

    Bronny James had another poor performance. The sophomore scored 7 points on 2-8 shooting from the field, and 1-6 from three point range. He got off to a hot 2-2 start with five points in quarter one, but failed to find any semblance of a groove the rest of the way. Given the fact that Bronny was awarded a guaranteed deal, as a second round draft choice out of USC during last summer’s NBA Draft, it’s reasonable to expect some kind of NBA ready attributes from the young legacy prospect. So far I don’t see how that’s the case. Defensively, he had some good moments checking prized pick Cooper Flagg, ultimately registering a couple of defensive stops. But his overall focus looks lackluster and he also missed some rotations leading to open threes. Offensively, Bronny is quite raw, to put it politely. He still lacks a tight handle, is not a natural playmaker and still sports a broken jumper. Even if he winds up becoming another all defense/no offense type who can readily defend at the NBA level, the Lakers already have a player of this billing in Jarred Vanderbilt. In order for Bronny to register any significant playing time, he will have to show some flashes of offense. He needs to find some spark when it comes to shooting, playmaking or finishing at the basket. For a player with no standout skill in his bag, Bronny plays with no motor. If his offense is lacking, then he needs to display some consistent tenacity on the defensive end by being both a pest and a disruptor. He needs to be the guy who finds his way to every loose ball. Ala Alex Caruso, or Trevor Ariza from year’s past. And yes, it’s fair to point out these things because Bronny James is a Los Angeles Laker, and was given a firm roster spot on guaranteed salary. On a team that’s viewed as a playoff contender in a tough Western Conference, every roster spot has to count. The team cannot be wasting a roster spot on a low-ceiling project such as Bronny. And yes, that’s precisely what he is at the moment. He has some work to do before he is a legitimate rotation player for the Lakers, and if and when he gets there, props to him.

    The Lakers continue their Las Vegas summer games this Saturday, as they take on the New Orleans Pelicans. Hopefully the team can continue to gel and guys continue to shine given their opportunities. Cole Swider and Darius Bazley have both been standouts thus far. Dalton Knecht continues to be up and down, despite signs that he’s finding his groove. I firmly believe that the Lakers win this contest if not for Knecht’s injury late in the fourth, as the team lost its best NBA shotmaker after he exited the contest. But alas, no excuses. The lack of a true point guard has also held this Summer League group back a tad, as they don’t have a natural floor general to set cup the offense, which often leads a lot of robotic passes in hopes of finding an open shot. But again, no excuses. Let’s hope the young Lakers can find their rhythm and put forth a better effort in these last few games. One where they can establish a lead early on, through sound ball movement and team defense, and ultimately hold on to that lead. This roster already has NBA players on it, perhaps by the end of the tournament it can give us a few more. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Will Look To Buy-Out Market Amidst Slow Free Agency

    This summer’s free agency hasn’t exactly provided the fireworks that NBA fans have become accustomed to in previous years. Particularly for the Los Angeles Lakers who have not made any big moves so far, besides the signings of Jake LaRavia and Deandre Ayton. Due to the new salary cap stipulations, LA has found itself with little wiggle room to make any big moves. Consequently, they’ve been forced to use their limited resources to attempt to improve the roster as best they can around the margins. 

    Rumors have surfaced that the team might be potential players on the buyout market, given the slow nature of this free agency period coupled with the CBA’s limits on their spending power. This looks to be a modern trend that might become more prevalent in the coming seasons as teams and front offices adjust to life in the new collective bargaining agreement. Teams are becoming wary of dishing out large contracts, and have adopted a much more conservative approach to their spending habits. Because of the punitive nature of the salary cap’s 1st and 2nd aprons, front offices have been treading the free agent season much more lightly than in eras past. Thus, buyouts and roster cuts are becoming more of a trend. Much in line with the NFL, once teams reach a certain threshold in the salary, namely past the 1st apron, they’re often faced with making tough decisions like cuts, buyouts or trades. The looming 2nd apron, and its ensuing penalties makes it so that owners are much less eager to blow past the luxury tax and much more willing to consistently stay below it. However, unlike the NFL, the NBA is not a hard cap league, but its ultra restrictive 2nd apron almost makes it a defacto hard cap. Unless a team is fielding a surefire championship contender, an owner will almost certainly aim to stay below that 2nd apron on principle, in order to avoid its consequences. This newfound philosophy could open up new possibilities on the buyout market. 

    Lately we’ve seen guys such as Deandre Ayton, Dame Lillard, and now potentially Bradley Beal get the axe from their teams and having their contracts bought out. We’ve even heard whispers of LeBron James being a potential buyout candidate so that he can go ring-chase on another contender, presumably in the Eastern Conference. That scenario is highly unlikely. With that said, all of these scenarios would have viewed as taboo in years past, when the NBA was a much more player’s friendly league, and owners were usually forced to pony up the money even after dishing out a bad contract. But tides have turned, and the NBA has started to resemble more that of the NFL, where owners are more willing to dump a player’s contract so that they can reset their books or avoid hitting that 2nd apron. Definitely a trend to look at moving forward, as well as something that can dramatically change the way players, agents and front office executives alike view the concept of a player’s worth.

    With Beal being a potential buyout candidate, the Lakers have been said to be one of the teams interested in signing the veteran guard. Additionally, the Clippers, Warriors and Bucks are also rumored to be in the mix, should Beal become available. From a Lakers’ viewpoint, bringing in someone like Beal would offer obvious benefits as well as potential challenges. To start with, the Lakers, or any team for that matter could benefit from the services of a seasoned scorer like Beal. He’s still someone who can put the ball in the hole, even in his thirties, after averaging over 17 points last season on a shade under 50% shooting. He did this mostly as a third option, playing behind Devin Booker and Kevin Durant on the Phoenix Suns. Bringing him on board the Lakers roster, however, would likely require some drastic changes. Namely either bringing Beal off the bench, or relegating fan-favorite Austin Reaves to the bench. A starting lineup of Luka, LeBron, Reaves, Ayton and Beal would quite simply fail to provide the defensive capacity to win games consistently. Not to mention, one of Reaves or Beal would be forced to play out of position. You might even consider trading AR in that instance for defensive reinforcement on the perimeter. Such as for New Orleans’ Herb Jones. 

    The Lakers, for their part have maintained their bi-annual exception of roughly $5M open so that they have the flexibility to make a play at a Bradley Beal or any similar cap casualty. Beal however, looks poised to sign with the LA Clippers should he receive a buyout. So this might be a moot point. But the Lakers will likely head into the season with the bi-annual exception in hand should any player that fits a need emerge as a buyout option. They’ll likely have to make a roster cut in order to open up roster space for such a move; perhaps someone like Shake Milton would be that player. In any case, LA looks to be positioning itself as a prime destination for midseason waiver wire acquisitions, should any team decide to shed salary at any point in the coming season. In this new era of NBA salary cap, you never know what players may become available at a given moment.

    In other news, the Lakers’ Summer Leaguers topped the Spurs in their third and final contest of the California Classic by a final score of 89-88. The team made a late fourth quarter surge, as they played poorly for most of the game, yet somehow managed to stay within striking distance. NBA hopeful Darius Bazley led the way with an impressive 27 points and 13 boards. 2nd year pro Dalton Knecht led the late push, scoring 15 points in the fourth quarter, giving him 25 points for the night, on 4-8 from beyond the arc, to go with 8 rebounds. Bronny James had a meek showing scoring just 2 points on 1-5 shooting from the field in 15 minutes of action. It was good to see Dalton get his groove back, as his three ball came alive in the fourth quarter. Hopefully he can keep it going for the rest of SL, and eventually the regular season. The team, though did not play exceptionally well tonight, after they were out-executed by a disciplined Spurs team for most of the contest. They did manage to catch them off guard to end the game and cap off an improbable comeback. With that said, you’d like to see the team play better during the first half and build leads that they can sustain. It was a good game, and hopefully the team will keep progressing into the tournament. They’ll now head to Vegas, where they’ll face the Dallas Mavericks, and number one overall pick Cooper Flagg, as both teams kick off their Summer League Tournament. Hopefully the kids stay hungry and put forth a strong showing against the talented young Mavericks. Namely for the guys who will be on the big club, we want to see them show out. Go Lakers. 

  • Young Lakers Show Out in California Classic

    Lakers had a strong showing during their second summer league outing, defeating the Miami Heat 103-83. Coming on the heels of a loss to the Golden state Warriors in the first game of the California Classic, the Lakers’ Summer Leaguers rebounded nicely with a solid win against Miami’s youngsters. Forward Cole Swider led the way with 20 points in 27 minutes of action, shooting 7-10 from the field. LA also recieved a big boost from Darius Bazley, the 6th year NBA man who’s currently with the Lakers’ Summer League squad with the hope of rehabilitating his value around the league after missing all of last season. Blazley has looked promising so far in SL, scoring 16 points in this game, but it’s unlikely that the Lakers will be able to sign him to a team contract given that they already have guaranteed salary committed to 14 players. Bronny James had a decent showing, scoring 10 points in 11 minutes of play. He’s still being gradually worked into the lineup, after missing the first SL game, and will likely continue to see his minutes go up as his conditioning gets better. It’s encouraging to see Bronny have a good outing, seeing as how he was fairly disappointing all of last season. However, it remains to be seen how he fares against real NBA talent, in year 2. Summer League after all, is glorified exhibition basketball. With that said you do want to see your young prospects show out, as they aren’t exactly going against the stiffest competition.

    For me, the big story so far has been that of Dalton Knecht, who has greatly struggled through the first two games of SL action. After scoring 10 points on a paltry 3-13 shooting (0-6 from three) against Golden state during the California Classic opener, Knecht came back to score just 4 points on 2-7 shooting against Miami. His defense however has looked pretty good, albeit against Summer Leaguers. You’d like to see his shot come around, as that is the only true strength of his game at this moment, and the only thing keeping him from being a complete negative on the court. With that said, I think it’s too early to judge. We saw him shoot the three-ball exceptionally well at certain points last season, but also endured stretches of inconsistency. I think he will get it going offensively during Summer League and eventually start hitting his shots. But given that he’s a 24 year old former first rounder, and a second year pro, it would be ideal to see Dalton crush it against less experienced competition in SL. Hopefully he gets it going as the SL action ramps up. The main thing to look for though is the defense. It’s crucial for Dalton to make the necessary strides towards becoming a legitimate NBA defender, particularly when it comes to his defensive stance on the perimeter and his role as a team defender. He often looked lost last season in both departments. It will be imperative for Knecht to bring his defense up to near the level of his offense, in order to gain Head Coach JJ Redick’s trust and establish himself as a regular in the rotation.

    One area of disappointment for me regarding the Lakers’ Summer League group has been their lack of a floor general. Undrafted guard Augustas Marčiulionis (son of former star sixth man Šarūnas Marčiulionis) who the Lakers signed to an exhibit-10 contract will likely not be able to participate in Summer League due to injury. I was looking forward to seeing him in action, as his college tape at St. Mary’s flashed some of his upside as a playmaker and lead guard. I also think that players like Knecht fare much better when playing off of a great ballhandler, such as Luka or AR. With that said, you still want to see better output on Knecht’s part, and his shooting has certainly raised some, if not urgent, concerns. Thankfully Bronny looked decent, although on limited minutes, and the Lakers were able to capture their first win of Summer Exhibition ball. Not that these games are incredibly meaningful, but as long as the young guys are looking good, that is certainly cause for optimism. Player development is crucial for the young Lakers, and we can only hope that new ownership will place a strong emphasis on their in-house player growth. It will be essential moving forward.

    The Lakers will play San Antonio on Tuesday, to cap off the third contest of the California Classic. After that the team will head to Vegas for the Summer League tournament, starting Thursday. Essentially, these first three games are merely warmups for the Summer League Exhibition Tournament in Vegas on July 10-18. Lets hope the players catch their stride and have a strong showing, particularly those with NBA prospects. The Lakers need as much of a youth infusion as they can get, and any newcomers to their rotation will be greatly welcomed. Hopefully the kids will show some flashes and put on a show. Go Lakers.

  • Lakers Fill Holes In Free Agency

    It took them a moment, but the Los Angeles Lakers’ summer of free agency got off the ground on Wednesday after the addition of center Deandre Ayton. Ayton, who was bought out last Sunday by the Portland Trailblazers, went through the waivers process which he cleared on Wednesday. Shortly after, he inked a 2 year/$16M contract (player option on year 2) with the Lakers to be their starting center. The decision came after a few days of speculation regarding where Ayton would land. The Warriors, Pacers, Bucks and Lakers were all reported to be in the mix. With Golden States having its sights set on veteran Al Horford, and with the Bucks having signed former Pacer pivot Myles Turner, the competition for Ayton came down to Los Angeles and Indiana. It was suggested that Ayton might have gone for a situation such as what Indiana was offering, one where he could command the offensive spotlight (following Turner’s departure and Tyrese Haliburton’s achilles injury) and maximize his post touches. An empty canvas to feast upon. However, the Purple and Gold allure was too much for the former Blazers big man to pass up on, who will now get to play opposite in the pick and roll from Luka Dončić and LeBron James. It should also be noted that Ayton’s agent, Billy Duffy, also represents Luka Dončić (as well as Jaxson Hayes: more on him later), which almost certainly played at least a minor role in the signing. An agent’s influence should never be underestimated in these scenarios, particularly when it comes to their ability to steer a player to a particular destination. 

    Ayton is by no means a perfect player. Nor was he penciled in by most pundits to land with LA at the start of free agency, when he was still under contract with Portland. I certainly didn’t mention him during my free agent targets entry, but things move quickly in the NBA. One thing Ayton has going for him is youth; at 26 years of age, he is much younger than the other crop of free agents presumed to be of interest to the Lakers. Brook Lopez is 37. Al Horford is 39. Clint Capela is 31. None of those guys, for all of their virtues, meet LAs preference for youth. Ayton could in theory be a longterm fit for LA, provided that he has a strong showing in 2026, after which he will more than likely opt-out of his player option. The same can’t be said for the other players in question. 

    As far as on-court fit with Ayton, there is both bad and good. The counting stats definitely look solid. 14.4ppg to go with 10.2rpg and a block per game. He did this on 57% shooting from the field and 67% from the stripe. In all truth, great numbers for a 4th/5th option. However it’s on the other side of the ball where his deficiencies come to surface. He isn’t the greatest, or the most willing defender. Often exerting a poor effort on that department. His ball screen coverage is lackluster, opting to play in a deep drop coverage and failing to make a convincing effort to contest shots. His block rates are also poor, which is supported but the counting stats. Though he possesses all the physical tools, he doesn’t seem to consistently put forth the best effort on the defensive end. The Lakers’ coaching staff however, has proven the ability to get the most value out of centers who don’t exactly have a defensive reputation. Take Jaxson Hayes for example, who the Lakers also just resigned to 1 year/veteran’s minimum deal. Hayes posted his best rebounding numbers of his career, as well as his best shooting percentage (72%), on a team where he was the only viable center post all-star break. He filled the role admirably during that stretch, some of which can be directly attributed to the Lakers’ coaching staff and their ability to work with young players (Hayes is 25). The hope is that some of that coaching can rub off on Ayton, not to mention the responsibilities that come with playing for a team with serious playoff aspirations. Perhaps these factors can serve as positive influences for the young, inconsistent yet immensely talented Ayton.

    On the flip side, Ayton’s offense is a fairly seamless fit in LAs system. To start, his ability as a pick setter is quite excellent. Then his ability to roll, catch and finish is exactly the type of skillset you want next to Luka on the pick and roll. Ayton is a gifted athlete, with outstanding mobility for a player his size. It really is just a matter of effort with him. He will certainly bring a dimension to the pick and roll that they haven’t had since perhaps AD. Except Luka never played with AD. Ayton can set a good pick, and has great instincts for angles which allow him to maximize his rolling prowess. He’s also possesses the athletic profile (7’0” 250lbs) to finish virtually everything around the rim. His addition to the offense will certainly unlock even more avenues for players on the weak side. His roll-man gravity will help players like Rui or Dalton Knecht feast on open shots on the single side, opposite of the ball handler. Ayton can also run the floor and fill the lanes extremely well. Again, it comes down to effort. If the effort is there on both ends, we could see a hungry and motivated season from the big man, one that could presumably net him the great payday he’s seeking. But more importantly, he can help LA win some games in the immediate future. 

    The Lakers also signed 6’8” forward Jake LaRavia to a 2 year/$12M contract. LA essentially split the midlevel exception ($14.5M) into Ayton and LaRavia. The 23 year old forward just completed his third season in the NBA, one that saw him traded from Memphis to Sacramento during the trade deadline. LaRavia put up 6.9ppg and 3.9rpg on roughly 47% shooting overall and 42% from beyond the arc. He certainly has the tools to excel in the Lakers’ offense. He’ll be a nice weapon to slot on the weak side of pick and rolls, when Luka is handling the ball and Ayton is rolling hard to the rim. He can stretch a defense as well as hit the open trey when his defender is cheating. He is also a good off-ball threat, as he can cut and dive to the hoop when there’s an open lane. He’s a very good spot-up shooter and also has a decent handle to boot. At 23 years old, he’s exactly the type of acquisition this team needs. Young, somewhat raw, but with plenty of upside, and on a team-friendly deal as well. His defense though, is a question mark. He plays with great effort. He rotates purposefully, and moves his feet. However, he’s still raw on that end and still requires some work. But again, this is where the Lakers’ coaching staff can take these players’ games to the next level. It’s a great signing by LA, given that LaRavia is young, plays with the right attitude and still has plenty of room for growth. 

    Jake LaRavia will be replacing forward Dorian Finney-Smith, who inked a 4 year/$53M contract with the Houston Rockets at the start of free agency. While it certainly hurts to see DFS go (he was perhaps the team’s best defender on the perimeter), I think it was a wise move by LAs front office to have not matched Houston’s contract offer. DFS is 32, and a four-year deal at this stage, for that type of player, is not the smartest strategy for the Lakers. He’ll be 36 by the end of his contract, where the team runs the risk of him being a negative asset by then. They decided to go younger by replacing DFS with Jake LaRavia, who isn’t nearly the defender that DFS is, but in my opinion is more advanced offensively and still possesses the tools to work himself into a positive player on the defensive end. The Lakers are going younger, and are deliberately targeting players that project for the future. And I’m OK with that. Quite frankly, it’s a philosophy they should’ve adopted long ago. My only hope is that the commitment to this ideal is legitimate and not just for show, eventually reverting back to the old ways. 

    LA also retained the services of center Jaxson Hayes, who signed a 1 year/$3.6M deal to remain with the club. Hayes is who is at this point. He’s a journeyman center, who found relative success last season after Anthony Davis was traded, with Jaxson remaining as the only true center on the roster. There were certainly some positives, as we saw Hayes excel in the pick and roll, being the recipient of many Luka Dončić lobs. However, come playoff time, Jaxson was handily played off the floor. Head Coach JJ Redick infamously refused to play him late in the series, forcing the Lakers to play small, thus helping the Minnesota Timberwolves capitalize on LAs lack of size. Hayes is not a perfect player as we all know, but in a strict backup role, I believe he’s adequate. If he can duplicate his output from late last season, the Lakers will be in good shape. On a one-year contract, he’s also doesn’t hurt future cap considerations. Not the perfect option by any stretch, but on a team starved for size, Hayes certainly fits a need, albeit not perfectly. 

    Have the Lakers assembled a surefire championship roster? Probably not. But personally, I like their commitment to acquiring young pieces that can pay off in the future while also not hindering the team’s financial flexibility. And honestly, with LeBron opting-in to his albatross $52M player contract, it’s virtually impossible to properly field a legitimate contender, as he did not leave the team any breathing room to add truly significant pieces. As things stand, I believe Rob Pelinka made good use of the non tax-payer mid-level exception, by bringing in both Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia. These aren’t the mega-splashy affairs that are usually attributed to the Purple and Gold, but they are solid moves considering the cap limitations. At least they aren’t panicking, and making short-sighted decisions that end up flopping in the immediate future while also hurting future flexibility (like the Russell Westbrook trade). I think the Lakers understand their position, and are doing what they can to maximize it. There will be plenty of opportunities to add the requisite pieces around Dončić once James’ contract is off the books. For now, they will roll with the existing roster and look to make tweaks around the edges, without kneecapping themselves with bad contracts. You can never predict the future, but I think the Lakers current approach is both prudent and pragmatic, if unspectacular. It remains to be seen what this current squad will bring to the table. So far they’ve done a respectable job of addressing weaknesses via free agency. Hopefully they can take that bi-annual exception and bring in another young talent at the wing. We’ll see what they do next. Go Lakers.

  • All Is Quiet On the Western Front

    2025 NBA Free Agency came out of the gates with a bang. Kevin Durant is now a Rocket. D’Angelo Russell is now a Maverick. Cam Johnson is now a Nugget. And Michael Porter Jr. is now a Brooklyn Net. Lots has changed in the past 24 hours. For the Lakers though, things seem to moving much slower, perhaps methodically. The organization has opted for a more lowkey approach, as opposed to the usual splashy affairs often associated with the Purple & Gold. I personally dig this new wrinkle to the team’s modus operandi. I like the fact that they’ve layed low and not tried to do too much, not trying to to fulfill someone else’s mandate, and so far, they seem to be staying on their own schedule at their own pace. As they should. As I’ve written before, this is not the offseason to panic. This is the offseason to start doing things responsibly, intelligently, and aggressively. It’s important to be able to compete now, while also having a firm grasp on the future in terms of flexibility. Unless something crazy pops up (another Luka trade), this should be the way moving forward. 

    Yes, it’s somewhat worrisome to still not have a center under contract. The team can’t afford to walk into 2026 without a rotational-caliber big man. JJ Redick wouldn’t even start Jaxson Hayes during these last playoffs, so a clear upgrade must be in order. With that said, I believe the team is doing the right thing by taking as wait-and-see approach. This year’s free agent crop isn’t the strongest, furthermore, with the Lakers’ current cap situation, it doesn’t make sense for Rob Pelinka to parachute into NBA Free Agency and start dishing out contracts left and right. Patience is key. As things currently stand, LA projects to be slightly under the first apron ($195.5M) of the NBA salary cap, and well under the second apron ($207.8M). The team’s cap sheet will likely exceed the luxury tax threshold of $187.9M, which means they currently have limited avenues for adding talent via free agency. LeBron opting-in to his $52M player option for 2026 compounds things a bit further, as he takes up over 30% of the cap. The Lakers front office is currently trying to thread the needle between adding talent to the current roster in order to be competitive for the upcoming season, while also maintaining a strong commitment to preserving financial flexibility beyond 2026. Not an enviable task, but it is a clear and concise plan that is being implemented. How successful the team is at executing said plan remains to be seen, but is good to see the organization plan for the future and prioritize their own agenda instead of trying to appease that of other players’. 

    The reason for the Lakers’ lack of big name activity could also be political in nature. With Mark Walter set to assume ownership of the franchise during the third or fourth quarter of 2025, after acquiring a majority stake for $10B, new leadership is about to take charge. Which will bring forth certain changes. Among those, presumably, will be a reshaping of the front office. The current brass led by Rob Pelinka may be getting “lame-ducked” in terms of adding significant salary, until Walter assumes full control later this year, and brings in his own people to run the show. We know that Walter likes to assemble a well organized and robust apparatus to run the day-to-day operations of his sports franchises, as he did upon purchasing the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012. Walter appointed Stan Kasten as team president in 2012, and relieved then long-time Dodgers General Manager Ned Colletti in 2014. Soon after, Andrew Friedman was hired to serve as President Of Baseball Operations. Walter also invested heavily in team facilities as well as scouting and analytics departments. Presently, the Dodgers are regarded as one of the best, if not the best run organization in the MLB. Walter’s MO when it comes to running sports teams seems to be that of setting up a well-oiled machine, and then hiring competent people to run it. If this bears true for his newly-minted Lakers, then big changes will be in store for the franchise’s close-knit mom and pop leadership. 

    The Lakers have been in semi-stealth mode at the start of this summer’s free agency. The team’s only move so far has been inking 6”8 forward Jake LaRavia to a 2 year/$12M contract, after losing swingman Dorian Finney-Smith to the Houston Rockets (4 years/$53M). LaRavia is a 23 year old who is a strong athlete with a skill set that spells good upside. He averaged around 7 points last season, to go with 4 boards and shot 47% from the field and 42% from beyond the arc. These numbers certainly don’t blow you away, although the shooting splits are very nice. But they’re good numbers from a 23 year old up-and-comer who the Lakers can possibly develop into a core rotational piece. These are the types of moves that LA should continue to make. Young, cost-controlled players with upside. Players that can bode well into the future while not hampering the team financially. The latter of which is essential under the current CBA. We know that new boss Mark Walter likes to assemble a top notch coaching staff, that includes expertise in player development. The notion of signing young, under-the-radar talent to team-friendly contracts in hopes of parlaying their talents into bigger roles on the team is a sound tenet to adhere to, particularly in the new, parity-driven and cap-restrictive NBA. 

    The Lakers still have a hole at the center position, and one that shouldn’t go unaccounted for. Riding into this season without a center on the roster would be basketball suicide. On a team with Luka, even more so. But the team needs to be strategic about how they look to acquire a big man. They currently have limited options outside of what’s left of their $14M mid-level exception ($6M of which will be used on Jake LaRavia). They also presumably have a bi-annual exception that’s worth about $5M. The team is currently said to be waiting on Deandre Ayton (who was bought-out by Portland), and will use the roughly $8M remaining on the mid-level exception to sign him. Ayton would be a solid signing for LA, especially at that price. The Lakers will have competition for his services, particularly from the Indiana Pacers, who just lost big man Myles Turner to the Milwaukee Bucks, leaving a void at their center position. Personally, I’m skeptical that Ayton would take the $8M that the Lakers can offer. At a cursory glance, Ayton seems to be a talent worth north of the $10M range, perhaps even more. Maybe he takes the Lakers’ deal, in hopes of rehabilitating his value and image (rumours have surfaced regarding his attitude and work ethic), with LA being the optimal destination to pursue those objectives. Or he might simply prioritize his offensive touches and overall spot on the pecking order, in which case he’d likely choose the Pacers, given their recent loss of Haliburton and their void at center. He would decidedly get more shots up in Indiana. We’ll see what transpires, but in any case the Lakers would be remiss to not have multiple options lined up, in the event that someone like Ayton doesn’t materialize. 

    Beyond free agency, the Lakers will also look at trades to bolster their roster. However, without a single center on the roster, the team will likely find themselves on the losing end of the leverage game. Teams will look to extract max value and then some from Rob Pelinka who has yet to fill the center need for LA. This is why, on one hand, I think it has been unwise to have not used the mid-level exception, or some portion of it, to acquire a big man. Having one in hand would ensure that rival executives can’t view the Lakers as beggars. It’s a cut-throat business. Particularly after the Luka trade, it seems as though every front office’s imminent mandate is to fleece the Lakers. This is why patience is key, particularly in these scenarios. If there aren’t any good trades on the table, then don’t make any. No trade is better than a bad trade. With that in mind, it is important that the Lakers maximize the remainder of their mid-level exception (roughly $8M) or the bi-annual exception ($5M) to secure the services of a big man. One who can step into the rotation, stay healthy and be relatively productive. Not an increasingly high bar, but one that the front office must meet, seeing as how viable options like Clint Capela, Brook Lopez, Myles Turner and Luke Kornet are all off the table. Even if the Lakers are in fact building for the future, outright sabotaging the season by neglecting the center position would be a terrible look. Particularly as it pertains to the prospects of resigning Luka Dončić. 

    Though nothing is ever perfect with the Lakers as of late, I can’t fault them for their approach so far. They seem to be employing better judgment as of late, by refusing to hand out picks or carelessly dangle assets, which might bite them in the future. As I’ve written before, center is the number one priority for the Lakers this summer. At least it should be. Getting one without disposing of the few remaining assets (Dalton Knecht, Austin Reaves, and future draft capital) is key. You want to have as much flexibility as possible beyond 2025-2026 when Mark Walter will have assumed full control of the franchise and hired his people. You certainly don’t want your cap books clogged for new ownership to clean up. We’ll see how the Lakers continue to approach this summer. I do like the idea of low risk, high-upside moves like LaRavia, and I also like the idea of trying to preserve their asset pool in order to have youth and flexibility moving forward. I just hope they don’t end up doing something stupid, like when they almost traded Knecht and multiple picks/pick swaps for Mark Williams. It’s my hope that Pelinka can pick up a center from the free agent crop and then trade for another one, without depleting the team’s assets. Beggars can’t be choosers, they say. But there’s no need to beg when you are resourceful. Let’s see what they do next. Go Lakers. 

  • Austin Reaves’ Extension & Tough Decisions

    Name a better duo. 

    Ok. Ok. But seeing that Austin Reaves has formally declined the Lakers’ 3 year/$89.2M extension, it’s time to ask some questions. The sharpshooting Reaves will patiently bet on himself, as he will hold out for a larger pay raise after the 2026 season when he can opt out of the final year of his current deal. This presents various risk scenarios for both the Lakers and AR. But mostly for the Lakers. AR is someone that the team drafted, developed and is now thriving as one of the core pieces in the current roster. Reaves went undrafted in the 2021 NBA Draft, promptly inking a two-way contract with the Lakers as an undrafted free agent. He then proceeded to work his way up the ranks in LAs rotation, eventually establishing himself as a key contributor. In 2023, Reaves earned a 4 year/$54M extension. He’ll be entering the third year of said extension, after which he can opt out and forego its final season. AR’s story is one of grit and perseverance. An endearing Hollywood Tale. It’s what has made him a fan favorite with many a Lakers faithful (myself included). But the reality of his contract stipulations raises serious questions about his future with the team. The Lakers must ask themselves what they want to do with Reaves moving forward, and what the best course of action is for the team’s future outlook. There’s no easy answer, and good arguments can be made for both outcomes (keeping AR vs. trading him). Perhaps the first big test for the incoming ownership group, led by businessman Mark Walter, will be their handling of the Austin Reaves situation.

    Reaves declining LAs extension and potentially opting out next season puts the team in somewhat of a predicament. The obvious worst-case scenario being AR walking away after 2026 with nothing in return for the Lakers. In my opinion, Austin has earned the right to dictate the terms of his future, and I think it’s smart, if somewhat risky, for him to hold out for every possible penny that he can get. He’s been a very productive player thus far, and his rise to stardom has been quite admirable. By all accounts, he’s a hard working kid with a good head on his shoulders, and has definitely earned his stripes in the NBA. With that said, the Lakers need to protect themselves from said worst-case scenario by shopping Austin Reaves, and at least getting a sense of what his trade market holds in store. If any deals arise where the Lakers can get another foundational young piece in exchange for Austin, then that’s something you jump on. For instance, if Reaves can get you a Herb Jones from the Pelicans in return, then that’s something to seriously consider. Jones is another young up-and-comer who is one of the better perimeter defenders in the game. His offensive skillset is not quite at the level of Austin’s, but a defense-for-offense swap isn’t the worst idea, especially on a Luka Dončić-centric roster. To me, that’s the type of equal value you look for in a Reaves trade; another young player with high upside that can be an on-court fit and projects as a longterm solution to a current team need. As ARs agent Aaron Reilly proclaimed on Twitter a few days ago, you don’t trade Austin for a backup center (a Nic Claxton or Daniel Gafford type) in pursuit of a short-sighted win-now fantasy. 

    The reality of the situation is that given their current cap sheet, it’s very difficult for the Lakers to immediately vault themselves into the championship picture. In particular, LeBron James’ $50M salary next season greatly inhibits the team from significantly improving in areas of needs. Which creates a bit of a fine line that ought to be navigated delicately. Yes, AR is decidedly LAs best and most attractive trade chip. But, the Lakers should not ship him out in order to appease some vacuous win-now mandate for LeBron’s ”legacy”. LeBron will presumably be entering the final year of his contract, meaning that if the Lakers let him expire, they can use the flexibility to add the necessary pieces then. As I’ve stated before, the Lakers are no longer on LeBron’s timeline. The Lakers are now on their own timeline. They have a new owner with deep pockets, a top star in Luka, a solid young supporting star in AR, and an aging, in-the-twilight-of-his-career LeBron James. Attempting to appease LeBron’s timeline at this point would be a mistake. Now if AR can be swapped for another young piece who is of equal stature, then that’s something to act on. As that benefits both the Lakers and Luka moving forward. If it’s a move that marginally upgrades the roster at another position (say for a big), aiming to “maximize” LeBron’s proverbial window, then that’s a no-go. The Lakers need to aggressively strategize for the future. They will need every asset and resource at their disposal to properly build around Luka, once LeBron James decides to pack his bags and retire or finish out his career elsewhere. 

    Personally, I’m not of the opinion that ARs value will have diminished after he receives an extension. He has been the type of player that makes marked improvements each season. If he winds up taking yet another leap in 2026, who’s to day he isn’t worth say $30M. AR at $30M is still a heck of an asset. But there’s still some risk that comes with such scenarios. Maybe AR performs at a level where he warrants a $40M contract from some team. At this point the Lakers would need to ask themselves a serious question; is AR worth $40M on a team with Luka Dončić who is also primed for a substantial extension? Furthermore, is AR at $40M per season good enough to be Luka’s no. 2 on a team with championship aspirations? These are all legitimate quandaries. But I think that the best course of action for the Lakers is one of patience and diligence. The standoff between AR and the new ownership will be interesting to watch. And will certainly pose its share of risks. With that said, LA shouldn’t panic and should view this situation as an opportunity. 

    LA should certainly has to perform its due diligence and at least explore the trade market in order to see what type of feedback they receive regarding ARs trade value. Maybe there’s a deal to be had where the Lakers can get another young piece in return who strengthens their long term outlook. LA certainly has glaring needs, and you have to give in order to get. If you can net another young player to build with Dončić, then great. But, he shouldn’t be dangled carelessly in trade talks to the point where it sours the player/brass relationship, or worse yet, inserted in a trade that makes the team worse with an underwhelming return. At worse, you let AR play out the season, and if he keeps balling then you pay him a reasonable amount; one which he will have earned. Maybe he becomes a legitimate mainstay alongside Luka, and post-LeBron, at which point the Lakers will have the flexibility to add pieces around the Luka/Reaves tandem. Or if not then you trade him sometime after he’s signed his extension. If Desmond Bane can net 4 first rounders at a $34M salary, then I’m not entirely sure Reaves wouldn’t have almost identical value on the trade market with his new deal. Either way, the approach with AR should be one of patience. He is a Laker, and is a great player. He’ll continue to help the team win. Of course, you always cover your bases and explore the market. But worse case scenario, you let him play out his season and give him the opportunity to earn his desired figure. Resign him next summer with a clean cap sheet and figure out the next move later. And that’s not a terrible place to be. Go Lakers. 

  • Culture Change

    For the first time in over 45 years, the Los Angeles Lakers will be helmed by new ownership. Under the Buss Family stewardship, the franchise excelled to unprecedented heights, while setting a standard for excellence. It’s for this reason why today they are valued at over $10B. Lately, however, cracks had begun to emerge, and some of that pixie dust had begun to wear off. With the recent sale of the franchise, a hard reset is in order. A culture reset. In order for the Lakers to return to being the Lakers again, there needs to be a singular and disciplined hunger for excellence, one that cannot be diluted by sentimentality or complacency. For the Lakers brand to be vibrant again there must be a commitment to build it back up the right way, with unwavering focus. A change in ownership will allow for the opportunity to re-establish said norms. Now, it’s all about the discipline, drive and humility to get there again. 

    When Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the team prior to the 1979-80 season, the Lakers were an organization in search of an identity. They were a team with stars (namely Kareem Abdul-Jabbar), but that star power never materialized into championships. Once Buss took over, he completely brought forth a fresh and exciting vision, that would come to define the organization for the next decades. Showtime Basketball soon ensued and the Lakers became the dominant franchise of the 1980s. Of course, the sheer stroke of good fortune that came with drafting Earvin “Magic” Johnson certainly didn’t hurt. But it should also bear mentioning that the team had capable figures in every key leadership position. Between team owner Buss, General Manager Jerry West and Head Coach Pat Riley, the Lakers were led by sharp and visionary men who all shared the same unrelenting drive for excellence. Between them, they helped shape the team’s outlook for the rest of the 1980s. 

    The 1990s certainly saw the Lakers falter a bit, particularly after Magic Johnson’s abrupt retirement from pro basketball during the summer of 1991. The team was left in disarray and endured some lean times as they were left to fend off without their generational talent in Magic. But faith was hardly ever lost, as the team was still led by the same key figures. By 1996, Jerry West had assembled the early pieces of the ensuing dynasty of the early 2000s, after signing prized free agent Shaquille O’Neal, and trading for the draft rights of a teenage Kobe Bean Bryant on draft night of ’96. After Head Coach Phil Jackson was brought on board as the final piece, the team was off the races, capturing three consecutive titles from 2000-2002. 

    However, it was around this time that the once bullet-proof culture began to show cracks. Then executive vice-president of team operations and owner’s daughter Jeanie Buss began dating Head Coach Phil Jackson. Which in turn caused a rift between Jackson and General Manager Jerry Buss, who felt it was inappropriate for a member of the front office to be romantically linked to the team’s coach, effectively bringing forth a divide between the Buss/Jackson camp and the West camp. One that would unfortunately last until Jerry West’s eventual passing in 2024. West would eventually leave the Lakers front office after the 1999-2000 season, right in the middle of their dynastic run. But he had already laid the groundwork for the team’s success. West never jived with Phil Jackson, as both men boasted big personalities, and after Jeanie Buss was brought over to the Head Coaches’ side, West saw himself as the odd man out. It is power struggles like this that unfortunately would go on to bog down the organization, and prevent them from having a one-track mind towards success. Fortunately, due to West’s brilliance, the team had the on-court personnel to endure the backstage drama. 

    The mid-2000s saw the Lakers briefly endure some rough times. After the sudden departure of superstar pillar Shaquille O’Neal in 2004, the team experienced some less than stellar results throughout the ’05, ’06 and ’07 seasons. But once again, strong-willed men were at the helm. Gone was Jerry West, but the team still had Dr. Buss, Phil Jackson and the late, great Kobe Bryant to look to for leadership. Even amidst the tough times, there was always a sense optimism as long as said people were in charge, and after the Lakers traded for Pau Gasol in February of 2008, the team was off to the races once again. They reached the finals that same season, eventually falling short at the hands of the Boston Celtics. But the hunger and championship drive was back. The team made it all the way back to the finals in 2009 and 2010, winning both times, again establishing themselves as the Team of the Decade and the Gold Standard for Excellence. The organization made a bold bid to extend their championship window in 2011 after trading for then superstar point guard Chris Paul. Said bid was denied for “basketball reasons”. After Kobe Bryant’s achilles tear in 2013, it seemed as though the entire life of the franchise had been sucked out. And with an ailing Dr. Buss, it seemed as though their air of invincibility was dissipating by the moment.

    Dr. Buss passed away in February of 2013, just a couple of months before Kobe suffered his devastating season-ending injury. With Dr. Buss no longer overseeing operations, and Kobe Bryant drastically set-back by his achilles tear, the Lakers seemed more vulnerable than ever. General Manager Mitch Kupchak simply did not have the vision, the presence nor the guile to guide the team through this turmoil. The Lakers were a shell of the organization they’d come to be known for, with an aging legend, and a front office lacking the vision or direction to steer the ship away from impending freefall. Kobe’s 2016 farewell season and his final regular season game were the only bright spots left to experience throughout these years. With him, the Lakers aura had decidedly left the building by this juncture.

    In 2017, Jeanie Buss valiantly made an attempt to bring the franchise back from the dregs. Starting with the firing of GM Mitch Kupchak and purging of sibling and famed horse-trainer James “Jim” Buss from the team’s front office, the Lakers finally seemed to be steering towards the light at the end of the tunnel. Magic Johnson was brought in as President of Basketball Operations (replacing Jim Buss). The team also hired Rob Pelinka as General Manager. The whip-sharp culture and drive for excellence did not exactly return with them. Basketball ops VP Magic Johnson wasted no time making mediocre decisions. Starting with letting then Lakers center Brook Lopez walk scotch free after 2017, and renouncing Julius Randle’s bird rights, who effectively walked for nothing during that summer’s free agency, with the team to get assets in return. Magic then pivoted by signing a 33 year-old LeBron James during the summer of 2018. But he swiftly set the team back yet again, during the 2018-19 trade deadline, when he traded then up-and-coming big man Ivica Zubac for… wait for it…  Mike Muscala. Yeah. The Lakers are *still* looking for their starting center roughly seven years later to the day. Towards the end of the 2019 season, Magic Johnson stepped down as Lakers VP, but not before leaving behind yet another turd for the team to contend with. 

    Around the trade deadline of 2019 (about the same time as the Zubac debacle), Magic offered virtually the entire roster (Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, and every draft pick under the sun) to the Pelicans for center Anthony Davis. LA ended up trading for Davis anyways during the ensuing offseason, but Magic’s trigger-happiness cost the team any leverage they might have had. Something this short-sighted would have never happened under Jerry West, or any serious front office. When the Lakers resumed negotiations with the Pelicans, newly-minted New Orleans GM David Griffin smartly reminded the Lakers that they had offered the entire farm for Davis only a couple of months prior. Add to the fact that AD’s agent Rich Paul had publicly threatened the Pelicans organization to only ship Davis to the Lakers, and everybody and their grandmas knew that LA all but *HAD* to pull the trigger on an AD trade. Not to mention the fact that any Lebron James-led organization is constantly in asset-shedding mode in exchange for win-now prospects. LA had no leverage, and were forced to trade their entire roster sans LeBron and Kyle Kuzma for Anthony Davis, when they could have acquired him for a reasonable price had Magic not lost his marbles before (mercifully) stepping down from his position. But the damage was done and Magic left unceremoniously. By the way, I LOVE Magic Johnson the player. But as great of a player as he was, he was the exact mirror opposite as an executive (and Coach.. and talk show host).

    The summer of 2019 saw Rob Pelinka assume full control of personnel decisions after Magic’s departure. Pelinka fared very well during his first offseason, assembling the pieces of what would soon be a 2020 championship roster, after acquiring the likes of Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard, Danny Green, Avery Bradley and later Markieff Morris during the 2020 trade deadline. The team had also drafted and developed two-way guard Alex Caruso, who proved vital to the teams’ success that year. The Lakers also hired Head Coach Frank Vogel, after negotiations with Tyronn Lue embarrassingly fell apart. The team capped off a pandemic-ridden 2020 season with a Championship in the NBA Bubble, the franchise’s 17th. A feather in the cap of Rob Pelinka, who did a great job of pivoting during the 2019 summer after Kawhi Leonard infamously spurned the organization. The Lakers seemed to be on the road to regaining their aura back. 

    The 2020-21 season was a bit of a weird one. Because of the nature of the pandemic, the previous season had been paused, then resumed in October of 2020, when the Lakers won the NBA Bubble. In an effort to preserve as much of the following season as possible, the NBA decided to start the 2020-21 season in December. Meaning only a two-month off-season was left for players to recharge. In order to mitigate the effects of a short off-season, the Lakers brass made the decision to bring in younger legs in favor of their older players. Danny Green was shipped out for young guard Dennis Schöder, Dwight Howard was let go and replaced by Montrezl Harrell and veteran center (and former Laker in 07-08) Marc Gasol was brought in to shore up the front court. Head Coach Frank Vogel made sure that the team’s defensive identity remained intact, and the Lakers were well on their way to securing the no. 1 seed in the West for the second consecutive season. Unfortunately, injuries befell the final months of the season and the Lakers slipped all the way back to the play-in spot, where they eventually took out the Golden State Warriors. The team eventually fell to the Phoenix Suns in the first round in 6 games. AD’s injury proved too much to come back from.

    The following off-season saw the biggest and first major red flag of the LeBron/Klutch tenure thus far. Rob Pelinka had correctly identified the team’s biggest flaw to be outside shooting. So he engaged the Sacramento Kings in trade talks for sharpshooting guard Buddy Hield. The Lakers and Kings had a trade in line that would have sent Kyle Kuzma and assets to Sacramento in exchange for Hield. But Lebron’s ego and insecurity got in the way. As is the case with LeBron, he greatly values his “help”. LeBron needs more help! being the branded battlecry of his supporters in the media. The Brooklyn Nets, who had assembled a “big three” that summer when they traded for James Harden after adding Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant the summer prior, consequently left LeBron feeling a bit of Superteam Envy. Thus, he persuaded the Lakers to nix the Hield/Kuzma swap and trade for Russell Westbrook instead. Again, all leverage was lost, as word leaked out that both LeBron, AD and the Klutch reps had all but requested Westbrook’s presence in LA. Thus, Pelinka had to pay a hefty price, for a player that was a non-fit, right after orchestrating a better trade that was only pending approval. 

    The Westbrook trade was an unmitigated fucking disaster. So I won’t go into detail about it for the sake of my sanity. The Lakers are still reeling from its repercussions to this day. To add insult to injury, the team lost out on ace defensive guard Alex Caruso during free agency, as Klutch leader and then de-facto GM Rich Paul had the Lakers hand prized Klutch Klient and noted NBA scrub Talen Horton-Tucker a charitable 3 year/$30M extension. When the Buss family saw the ensuing cap sheet, they decided to let Caruso walk, as signing both him and THT would have put the team firmly in the luxury tax stratosphere. Major problem here pertaining to culture: Why is Klutch determining who the team signs or trades for when there is already a GM in place? This has been an issue throughout the entire LeBron tenure. Why has Jeanie wilfully rendered the organization hostage to James and the Klutch gang? This needs to change and change swiftly moving forward. Great organizations draw a clear line between players and executives. This was their MO throughout the Jerry Buss era. Players play, owners pay and executives orchestrate the personnel moves. When those roles get mixed up, nothing good comes from it.

    The 2022 season was a complete waste. The team missed the playoffs and everything went haywire. Frank Vogel was the fall guy during the following off-season as Darvin Ham was tabbed as his replacement. The team seemed destined for another wasted season in 2023, but Rob Pelinka rebounded quite admirably by mercifully jettisoning Westbrook during the trade deadline, and adding D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley. Combined with the emergence of undrafted prospect Austin Reaves, the Lakers found a second wind and made it all the way to the Western Conference Finals. However, a couple of painful realities came to bear: LeBron was no longer capable of being the best player on a championship team and Anthony Davis was no longer capable of being the second best player on a championship team. The pair were completely outclassed by the younger and hungrier Nikola Jokic/Jamaal Murray tandem as the Lakers were swept in the Western Conference Finals by the Denver Nuggets for the first time since 1998. To make matters worse, every single game in that series was close, but the Laker’s stars failed to seal the deal. It was right there where it became painfully obvious to me that the LeBron-AD pairing had run its course.

    2024 was seemingly a carbon copy of 2023. With the Lakers limping out in the first half of the year, only to storm back with a strong second half to secure a playoff spot. They did win the inaugural In-Season Tournament to a round of crickets. Unfortunately they drew the Denver Nuggets in the first round, as opposed to conference finals the year before. This time they only endured a gentleman’s sweep instead of a clean sweep. Again, most games in the series were close, but stars failed to show up in crunch time. Another poignant reminder that LeBron and AD can’t lead a team to the promised land anymore. For his troubles, Darvin Ham was axed as the fall guy, just like Vogel was in 2021. The 2024 off-season saw the Lakers culture take yet another hit, as the team was dragged all off-season by head coaching candidate Dan Hurley who teased coming to the Lakers, only to return to his alma mater at UConn. LA eventually landed on LeBron podcast buddy JJ Redick to coach the team. But the summer’s bizarre coaching search left an ugly stench in Lakers Land. It certainly seemed as though the brand lacked the allure it once had. The drafting of Bronny James was another indicator that the organization was aiming for ratings over excellence. The ensuing 2024-25 season was surprisingly upbeat, as AD’s strong showing and Austin Reaves’ continued ascension helped the team keep their head above water. LeBron James had himself another impressive statistical year, but ended the year a -54 on the court, proving that those stats are more of the empty variety these days. Of course, the big headline was the Luka Dončić trade in February, which helped propel the Lakers all the way to the 3 seed. Despite giving up AD. However, the playoffs were yet another rude awakening that the team is still ways away from contending as their lack of size and lack of a true no. 2 option (no LeBron isn’t it) proved too much to overcome.

    Now we find ourselves in 2025. With LA soon to be sporting new ownership, led by entrepreneur Mark Walter. In order for this team to ascend into the elite ranks of the modern NBA, they must make some philosophical changes. The days of catering to LeBron, Klutch Sports and their collective needs should be firmly in the rearview mirror. Ditto for the ‘too many cooks in the kitchen’ approach that constantly brings forth ego clashes internally. But all things considered, the Lakers are actually in a modestly fortunate position at this moment. They have a franchise player in place with Luka Dončić. They have an up-and-coming young star on a team friendly contract in Austin Reaves (who will soon be due for an extension, so there might be some uncertainty there). They have a solid young pillar in Dalton Knecht. They don’t have any outright terrible longterm contracts (even LeBron’s albatross $50M contract is merely an expiring). They also have a new owner with deep pockets. Under Jeanie Buss, the Lakers would have felt tempted to appease LeBron’s timeline and execute more short-sighted win-now moves. New ownership needs to buck this vicious cycle. Mark Walter must realize that the Lakers are no longer on LeBron’s timeline, but rather on their *own* timeline. You have Luka, you have Reaves, and you have a relatively clean cap sheet past 2026. Now is not the time to press and execute panic trades. Now is the time to be patient. Extending LeBron James does nothing for the team’s championship aspirations; let him expire. The only way he should be extended is if he takes a significant paycut, which is unlikely. At this point, James is an aging star in the twilight of his career who is clinging on to his own personal glory and hopelessly chasing after the ghost of Michael Jordan. The Lakers should treat him as an expiring and make whatever moves around the margins in order to improve the roster. They should also look to deal Bronny James and terminate the soap opera angle. If the Lakers are to be Lakers again, then they should lose all distractions and return to adopting the singular pursuit of sustained excellence and winning. 

    Right now is a golden opportunity for a hard reset. Winning is a discipline, one that requires commitment from top to bottom. Let the executives run the organization. Let the players play. Spend wisely. Win the margins. Allow the chips to fall where they may. No more pussyfooting. No more soap opera rosters that might stumble ass-first into success. Go young, build around Luka, build for the future and firmly adhere to your own timeline. No more haemorrhaging assets for vapid win-now pursuits. Patience and diligence are key. Expand the front office. Boost the scouting department. Prioritize internal growth and get rid of distractions (bye-bye Klutch Sports). If the new brass can adhere to these tenets, then they will be on their way to establishing the Purple and Gold brand to being synonymous with winning once again. It’s been a while, but the moment is now. Go Lakers.