50,000 points and counting. An astounding feat given that LeBron came into the league without much of a jump shot. As the years have gone by, James has added and added and arsenal of moves and redefined our preconceived notions of what age in sport means. It’s been a lot of fun to watch, too. The crazy thing is, Lebron wasn’t the only Laker to make history last night. Let’s get into it.

1. Lebron and 50,000 points. this isn’t the only Club of One LeBron has created, he’s also the exclusive member of the 40K/10K/10K Club for total points, assists and rebounds in the regular season. Coach Reddick had an astute observation that we would have celebrated this a little earlier had the NBA Cup tournament game counted as playoff points last season. All in all, I’ve run out of hyperbolic things to say about LeBron James. So I’ll leave it at this: I’ve watched Kareem, Magic, Kobe, Shaq and Gasol all excel as Lakers and make one kind of history or another. I watched Jordan in the 90s, all 3 versions. I’ve never seen anything like what LeBron is doing. MVP almost doesn’t stack up as enough of an award, the NBA needs to consider some kind of lifetime achievement award to properly recognize what we’re all watching.
2. Luka joined Lakers history last night, too. He joined the exclusive 30/15 club (points and assists) which has 3 other members: Jerry West, Magic Johnson and LeBron James. I suspect that we’ll se Luka making a lot of purple and gold history himself. FWIW Magic posted that line 19 total times. Amazing.
3. Positive Vibes. The trio of Luka (+37), Shake Milton (+30) and Jarred Vanderbilt (+27) managed to post an absurd +94 combined plus/minus rating. That group scored and defended at an extremely high level and helped put the game out of reach. Shake is an interesting dude, his jump shot is ugly as sin, he doesn’t have a great handle but he’s tough and plays hard. Vando seems like he defends two guys at once sometimes, it’s awesome to watch, There a issues with his game in terms of scoring but you can’t deny that watching him play defense is an absolute blast. Also, he’s been taking and making multiple threes from the corner in the last few games. That’s all we need from him, he’ll score plenty on back cuts, put-backs and breakaways.
4. Jaxson Hayes coulda/woulda/should had a new career high. His career high in points is 23 (as a Pelican), he matched his Laker high last night. He did all his scoring in the first half. I kinda felt for the dude because he plays so hard and so unselfishly every night, I wanted him to get to at least 20. Next time, Jax.
5. Lakers Analytical Dominance. AKA L.A.D. The L.A.D. is what’s separating them from the pack, we’re still dominating in paint points most nights but we’ve added the three ball and maintained a solid differential at the free throw line. This is what’s known as a recipe for success. Toss in an NBA leading defense and you can start to see why the mass media is starting to come around on our ability to win it all this season. not sure anyone could have predicted such a quick, seamless transition between 2 generational talents or that the defense would somehow find another level with AD on the Mavs…but there it is. impossible to ignore. Now if we could just cut down on the turnovers…

Great seeing Zion play, dude looks lean and mean which is bad news for the NBA…next season. He looks like he’s in the best shape of his life, good for him.

The Lakers look nothing like the team LeBron is quoted as saying needs to “play near-perfect” in order to win. It’s hard to imagine the team we started with weathering a rash of injuries and tough schedule so smoothly. Reaves and Hachimura out? No problem, next man up and let’s keep the good times rolling baby.

1. The man who I am quickly running out of superlatives for. Luka is rounding back into game shape and it’s going to be a problem for the Association. His line of 29 points, 6 rebounds and 9 assists won’t be hung on the wall, and was offset by his 6 turnovers, but seeing Luka casually play this way when he clearly still doesn’t have his legs or wind is exciting. By the time the playoffs roll around we should see the best, current version of Luka. Like any great playmaker it’s exciting to watch him maneuver and orchestrate. Toying with defenders, probing effortlessly, and having a blast doing it. It looks like he’s settling in now and once he gets up to full speed physically watch out.
2. Lebron just missing history. 49999 combined regular season and playoff points. An astounding number and he came up 1 point shy of history. LeBron had a rough game, wasn’t hitting his threes and had a whopping 8 turnovers. The thing is, if you told me that Rui and Austin would be out and LeBron and Luka would combine for 14 turnovers themselves I’d tell you we likely lost the game. That’s the beauty of what’s happening in LA right now, it’s as much a team success thing as individual greatness colliding.
3. Dalton Knecht’s return to form. DK4 had himself a ball game. Crashing the glass, hitting threes, and generally making a positive impact. A lot of bench guys had an overall minus rating but I’m putting that on LeBron and Luka giving the ball away like a fruit cake in a white elephant gift exchange. Dalton got hot early and the Clippers adjusted their defense but that left other guys free to rebound or drive. Solid game for Dalton and here’s hoping he’s putting all the BS behind him and letting all of it help him grow and improve.
4. Vando’s best game this season. You can see The Vandolorian returning to form, his legs are springier and he’s recovering quicker. 5 of his rebounds were on the offensive glass which we desperately needed in the midst of so very many turnovers. He passed up a three or two I wish he would let fly but in general you can see what kind of look we can feature him in with Luka, LeBron, Vando, DFS and either Vincent or Reaves for a defensive, analytics juggernaut on both ends. He was the only bench player with a positive rating, mostly due to that fact that he played down the stretch in the 4th when we closed out the win.
5. Jordan Goodwin info. I had feared we missed our window to retain Jordan Goodwin on an NBA deal but, after doing some research, I believe I was wrong. We can waive one of Morris, Reddish or Len at any time prior to the playoffs (they no longer would be able to sign with another team being the issue there). We have until April 13th to decide if we want Goodwin available for the playoff roster and convert him from a two-way to a standard deal. Given his recent injury it’s good that we have more time, and I haven’t given up on Reddish being a bigger part of this, but I don’t see much of a role for either Len or Morris other than rah-rah, positive voice in the locker room. Stay tuned.

In what became a close, physical battle the Lakers prevailed by staying within themselves and trusting one another on defense. This one won’t go in the record books under “pretty” or “efficient” but it will still be in the win column and that’s all that really matters. Luka checked the “play against the Mavs” box and now just needs to check the “play the Mavs in Dallas” box later in the season. All in all, the Lakers held serve at home against a tough team.

1. LeBron dominant off the ball. In all his years, whatever team he was on, LeBron ended up dominating the ball. Whether it was D-Wade, Chris Bosh, Kyrie Irving or Anthony Davis the burden of executing and creating for the entire team generally fell on LeBron’s sizable shoulders. Those days seem numbered now, not because of age but because of Luka. The Luka/LeBron connection is real and it will only get better. I can’t recall the last time I saw LBJ score so easily off a missed shot. When he gets behind the defense or can seal the lone defender who gets back (Sorry max Christie) it’s over. With his hoops IQ and still relevant athleticism The King is scoring with more ease than I’ve ever seen him do in all my years of watching this sport. Now, some of that will eventually get scouted out, but in the here and now let’s enjoy these easy buckets.
2. Speaking of off-ball, that was honestly how the lakers closed the game. With a nifty five-out spread that saw Rui, Hayes and LeBron get behind the D or wait for a defender to focus on Luka and slip in for a quick hit layup or dunk. Great stuff that bodes well for any matchup on down the line. If the opening didn’t present itself Austin, Luka or LeBron was able to get a quality shot off. For me it’s always quality over quantity (unless it’s a high quantity of high-quality shots, who doesn’t dig that?).
3. Speaking of Jaxson Hayes, the dude continues to impress. In only 17 minutes he turned in a triple 8: 8 points, 8 rebounds for a +8 +/- rating. Add in 2 blocks and a steal and it’s easier and easier to see why the Lakers are fine with Hayes manning the 5, at least for the remainder of this season. He’s always been great at finishing the lob plays and we’re seeing him get better at using his speed and size to offset his lack of bulk. If you’re in good position, you generally create good things for the team and we’re seeing that from Hayes more and more.
4. Speaking of creating good things, Vando is rounding into form. Seeing him shoot that corner 3 without thinking is exactly what we need from him. Making 2-3 will get it done and he was the only Laker bench player to make multiple 3s with DFS, Dalton and Gabe all having subpar shooting nights. I see his minutes per game topping out around 20 and I think they’re still letting him ramp up in-game because his legs aren’t there when he jumps, yet, but the corner three has to be in his bag for his impact to translate into the playoffs.
5. Speaking of the playoffs, that’s where the Lakers defense will truly be an asset. not that it’s nothing now, but in a tight game to know we have this many solid defensive options that can also hit a three or get to the rim is going to pay off double once we get into the real season. The lakers have ironed out the transition issues that plagued them early on, have found a nice blend of switching and man while mixing in doubles, traps and a zone every so often and it’s really fun to watch. We’re currently 4th in the west which would mean at least one round of honest-to-goodness home court advantage and a couple extra rest days. Those days could be invaluable to our 2 superstars and overall team health so we need to keep defending intensely and scoring smartly. We have a chance to put some true distance between us and the mid-tier teams as we approach true contender status.

Luka Dončić had his best game as a Laker at just the right moment. In Denver against a healthy, streaking (had won 9 in a row) Denver Nuggets Luka had, for him, a really solid game. This opened up the game on offense for the rest of the team and the Lakers did something that has been elusive against the Nuggets since 2021: cruise to an easy victory. Let’s dig in.

1. The Laker defense. In a word, stellar. They ran The Joker through a gauntlet of bumps, shoves, grabs and double-teams all game long. As a result he finished with a pedestrian stat line, albeit still getting the triple-double: 12 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists but it was the 6 turnovers that stood out. Along with the 5 turnovers Murray had the Lakers dictated the pace and physicality in a game they led wire to wire. I give a lot of credit to the coaching staff for the game plan and the players for executing it at a high level.
2. The Laker bench dominated. This might seem odd to say given that the Nuggets bench scored 22 points to our 18 in addition to Russell Westbrook scoring 17 and no Laker bench player scoring more than 5. Because this dominance did not take the shape of buckets scored but in defensive possessions and glue plays. The Laker bench had 8 steals, 2 apiece by DFS, Goodwin and Vando (in 6 minutes of total game action). They were aggressive, even if they got called for fouling (5 by Vando, hey the man is aggressive and it sets a tone). Big shout out to Jordan Goodwin who should stick with the mask. He played great defense and, after passing up a wide open shot that led to a turnover, had the confidence and wherewithal to take and make his next 2 shots down the stretch in the 4th to help put the game on ice.
3. 101. That’s the combined points scored between Rui, Reaves, LBJ and Luka. 105 when you look at the starting 5, out of 123 points. Astounding to watch and while it may not be the blueprint for every win against every team this felt personal. Like the 3 Lakers who had been beat by this iteration of had had enough. 38-69 (53%) is gonna get it done most nights.
   
4. The playmaking trio. This is what we need out of the trio of Reaves, James and Dončić. 19 assists to only 4 turnovers will lead to success more often than not. Add in Rui’s 4 dimes to zero TOs and we’re looking at a better than 5-1 assist to turnover ratio by the starting five. Great stuff.
5. Luka and LeBron. It’s simply a joy to watch and just having Dončić and Reaves soak up a lot of the orchestrating and playmaking has breathed new life into LeBron’s game. He’s playing hard on both ends because he can see the path to something special already brewing. We’re a faster team, having Hayes at the 5 May have issues with bulky bugs but it presents its own issue in the form of killer speed and athleticism, and having all 3 guys in the floor to close quarters is a huge boon. All 3 of Reaves, Luka and LeBron are getting into the paint and create for themselves and others. They know to mix it up and toss a lob, bait for a foul, or simply score. While I certainly don’t expect it to be this easy every game, this can be the beginnings of a winning blueprint. A purple and gold Hydra of Hoops, many heads attacking as a whole. King Ghidora, if you’re into Godzilla movies.
   

1) Everyone wants to see DFS start for Rui but I’m thinking we need to get the ball in Reaves’ hands more. This is an issue that will also organically resolve upon LBJ’s retirement but he needs to be featured more. Great game last night.
2) We do not handle aggressive, physical defense well. At all. Reaves, LBJ, and Luka all get whiny. Last night they came back by amping up their ball pressure and forcing a ton of TO’s. We almost lost as a result.
3) Hayes can and should start. Perfect dude to grow with Luka and Reaves. Needs to add a shot from 3-5’ out and he’s solid.
4) DFS is the key to so much. Makes the game easier for everyone, takes shots in the flow, as vital as any player on the team. Just amazing intangibles.
5) Need some pictures LT, half the dudes in the blog pages ain’t in the team anymore lol. Loving the new-look Lakers!

The Lakers were ahead and seemed in control of this one but a dud of a 3rd quarter and lack of three point accuracy turned what was a winnable game into a nail-biting loss. LBJ continued to defy age and sense with another gaudy stat line but cohort Luka continued his purple and gold slump. While rust is certainly s factor the lakers only have so much time for him to get up to speed before these losses start to really matter (protip: they already do as this loss would have vaulted us into 4th place and some much needed home court advantage). Not enough defense, too many threes, lack of late game execution and a dud 3rd quarter.

1. For all the good vibes and hype the lakers are just as close to 2nd place as 9th (3.5 games) so every single game has real world playoff implications. Since we know how much effort it takes out of the team, and especially LeBron, to slog through a Playin game and then have zero home court advantage, the Lakers need to really treat every game from here on out as must-win. Onboarding Luka quickly and successfully is obviously a top priority. But, so, too is the rotation questions. Figuring out which combination of players can score and defend well with one another is key and it seems like the rotation is, understandably, unsettled at this time.
2. Luka finding his shot. 5-24 from three is a sign that his legs aren’t underneath him, yet. He’ll get there but time is quickly becoming a factor. The rest of his game looks solid and as advertised: elite court vision, solid rebounding, can score from anywhere. The only missing piece is the three ball. here’s hoping he starts knocking them down sooner than later.
3. Reaves getting booted. I think Austin had a legit gripe, he was taking some hits on his drives for sure. Needs to stay on the floor, though. We’re at our best when all 3 of AR, LBJ and LD are on the floor. Can’t get ejected just cause one ref sucked last night. For my part, I thought the second tech came too quickly.
4. Too many turnovers turning into easy buckets. While Luka lead the team in turnovers this issue has been around long before he arrived. FWIW, the Hornets are a young team that thrives in the open court but that knowledge should lead to better ball management, not worse.
5. LeBron still has it man. If we were a little higher in the standings he might be in the MVP convo, as it is it’s just ridiculous to see him playing at this level at this age.

Once I saw Vincent and DFS were out I knew this game would be a slog. When Hayes was ruled out at the half, the end was all but foretold. Not having 3 or 4 of your best defenders has a way of making a comeback in the second half a mountain un-climable. Still there were some bright spots and the Lakers roll into the ASB looking like a potential top 5 team in the Association.

1. When you shoot 44.6%…40% from three, you generally win the game. The offense wasn’t the issue, Rui nearly kept his 20+ ppg streak going, 4 out of 5 starters scored 15+ points (with Hayes being the exception and he left due to a facial contusion), and Luka and LeBron combining to go 12-26. If there was a glaring hole on offense it was Reave going 1-10 from three but his teammates stepped up and helped overcome that as the Lakers scored 119 points. That’s usually enough to carry the day.
2. When you give up 131 points your offense kinda doesn’t matter. Again, missing our best guys on the defensive end makes this an unsurprising moment. Still, the Jazz really had their way with us, especially the front court that thoroughly outplayed LeBron and Luka and upped their intensity from the game 2 nights previous. Also shining off the bench for Utah was Keyonte George. Between Kessler, Markkanen and George the Jazz blitzed us and we never recovered.
3. Luka still rusty. After a long layoff, a minutes restriction and a whole new team to get acclimated to (in addition to being traded in-season for the first and hopefully last time ever) it’s obvious Luka still has a lot of rust to knock off along with getting his legs under him. He shot the ball better but was unable to impose his will on the game while also struggling from the free throw line. This is a marathon, not a sprint, with all things Dončić you want to make sure he’s good to go for the playoffs.
4. Vando hit his corner three! Unfortunately it coincided with his first loss of the season. Still, I want to see JV letting those shots fly without holding back. If he can be a corner threat along with DFS we have something special cooking. I also want to see him attack the basket harder as he gets his legs under him, as well.
5. Bronny’s best game to date. Sure it was all during garbage time in the 4th but for a guy like Bronny, late second-rounder, mostly playing in the G-League, moments like last night can help build a foundation of confidence. plus it’s always nice to see a late second rounder get cooking, even in a meaningless affair.

Enjoy All Star weekend everyone.

It has begun. The Age of Luka is upon us. The great thing about this transition is that the Lakers were already one of the hottest team in hoops right now. Maybe THE hottest team. So they’re not expecting Luka to ride in like The Riders of Rohan and save the day. Rather he has the luxury of working his way slowly back into game shape and with the ASB giving the staff to take a 1-2 game sample size back to the film room and some post ASB practices we’re looking at potentially dynamite second part of the season. It’s the beginning of a new age, my friends.

1. The true star of the team shined, again….the defense. The lakers have slowly but surely built themselves into an elite defensive squad this season. Even after losing Max Christie it feels like we didn’t miss a beat on D with DFS being absolutely instrumental coupled with the return of Jarred Vanderbilt. It’s not all these two , however, the entire team has bought into and is executing a much more precise and physical defensive set of schemes. Gone are the soft hedges on the screener and we’re seeing bodies pass each other more fluidly on the switch. Gone is one the stop shop of “switch everything” but rather a hybrid man/switch (depending on the situation) and we’re seeing guys calling out coverages. This is what an elite defense does on the reg. To see us find this level is truly heartening because it doesn’t just bode well for the regular season but the playoffs, as well.
2. LeBron playing like a young man. After he took that charge, which ended up knocking him out of the game (and possibly the next one, too) you could see how pumped the team was. To see the oldest player in the game today step in and take that charge…when you’re up big…is an emboldening maneuver. It may have cost LeBron a good night’s sleep but the inspiration it provides the squad is invaluable. In general LeBron has been playing at a pretty incredible level since we hit mid-January and it’s coincided with the best Laker basketball we’ve seen all season long. While not an All Defense candidate he is moving and communicating on D and that’s enough. His offense is still elite so when he puts forth some effort on the other end you’re instantly reminded of just how far LeBron can still take a team when his body lets him.
3. The Vanderbilt/DFS effect. DFS played 26 minutes, Vanderbilt played 17. between the two of them they managed the pedestrian stat line of 4 points, 6 rebounds (none offensive), 2 assists, 2 steals (both DFS) and a turnover (Vando). They didn’t make a three pointer in 4 tries between them and shot 1-7. They were a combined +17 (+13 for DFS and +4 for JV). I bring this up to illustrate how a player can choose to impact winning without putting the ball in the basket or even filling the stat sheet. These 2 are helping stabilize the Laker bench as defensive unit and allowing Gabe Vincent and whomever is playing with them from the starting 5 to shine while they grind and defend. Hard. They deflect, they push, shove, grab and scrape for position. They are vital cogs in the Lakers winning machine. I don’t care what the stat line says, the W/L record speaks for itself. Vando hasn’t lost since he came back, by the way. 8-0 with Vando.
4. Reaves and Rui still balling. It’s worth noting how well both Rui and Reaves played last night because after we traded AD they both have been going off. If you were worried about some slippage due to new faces and acclimating the games of everyone they put that to rest fairly quickly. Reaves looks like a borderline All Star. Rui should be in the three point shooting contest. Both guys have come up absolutely huge since the calendar turned over to 2025 and it’s been awesome to watch.
5. Oh yeah, Luka. 14 minutes and all of it knocking rust off and just getting back on the court. He shot poorly but still has the elite vision and audacity to make ridiculous passes. He connected with Hayes for dunks, got to the line a bit, shot some 3’s-made 1, and looked a lot like a guy who hadn’t played in a couple of months. It was amazing to see Dirk at the game, makes me wonder how much that will happen and if we can maybe bring Dirk into the fold lol.

I, for one, am happy the trade with the Hornets got pulled back. Even if 100% healthy I felt that Knecht and an unprotected FRP AND a pick swap was just too much for a guy who replicates someone we already have in Jaxson Hayes. Factor in the injury history and it really becomes a no-brainer. For me.

Thankfully, divine intervention was also able to convince the front office, as well. I’m sure Dalton and Cam would rather not have been traded but no better way to learn the at the NBA is first and foremost a business than by being involved in a trade that doesn’t happen.

Look in at the trade in hindsight, and reading between the lines in the myriad of clickbait news articles published about it, one starts to realize a few things:

1) This trade, while made for Luka, was as much about maximizing what’s left of LeBron’s window as much as anything else. LeBron is the small ball center in most lineups without AD and this would have been lessened with the acquisition of Williams.
2) Luka and Hayes share a fondness and Luke has advocated trading for Hayes at multiple points during his time in Dallas. Makes you wonder who leaked the “story” about this being a trade to appease Luka?
3) Hayes is playing some of his best basketball ever right now. Again, I feel like a broken record on this one, Williams was a decent center on a bad team. In his very small sample size he put up OK numbers but the Hornets have barely been in playin contention since his arrival. Injuries to LaMelo (and Williams) has certainly played a part in all that…but it is fair to wonder what impact he would have on winning on this team.
4) Lastly, this shrinks the amount of integration we need to put Coach Reddick through, he now just has to find a role for nova super star Luka.

While messy, I truly believe this is the best outcome. Even if we move forward as-is I’m OK with Hayes and Morris as the backup with DFS and LeBron being small ball 5s when needed. Backup bigs are the first position to get played off the court in the playoffs. If Wood ever plays he’ll still have a role. We can waive Cam, or wait for rosters to expand, if we feel an urgent need for another big man.

Me? I’ve been, and will continue to be, cool with Hayes.

Why?

He’s a high fly act for a center. Faster and more mobile than most bigs but he needs to take advantage of this better. He’s an underrated passer (currently averaging 1 assist for the season but since moving into the starting five he’s averaging 2/game which is great for how much he handles the ball, he just finds the open man and moves the offensive possession forward). Every meaningful stat is up since he assumed full time starter duties. He’s on a minimum, expiring contract so keeping him ought not to be a challenge this summer.

Like Williams, he fits into Luka’s timeline and can augment LeBron right now. Only we didn’t ever have to give up a damn thing to find this out. C’est la vie, and here’s hoping this motivates DK4 to find the early season vibe he had going.

You figure this has to be it, right? With not many draft assets or players you can see a reason to trade this feels like the end of the Lakers trade maneuvers. Right? Anyhow, I’m calling it. As someone who has been very critical of the Rob Pelinka front office and they’re lack of acumen regarding the value of first round draft picks and propensity to overpay simply to get a deal done, this season has shown us that the Laker front office under Rob is coming into it’s own. There may yet be another move to be made in the form of getting an un-signed player or elevating a two-way contract but, in terms of NBA trades this feels like the end.

1. The Luka trade. I am still at a loss for words. Say what you want about his commitment to conditioning and his availability, AD was no All Star in that department, either, although he had been largely available for the last season and a third…when you get a chance to acquire a talent like Luka for the price we paid you do it. 10 out of 10 times I make that trade. More on AD next. For the price we paid, this was a steal now and in the future. Barring the kind of injury that can happen to any athlete Luka will be leading the Lakers to the playoffs for the next 5-7 years if we’re willing to pay him. Hint: we will. Luka fits into everything about the Lakers internal mythology and global brand. He’s a planet-wide superstar on a planet-wide sport team. He’s flashy, audacious, and wins. Even when he’s on mediocre teams he wins. Paired with LeBron and a supporting cast he can grow with the Lakers are set until 2030, if not longer. Is his weight an issue? Sure, to a degree, but he’s always been bulky and used that mass to create space in unorthodox ways that work for him. It’s effect on his legs being the only question. If he can learn from LeBron about keeping his body in shape for his style of play this move just gets even better.
2. Good bye Anthony Davis. Dude, I cannot thank you enough for the Bubble title. Same goes for every player on that team. You took too much heat for you injuries and wanting to play the 4 and now you’ve landed in a situation where you can still compete for a title with a roster that is oddly suited to your skillset. You were a Laker great and I wouldn’t be surprised if your jersey ended up on that wall, at some point. No statue, that’s a multiple banner club, but man did you compete for us and I will always appreciate your effort.
3. The Mark Williams trade. I’m having a harder time endorsing this one as whole-heartedly as the Luka trade. While there is still as of yet untapped potential in Mark Williams (only 23 and fits the bill for our center boxes we need to check) his injury history is troubling. If we can keep him on the floor we have a really solid starting five in Reaves, Vanderbilt or Vincent, Luka, LeBron and Williams. His injury history is concerning. His limited game (not a shooter of note) is concerning, but he fits the mobile, defensive center mold perfectly. Luka asked for a mobile lob threat and het one, this move feels as much as a “welcome to the Lakers and how we do things, Luka” move as anything else.
4. Good bye Max Christie. You were on the rise, you took the challenge of becoming a legit defender and you hit the three ball well enough. Great story about how one can make the most of the opportunities in front of you. Good luck, Max. Also, good bye Dalton Knecht, you started hot and fizzled (not too sure this deal gets made if you shoot better after November).
5. What now? Now we wait and see. Might pick up an unsigned player, promote a two-way. Could use another guard/wing that shoot (Lonnie Walker 4 anyone?).

Go Lakers.

Dude! You got your wish!!!!

That’s at a minimum, that kind of injury has to fully heal or you’re looking at something potentially serious and could threaten the season. This will certainly sink the road trip and, depending on how long he’s out, maybe the season.

We already know this team only goes as far as AD can take us. I think there are 2 questions the Lakers need to really confront honestly:

1) Is this season still worth going all in on of AD missed extended time?
2) Is AD really the guy you want to build around?

The Shams interview showed us he still is pining to play the 4 even though that weakens the starting line up significantly as it forces LeBron to the 3 where he cannot keep up defensively.

AD has issues being the offensive focal point, issues staying on the floor and had benefitted greatly from operating in the shadow of LeBron.

If you’re not building the team around AD it stands to reason you deal with his background issues and desires and keep him at his best position: center.

As the Lakers embark on a 6 game road trip (aka The Grammy Trip) questions surround the team, and the NBA in general, regarding trades. After the multiple LA fires last week (still ongoing), the Lakers know how to deal with distractions. Seeing entire neighborhoods wiped form the face of the planet has a way of making you appreciate that your job is to play a game. Or at least it should. So the Lakers did well in getting the roadie off on the right foot and tuning out trade chatter and that jazz.

1. AD dominated. As he should have done with Draymond Green out of the lineup. Davis had a monster game: 36 points, 13 rebounds, 3 dimes, 3 steals and a block. He got to the line 12 times meaning he was operating in the paint and was playing with force. He also had the jumper working from midrange (5-6), although he missed his three 3 pointers. When AD plays like this it makes everything so much easier for the Lakers.
2. A defensive identity. With Rui Hachimura out (calf), fans pining to see new acquisition Dorian Finney-Smith get the starting nod got their wish. He did not disappoint. His rangy arms and solid defensive fundamentals were on full display. His 3 and D role was essential in helping the Lakers overcome a dreary night from three (DFS: 2-3, rest of team: 8-26) and he did a great job on switches and help situations. While I highly doubt one game will uproot Rui from the starting five it was nice to see that, against an admittedly small team in Golden State, the starting 5 of Reaves, Christie, DFS, LBJ and AD can get it done at a high level.
3. Dalton Knecht had a solid overall game. Since December DK4 has struggled. A lot. Since December 1st he’s made 21 three pointers and taken 86 good for 24.4%. That shows you what his ceiling is because for the season he’s still shooting 35.2% which means he was hot enough from three point land early on to balance this shooting abyss out (slump seems too kind at this point). His overall aggression has suffered as a result of the shooting abyss. Since December (24 games) he’s made multiple threes in just 7 and had donuts (O fer’s) in 13 and since his 5-13 barrage to close out November when he was still in the RotY conversation he has not attempted double-digit three-pointers once. The reasons for all of this are many: defenses realigned their focus to cover him when he was on the floor, his minutes have gone down since January mainly due to his role shrinking a bit due to his defense, and he’s a rookie. He’s going to struggle to find consistency at this level of the sport. It’s also a mental issue, in my opinion. Since he had a run of bad shooting games to you’ve seen him pull back on his aggression and audacity. If you’re going to be a swashbuckling NBA sniper daring-do you need to play like a swashbuckling NBA sniper daring-do. So it was nice to see the young man have a solid overall game.
4. The Reaves/Christie back court works. They compliment each other very well, they’re fast enough to keep up with the majority of the players and they’re both high IQ players. Max has taken on the role of defensive stopper and offensive release valve a lot better than hoped for (shout out to all the Max Christie supporters who never stopped believing, all 3 of you? lol JK.). Are there better back courts in the NBA? Sure, but for this team with AD and LBJ being the focal point of the offense it’s really a luxury to have 2 players who are doing a lot of the little things to enable their success at a high level.
5. THE RETURN OF THE VANDOLORIAN!!!! After a year-ish of waiting the return of Jarred Vanderbilt couldn’t have gone much better (wish he had hit that corner three but it looked good, just a little short…which is to be expected after not playing for so long). He was the only guy off the bench that impacted winning in a positive way +/- of +6, rest of the bench all had negative ratings)despite only taking 2 shots (the other was a bunny on a put back) and he was disruptive on D which is what his role is. Again, Rui Hachimura was out, so his minutes will eventually come from someone else (a combination of Knecht and Hayes in my opinion) and I don’t see him playing much more than 20-25 MPG, in general, but to have a weapon like that in conjunction with Christie, DFS and AD makes for some really intriguing defensive line ups and combinations.

This time of year always cracks me up. BS online rumors whip folks into a typing frenzy. “Insiders” claiming this and that star are all disgruntled with this or that front office. So much sound and fury…signifying nothing.

If you’re a big fan of the “Throw Pasta at the Wall and See What Sticks!!!” game then, my friend, this is the time of the NBA year for you! Big fan of unsubstantiated BS? Welcome to the last 2 weeks before the NBA trad deadline! Like to follow fellow bloggers posing as journalists? You, too, can report on potential NBA trades that have to no actual chance of going down.

Some enjoy this time of year, getting as worked up as the other “news” outlets in their “Could the Lakers REALLY trade for the Eastern Conference ALL Star team?!?!?!” level of mania. Me? I find it exhausting and boring. It doesn’t take much to pick apart most of these ludicrous deals floating around.

LBJ and AD are…(gasp)…DISGRUNTLED!!!!! Even if true, what of it? AD is under contract until close to the next decade and we all honestly would just prefer LeBron retire. Neither is Jimmy Butler Nuclear Disgruntled and neither is doing anything on the court to show just how truly disgruntled they are. I’m disgruntled, you’re not human if you’re blithely happy about everything. They’re fine.

“The Lakers could get _______ number of these players for ______ and ____ # of draft picks!” In theory, sure. Anything is technically possible but let’s look at some facts:

-Only one team has a decent amount of cap space to help facilitate capped teams in a trade and that is Detroit. Detroit who has a team very much on the rise and is just as leery of tying their finances up with bad contracts as any other team. With a little over $14 mil in cap space Detroit holds every single card as to how that space will get used up. If it even does. They’re 6th in the east and beating good teams. They have multiple picks in both rounds for the foreseeable future. They don’t need to do anyone any favors or disrupt their team with a bad contract/player. You’ll have to pony up more picks for that privilege.

https://www.spotrac.com/nba/cap/_/year/2024/sort/cap_maximum_space

-https://basketball.realgm.com/nba/draft/future_drafts/team

-The Lakers picks five years out are SUPER valuable. Maybe. Only if we don’t restock with a superstar between now and when they convey. But if there’s one team GMs are wary of trusting to be bad for a long time it is definitely the Lakers. You can believe all the dysfunction smoke you want, if we’re paying top dollar there are few better places to play. Especially if you’re an aging superstar looking for one more big run. The Baby Laker Run post-Kobe was a self-inflicted debacle, mainly because of some of the worst free agent signings of all time. Even Rob has shown better stone as a GM than Jimbo did in getting out of his worst messes quickly and efficiently (see: Westbrook, Russell).

-Look at the player in the trade rumor and do the following exercise: are they even playing, are they on an expiring contract, are they recovering from a serious injury, and have they ever been a part of a winning culture, ever? If the answers are: no, yes, yes, and no a trade is not imminent. Why? Because the lakers are in win now mode, not hope for the best mode. Some people equate a win now philosophy to a “manic trade activity” stance. I do not. Win now means building something that can actually, ya know, win…now. Swap Rui for what amounts to a backup center and sure you’ve gotten bigger but have you gotten better. I mean in reality not in “trades fix everything!” land. The answer is usually murky at best. If the player was/is hurt and has a minutes restriction/can’t play in back-to-backs/only recently came back from serious injury issue they’re more than likely off the table for us.

I could go on, really I could. Suffice to say the only move I see happening is us trading Christian Wood to Detroit for a 2nd rounder and even that better get locked up quick. otherwise Detroit will simply watch Miami circling the drain with Jimmy Buckets and wait for Miami to come-a-calling. Which is smart.

We can’t afford to overpay. We can’t afford to swing and miss. This situation is the result of prior trade mismanagement. Them’s my two-bits on all this hoopla.

Something. Just traded 1 First Rounder for 3 future First Rounders as Utah seems to be entering an extended rebuild, or at least realizing you can only bring in so many young guys and also improve. Regardless, this feels like the move you make before you make a MOVE. Feels like Jimmy is coming back west, folks.