What is krack Alakin fellow Thermo nuclear a everts. I am Dan Favali coming
at you with yet another twenty twenty three two twenty four NBA team look Ahead.
We're onto the Los Angeles Lakers. Longtime listeners of the podcast know what
that means. We get to sit down and pick the brain of the one,
the only, the legendary, Jabari Ali Davis. Follow him on the
Twitter machine at Jabari Davis NBA. That's at j A b A r I
d A v I S NBA. You can find the handle and the link
to a podcast that he produces writes content for mad Boosts. It's hosted by
iHeart and it's also under the NBA umbrella. I will include the link to
go subscribe to that in the podcast on YouTube. Just cryption as well.
Always love talking to you, Jabari, And the first question, the most
important question, how the heck are you doing? I'm doing well. First
of all, thank you for that incredible intro. I straight out, I've
never had an intro quite like that, so I appreciate it. I will
send you. I will zell you that twenty dollar bill after you. I'm
great. The NBA season's coming up. We got camps, you know,
starting next week. You know, we got you know, preseason about a
week or so. I can't out wait. Yeah, and I feel like
this is going to be a very different look Ahead about the Lakers than it
was. And by the way, this is I don't know if you know
this. This is year four for you. There was four. I thought
it was three. Okay, okay, year four on the Lakers, and
I think that's how long I've been doing the look Ahead series is four or
five years? I can't remember. So I am I am honored, truly,
I'm grateful you keep coming back. At this point, it's your fault
too, Like once or twice it's okay, that might be on I might
have tricked him. It's officially your fault. So I think I think your
listeners will probably like, okay, yeah, maybe not maybe make fun.
We'll see how this one goes. No, it needs look. I think
it's important. I like getting different perspectives. But we bring on enough,
like different guests. I value the chemistry I have with returning guests, and
so it's like I have one. You know, we've had a few first
time guests and those are fun, but I love being able to sit down
with people like if it's once a year, like with you, and we've
now done it four times and we just have like a good rapport. I
think that adds value to the show. It could be a little bit more
like an informal interview sometimes when it's just like first time people on the show,
which again, you need to start somewhere, so I recognize that.
But I love chatting about hoops with you. So I'm sure the listeners love
it too well. Well, I appreciate it, and I hope I hope
they do. Let's I mean, look, let's talk. Let's talk some
Lakers here, And I kind of wanted to start with last season, where
it was just such a it felt like there was eight or nine Laker seasons
rolled into one and they were twenty fourth. But it starts with the Russell
Westbrook situation, which might be the first and last time you mentioned it throughout
this podcast. They're twenty fourth in net rating before they trade him, then
they jumped to sixth with the league best defense after the trade. What was
different after that trade or was it more like, okay, well, the
overall returns were being dragged down by their really poor start, and we'd already
kind of seen a little bit of a shift before then like what just went
into like starting so poorly and then there's the rush trade and it felt like
they really took off. Yeah, and you know, and I want to
preface this, of course by you know, stating the deal. This is
not going to be like a knock Russ or like, you know, make
this all about Russ deal. It's when I when I speak about this,
I'm speaking about the general fit. Is he a part of that or was
he a part of that? Yes, but I think there was clearly enough
talent to at least make it interesting, you know, prior to the deadline.
But I also think that we had seen enough of that combination to know
that it simply wasn't It wasn't the right one. And you know, I
think everyone involved, you could have raised your hand step fault in that,
whether it be the front office or the players that fought, you know,
thought it would be a good idea, or you know, drawn individually a
d whoever rust himself. Everyone can raise their hand and say like, yeah,
you know, we didn't get that right. Ultimately, what I really
felt was, yes, there were signs that there were you know that they
were a better team than the two and ten start. And yes they had
you know, like at least worked their way back into the conversation, but
it probably was never going to come to fruition. And what I don't even
have to like sugarcoat it. He was never going to come to fruition with
for us. Now, ultimately they didn't win, you know what I'm saying,
they getting They got to the conference finals and and and and that always
sounds good, you know, but if you're a Lakers fan, you know,
like that that's like a wasted season. But it at least set him
on the right trajector. And I feel like they followed up this summer the
look they had just and they're still like they're still having a busy summer.
Like the Christian Wood signing comes in the Jared Vanderbilt extension, there was the
ad extension going through. I'd normally like to go through each of the notable
individual moves. We would be here until the All Star Break if we did
that with the Lakers. So I want to try and break this down with
some more overarching thoughts and quick hitters. But let's start with this. What
were your overall impressions about how they fared and what they did in some this
offseason, new editions, re signings, extensions, the whole nine. Honestly,
I thought it was fantastic work. And you know me, and look,
I'm not going to be a homer if they if they didn't do well,
I would acknowledge it and say like, yeah, this is this isn't
it. But on paper as well as I think will be the case in
practice, I think they did a solid job of not just solidifying the roster
around the guys that they already had, but bringing in guys that actually fit
and made sense, you know what I mean. Like and allow me to
give credit because the moves right ahead of last you know, look right ahead
of last year's deadline, we're pretty much just you know, precursors to the
summer. It was basically just getting the jump start, like on the summer
so you know, outside of you getting your finding a bigger and bruising center,
you know, like to eat up some minutes ago, especially during the
regular season and in uh in terms of particular matchup like in a postseason.
I think they did everything that they needed to do. I was impressed.
I was with you too. I thought they just they didn't have like all
these They could have had cap space and stuff, but I thought with the
tools that they're disposed about, we always kind of knew they were going to
operate as an over the cap team. That the Kyrie scenario was just it
always felt like a super duper long shot. I was impressed, and I've
actually been basically since everything Rob Holinka has done almost I would argue, since
the Rush trade has been like, yes, good. So I was a
big fan of the mid season trade too. I was higher on D'Angelo Russell
and Molik Beasley than it turned out I should have been coming in, and
even Vando was just like he becomes unplayable at some points in the playoffs.
But the extension was good. What new addition, though, looking at only
new additions, what new addition intrigues you the most two part answers is obviously
you know Gabe Vincent, you know Torre and Princes are solid and somewhat proven
and established players. I think they will contribute. I think they will both
find you know, you know ample time, you know, ample playing time,
you know, throughout the rotation or you're in the rotation, you know
throughout the year, but I'm gonna tell you, and this is one that
may surprise you, especially you know, with with how some of your you
know, how your questions are formulated. Cam Reddish is the one that intrigues
me. I'm answering specific that intrigues me the most, and part of it,
admittedly is because he's still a mystery box. I recognize he's had a
bunch of stops along the way, but he's only twenty four years old,
he's six foot eight, he's an athletic guy. It's am I expecting him
to just put on purple and gold and just figure, you know, figure
it all completely out. No, that's not realistic, But I am intrigued
to see what it looks like, you know, when he's been working within
this system, when he's working alongside guys you don't like Lebron James and Anthony
Davis and all the other you know, all of the other guys that are
on there, and quite frankly, not that it's now or never, but
it's almost like a you don't get all that many opportunities, so at the
very least I'm intrigued to see what, you know, what they might have
is he gonna play a role though I like this team still needs wings and
kem Riddish I think showed a lot of offensive promise in Portland last year,
the tunnel vision and like the not really being good at passing or wanting to
pass is bad. And I just don't his physical tools. He should be
a lot more disruptive on defense. But like, are they gonna give him?
This is a minimum at the end of the day, it's a minimum
signing. So are they going to give him a real shot at regular minutes?
Do you think? I think they're gonna have to, at least initially,
at least give him the opportunity I get him that, like nothing is
guaranteed, and if he doesn't perform, or if he displays something like a
lot of the weaknesses that he has shown at different times, or the lasses
and judgment they or whatever like on the court that he's shown at times,
well then you know, you just pull him out of the rotation specifically,
because like you said, it isn't like they paid him a great deal or
you know, gave him Maybe you get like a four year guaranteed you know,
situation. But because of what you alluded to at the start of the
question. Because they don't have a ton of wings outside of like, you
know, like their main guys, they're gonna have to give it. They're
gonna have to see what's there, much like they're gonna, you know,
and I know that these you know, these guys are coming up, much
like they're gonna have to see what Max Christie can bring you in year two.
They're gonna have to give these guys opportunities unless unless you're telling me that
they're still going to make some moves. You know, the wing situation is
going to dictate that those guys are going to get out early at least early
season opportunities. And he's definitely going to be one of them. Look,
you mentioned him, let's talk about him. I've heard from people who I
think are very smart that Max Christie looks like he's due for making an impact.
What is the intrigue here with Max Christy? I didn't watch I didn't
see a ton of him in Summer League. What is what is so polarizing
about Max Christie. He's long rangey, he's got he's interchangeable defensive league,
and you know he can guard some ones, he can guard twos and he
can guard some threes. Uh, the rumors that he grew he came in
at six five, is that he's more like six six six seven. Now
obviously you know, you know that would you know, like if he continues
to you know, to trend in that direction, that would help. But
he he did show signs. You know, I recognize a lot of people
weren't watching the Lakers games, especially when you know, when they when in
the moments when he was playing, uh, you know, throughout the course
of the season last year. But he did show some signs. He did
show some signs. He showed it was it was one of those rooms like,
Okay, this is a basketball player. This is that you know,
we'll see if he can develop into you know, like a rotational guy.
But then he was very clearly a basketball player already. So I think there's
always going to be that optimism. There's all, you know, like,
you know, fans of the team are always of any team are always gonna
like be hopeful or you know, or wishful for their young prospects. But
at the very least there's something there, you know what I mean. And
and and again, he you know, he's buried in the depth chart,
Like say, for instance, there they want to play him at the two.
He's pretty buried. He's pretty much buried in the depth chart there.
And I don't necessarily see him breaking through there, you know, barring you
know, barring anything, you know, crazy. But if he's going to
begin on the court, it's going to be simply because he's able to work
his way in finding you you're playing a little bit bigger, playing some three,
maybe playing some backup to it you at points. But yeah, like
it. I guess I don't even know if I answered the question, but
I guess that's why I'm intrigued by him, because there's some interchangeability there.
Because he look, he did look good in some spots over the course over
this rookie season, and because he showed some growth in the Summer league,
especially in those early games. There's there's there's reason to be intrigued. I
think. I mean, look, if he's gonna come in and he can
actually play minutes at the three, that's what's really valuable for them because I
say they don't have wings, and like they do have flyers now, like
there's Cam Reddish, Jelenmtrafino. They just drafted Lebron is still kind of a
wing, but he's basically like a fringe big slash point guard. So but
if he comes in and he can play the three and he's gonna give you
shooting he was at he shot like forty two percent from three last year on
very low volume, so he can give you, well it relative who wasn't
playing a ton of minutes. But so if he's gonna hit threes and can
play like called up defensively at the three, that I don't want to say
it's a game changers to overstate his importance, but like that's someone who would
argue just needs to be in the rotation then. And to be clear,
like I'm not I'm not saying that, you know, I know that you
reconnize this. I'm just saying this for the benefit of the listeners. I'm
not saying that, oh, it's a guarantee that he's going to do these
things. That's what the hopies. That's you know, when we're looking at
this roster, it's very clear to me it's like, Okay, so either
they're expecting MaTx Christie to take a significant leap of even with all of the
nice things they just said about him or and or they're expecting Cam Reddish to
be in the rotation. One of those two. That has to be the
expectation. So I'm hopeful this is how we go. Virals bringing up Max
Christy within the first ten minutes of the Lakers look at it. Was there
a move and it could be a new addition, it could be a contract
they gave out to a returning player that surprised you the most this offseason.
Well, you know, given how folks were talking about, you know,
Awston Reeves. And to be clear, I love Alston Reeves. I'm I'm
actually a big fan of his and I'm not one of those folks that's gonna
you know, poo poo it because other people are tired of him being praised.
But I will stay when the season was over again you have folks talking
about, oh, he's gonna get some team is gonna offer him seventeen to
eighteen and you know, price the Lakers out of it or make things,
you know, uncomfortable for him. And then when they wound up getting them
for a bit about the equipment of like twelve five, you know, like
you know, over the course of four years, your average over the course
of four years. I said, okay, well, you know what,
that's a solid player at a at a decent rate. So I guess that
was a surprise to me just because of the talk. But the real surprise
really was gay visit. Because look, I'm not an insight. I don't
have all the you know, I don't have you know, agents calling me
every five seconds. I don't have coaches calling the custoy out or text me
or anything like that. So I didn't know that that was even in the
cards. And then suddenly, like like right wing free agency started. It
was I got the Lakers got Gay Vincent, and I was like, wait
what, oh, okay, now again, not a superstar, not you
no expectations of being a superstar whatsoever. But in terms of filling a very
specific role, giving good, good minutes at the guard position, you know,
I felt like that was a whole breath. He brings like a really
important element if his threes are gonna fall, and like his shooting splits were
kind of all over the place a lot of the times last year. But
he can essentially be a three in D guard, which is very important with
better size than let's say peque Patrick Beverley who That's what he was was like
or Javon Carter another three someone who's actually a three D guard right now,
and that's huge on this team when you have Lebron and even DeAngelo Russell as
well, and he's like there's some like live dribble playmaking there if you give
him enough spacing. We saw it in Miami. I was that was my
most surprising, Like, you know, oh, okay, I didn't think
Miami was just gonna let him and Struss leave. They maybe they know something
about Dame the Dame trade that eventually end. Hoping that doesn't date this podcast,
maybe he'd already be done by the time this goes out. But I
think that's super intriguing, and he's someone who I guess I would imagine that,
like he's coming off the bench to start the year. But it wouldn't
surprise me if their best lineup is just gonna include like Gabe Vincent is like
in their best lineup with Lebron, A D. Austin Reeves and then you
kind of futs around with that fifth spot. Yeah. I know we're going
to get the lineups later, so I won't go there yet. But the
next point, you know, like the next line item, it will will
pretty much bring some of it out. I'm right there with you. I'm
right there with you. Whether it's because they've moved on from d Loo and
I'm not I'm not advocating for it. I'm just saying that there's certainly a
possibility, or simply because he outplayed him and worked his way into the lineup.
I would not be shocked if Gabe Vincent is starting in the back board,
and so I'm gonna jump to Austin Reeves just because you already mentioned him,
Let's start here, so you would You had talked about, however,
once that he was going to get the poison pill, which could have been
up to about one hundred million dollars, and we won't get in the complexities
of it. We talked about it on offseason pods. Were you surprised that
no one tried to even like even partial poise and pill where it was like,
okay, it's worth seventy five million over four years rather than a hundred
You know, I never know what to truly believe when it comes to NBA
rumors. And you know what I mean by that, Like, like I'll
be speak friend. I think a lot of the rumors are conjectured. I
think a lot of the rumors and I'm talking about by you know, like
you well known folks as well as just regular render mill you know, jerks
like me. I think a lot of it is like, oh, I
could see that happen, because quite frankly, there's so many crazy ones that
you know that that come out that it makes it so late. Like like
I said, I don't know what to trust. I thought we would at
least get someone that offered him, you know, in the sixteen seventeen million
range, And I was actually worried about that, but then I thought,
you know what, I would be comfortable at that rate. But had it
been you know, twenty five, Hey go with God Austin, Hey look
again, and there will be Lakers fans to get upset with that, like,
oh no, you gotta keep it at that rate, it would have
been a different conversation. Well where you know where he fits in. I'm
very yet I will say I wish there was more gamesmanship in the NBA where
someone I was I criticized mostly the Spurs because I just feel like, and
even I didn't like him on the thunder necessarily but like those were the teams,
were the moves they made with their cap space. Those could have waited
tie up your cap space for a couple of days and make either mess with
the Lakers payroll or get someone who could maybe grow with your team. And
we saw it a little bit where Utah so creative with the Paul Reid offer
sheet to Philly. I want more of that. This is it me being
a cap doork. This is me wanting teams to fuck over other teams.
I'm not a cap door, but I will. I'm here for that exact
type of chaos, except for the Lakers, like, hey, don't don't
do that with us, but with everyone else, with everyone else, No,
you know, jokes aside, I'm here for that type of gamesmanship.
I'm here for those that exact type of strategy. To be honest with you,
I was surprised when Philly matched that. You know you'll match it.
I thought, you know, well, not not that there's anything against Paul
Reid. Is just because like I keep on wondering, what the hell do
they doing it? Really? But that's that's another conversation. That's another preview
pod that I'm sure you've already done. Or will eventually do we gotta get
my gotta get my guys back on for that one. Uh oh but no,
no, no, I'm here for it. I would love to see
it, even if even if it was at the expensive of my team.
I think it's I think that type of stuff is an entertainment. So I'm
right there with you. So I'm sure people, just because it's the Lakers
were very exposed to Austin Reaves last year. But I also think that a
lot of the talk with him can be dismissed because it's, oh, he
plays with the Lakers. If he was on the Hornets, would we be
talking about him in this vein? Probably a fair question. What impressed you
the most though about his development last season? I felt a lot better with
the ball in his hands, uh than I like, obviously at the ricky
and that that's not really like groundbreaking analysis at a second year player. I
felt better about him with the ballas anazon, but you know, as a
rookie it was like, okay, that you know he can be a rotation
guy. And then last year I said, oh no, no, he
can be you know, he can be a lead initiator and like and noo,
he's never I don't I'm not anticipating in Austin converting and just being a
straight you know, playmaking point guard or anything like that. But he at
least showed the ability to create, not just for himself, but you know,
for others. He's a he's you know, he's a he's a willing
guy. You know, whether that's willing to make you know, find the
open guy, willing to get back and you get into the pass away,
willing to take you get back and take a charge of him case maybe.
So I was impressed by just the confidence that he very clearly has and I
know that that you know, some you know, some listeners might and viewers
may say like, well, of course he's confident. There's a difference.
There is a difference between the confidence to you know, make the league and
the confidence to you know, like to you know, hit game winners and
then look Lebron James directly in his face and say bitch on him here for
level of confidence. And I like, I like a little bit of that,
yeah, you know more, And I think I think we'll see him
challenge a great deal this year. But I'm gonna go ahead and go out
on the limit say, I think Auston Reeves is going to be in the
running for most of true players. I think I think that is coming.
I haven't dug enough until like they thought about the award it. I'm just
so in team looking at mode I do have. This is stat I pulled
up just for you before this podcast. Austin Reeves, there were let's frame
of in this way, one hundred and ninety players last year finished at least
two hundred drives. One hundred and ninety players. Here is the list of
every single one of those players who shot sixty percent on those drives while also
having an assist rate of at least ten. So like, that's not this
isn't really cherry pick two hundreds high volume. We're talking sixty percent shooting a
ten assist rate. There's Austin Reeves, there's nicolea. Yokich, there's Domas
a Bonus, there's Luca don Chich. That is literally it pretty damn good
company. And he's none of those players. Don't want to make that clear,
but he wasn't working like they didn't. The Lakers did not have pristine
spacing. Last this is someone who's shooting sixty percent on drives causing chaos enough
to set other people up where they're half court spacing or even in transition that
it was kind of funky. Yes, it look it doesn't look like your
traditional like you know, you know, you start when you'll start, you'll
start from one place and blitz to the blitz to the basket. He's a
little bit hurky jerky, but he's also he's also got some quickness. Alson
Reeves is a ball player. Again, if if Austin Reeve, if you're
asking Austin Reeves to be your second or third best player, You're probably not
going to be a great team. You're gonna because you may be competitive depending
on the mix. I'm not gonna be a great team. But if you're
asking Auson Reeves to be your fourth or fifth best player and simply contribute where
you can get fit in, where he can fit in, then you honestly
you're cooking with hide Reef. And I think that's where the Lakers are right
And look I have it was the ball handling and decision making for me was
what I was most impressed with. I'd probably like to well, this steps
too much on the toes of the next question. I kind of have to
monitor, Like he shot like fifty plus percent from mid range the past two
years. He shot eighty percent at the rim last year, and I'm like,
there's no way that sustainable. But you know what he shot and you're
one he shot seventy one percent at the rim, which is still just a
ridiculous clip. I just I am. So he's probably one of the most
fascinating players to me because I don't actually think people outside of Lakers fandom or
media really understand how much of a swing piece that this guy is. And
So with that in mind, what are you watching most closely for as he
enters year three? How he you know, how his body looks specifically to
like now, when he's been in multiple training camps, multiple you you've been
with an NBA franchise for multiple years, I mean off of the FIBA experience.
So how is Boel like, how his body goes, how he you
know, how he reacts on the defensive end. Now here's the thing.
The funniest thing about, especially with NBA fans is sometimes and I'm guilty of
this as well, but like I will cherry pick stuff or like say,
for instance, like in the in the Olympics, like where they were like
five possessions where like he got hunted or whatever the case may be, were
It's like, if you look at it, every other possession, someone else
was getting hunted. So like everyone is getting hunted at some point or another.
But he's a willing defender. He is. He's not like I don't
necessarily love him defending you know, threes and fours, which at times,
you know, he was asked to do that in the Olympics as well as
all this Lakers team last year. But if you put him on ones and
twos, I feel pretty damn good about it. I actually want to see
you like, you know, what his defense is like this here, you
know, you know, if his conditioning is just that a tick better,
is Atlantic Silam just a just a tick better? And honestly, how he
how he reacts to you being pressured with the ball, because again first year
it was shaking, so you know, and and and understandably shaky, you
know, as a rookie last year, there were some spots where I was
like, but they honestly, as one of the things I like most about
him is he's not going to be one of those guests and he hangs his
head, He's like, all right, bring it, let's go. You
got me a couple of times, let's go. And it's that it's for
that reason that I'm expecting him to, you know, to be slightly even
slightly better at handling that type of actual ball pressure. So really it's just
a matter of, like he doesn't have to like come out and change anything
tremendously. It's just you know, making slight, you know, slight improvements
across the board. And I think that's what he's going to do. That's
what I anticipated had I think what could also help him defensively is I like
sort of the assignment archetype they threw him on, which was mostly there were
some stationary players, but it was like kind of the movement shooters where he
didn't have to necessarily defend at the point of attack all the time. Now
that you have Gabe Vincent, if he's hitting enough of his threes and if
as long as you can steal minutes however long you need, with Jared Vanderbilt
on the court, there are guys that I don't know how insulated he needs
to be, but you can insulate him against having to defend either too far
up or just like in terms of size, or too far up the let's
say, the talent the pecking order to where I don't want him defending necessarily
Damian Lillard or well, bad example, who might not be in the Western
Conference anymore. I don't want him defending Steph Curry that and like those weren't
the assignments he was typically tackling. So but I would be with you that
I'm very interested to see the step forward defensively. And I think the other
thing for me, and this is you know, I'm only going here because
you already outlaid the defensive part of it. I want to see if the
three point volume can be nudged up a bit, because I think that would
be huge for the Lakers. He's clearly comfortable getting off those in between shots.
But you look at him the role. He's gonna play a lot of
two and three four attempts per thirty six minutes. It's just it's too low,
like I think it needs to come up to. And look, especially
if he's gonna shot thirty nine percent on them, you'd like to see that
come up to like probably double like per minute to seven or eight. And
I don't know how much of a difference that makes, but I think it
could make not just looking at oh how much is he gonna average? How
good is he? But if he's taking more threes and defenses are guarding him
because he's taking more threes, that opens stuff for everybody else. So here's
one for you. I need that to happen because I don't need the bigs
out there shooting them. Okay, I recognize you don't like the Jared Vanderbilt
corner threes. What's wrong with those? All right? So here's the deal.
If he can, if he can just knock down league average from wide
open corner threes, I'm fine with it. But if you can't, then
no, I don't want you jacking them up. And and the funniest thing
is like people, you know, when I when I let out with I
don't want the big shooting threes, people will automatically think I'm throwing shade at
a d I'm not, even though I don't need you shooting those either that
But it's really it's it's really just a matter of I would still prefer and
I recognize it's an outside end game, you know, in a lot of
cases these days, but I would still prefer a little bit of variants.
So if you get if you can knock them down, take him Alston Reeves,
get that up to at least six or seven. Take him Dave Vincent
if you know, if this is a good year, take him all you
know, and guy's Nick and Torrian Prince. Take him. But if if
you're giving me thirty percent, I don't need that. I don't. I
do not need a d shooting. You know, four three's a game at
thirty percent, I do not need. You know, if if if Vanderbilt
can't get that over at least thirty four or thirty five percent, I don't
need you take in five or six of those a game because it's just a
it's a wasted possession of him. Yeah, there's value in the volume,
but only if and I'll compare it to he's not a big I've always used
Marcus Smart as the example. He's improved as a shooter. He is,
and he's cut out a lot of the junkie off the dribble attempts. He's
not a great shooter, but defense is. If you look at the juxta
like the difference between how they defend. Let's say Dylan Brooks versus Marcus Smart.
So like that volume from Marcus Smart, even if he's only hitting thirty
two, thirty three percent matters. It's a different story with Jarrek Vanderbilt because
he's taking him no one cares, no one here and his man, his
man literally says like, all right, go for it, and it looks
for someone in the box out again. This is like, this isn't hey,
no him. I'm hopeful that he's been in the lab this summer and
has improved upon that design. But I'm not going to hold my breath just
yet. What was the move or contract or whatever that you have the most
questions about from the offseason? All right, So I want to choose my
words carefully because d Low fans are truly one of the more sensitive bunches that
I've seen in a minute, and they're gonna be bad about me just saying
that, and I don't care y'all are and y'all know it. That's the
one that intrigues me simply because I, again I look at the I look
at the potential of each some of the younger guys. I look at the
fact that they brought in Gaviscent, and I say that is a good number
for d low. That's also a good number in case in case, or
in the event that a he's underperforming, or be it the you know,
the fit simply is no longer good or whatever the case may be. But
he can I look at that as a as a as a contract that could
be most Again, I'm not anticipating it. I'm not even hoping for it.
I like DeAngelo Russell. But if he again, if the fit ultimately
doesn't work, or if he's not giving the minutes that he you know,
he's ultimately going to the field that he's entitled to because someone else has taken
it, then that's one that's That's the one that when I look at the
page, I go, that's the one that stands out. Yeah, that
deal is made to trade because he waved his implicit no trade clause as part
of it, so there's the player option on it. But it's so short
term. I almost wonder like, not only was it negotiated to trade,
but I'm like, was this negotiated to trade by the February deadline? I'm
not talking about next offseason? Like that's what this contract feels like. And
if he's shooting you know, when he was in Minnesota and I think Timberwolves
fans were kind of out on him, but like, if he was hitting
enough of his pull up jumpers, he's giving you some pick and roll orchestration.
And he's providing that with the Lakers, even if it doesn't look the
cleanest or maybe the advanced atolyt Nick won't won't love him. Like there will
be teams that will just be like, hey, we need like we need
the scoring. And look, he shot his credit he shot what do you
shoot in LA last year on seven attempts from three p thirty six that teams
will teams will look at that. Look like people on Twitter can talk all
the talk you know they want, We can joke, we can key about
it. But yes, teams will absolutely look at that. And again I'm
not saying that that's gonna happen, but of the deals, that's the when
I look at and say like, yeah, yeah, I nixed this question
because it's fun at disorreally just to focus on the basketball. But he is
clearly the player most likely to be traded on the roster this season. Like
I don't know who you would put in front, like unless you're just like
oh no, they're gonna trade like like, oh they're gonna get rid of
Jackson Hayes or offload him or something like fine, but like he's just you
look at the salary the deal, I think my most and not a concern
to where I think it will end up imploding. But I just have questions.
I don't I still don't understand the theory of Ruby Hachimura and it's just
you look at the money relative to the cap going up, like it's fine,
Like I mean, I was. I was a little bit shocked that
he got three year and fifty one on like fully guaranteed, like there was
no kind of team outs there. What am I missing something? What is
the fit for him on this team? It feels like unless Cam Reddish and
Max Christie kind of pop, Like are they gonna need him to play some
three? Like what is just the theory? What is the best case scenario?
What's the vision for Ruey Hatchmore on this team? Honestly obviously, but
yeah, yeah, no, no beyond those pipe dreams and you know what,
shout out to him for doing a solid job for like a quarter and
a half. I was, I was, I was right there, like
yo, no truth be told. I think Ruey's a solid player. He's
a guy who gives him that intermediate, the you know, mid rate,
a ton of mid range offense. He's an outlet guy. He's also a
guy that can play four or five and if you depended upon the matchup,
you know, he can play some three. But it's it's never a bad
thing in my estimation, to have forwards that are interchangeable, that can defend
multiple sims. I'm not saying he's a lockdown guy. I'm not saying that
he's gonna lock down the goolda yo kids in the in the conference finals or
anything like that. But he's at least a big, solid, a big
strong body that you can throw it. You can throw it at the bigger
scores and and some of the and some of the smaller you know, smaller
scoring you know, power forwards. You can actually you can actually put him,
put him out there, and you know what he what he showed,
especially during that that second half with the Lakers, is if he gets it
going offensively, he can you know, he can really keep it rolling.
So again, you probably don't want him as like your second, your first
or second option. You don't want him even as your third option. But
if he's a guy that's coming off your bench and he's like a fifth,
sixth guy in your rotation or seventh guy, Honestly, I don't see the
problem with it. You know, maybe I'm in love with Maybe I'm in
love a little bit more with him specifically because you know, like I watched
him up close and personal and he was doing your quality things from my squad,
you know, the most recently. I just I'm just some of the
sustainability of what we saw on offense from him. It's just like he shot
an astronomical clip on twos that were fourteen plus feet away once he got to
LA. Is that efficiency gonna hold up? He wasn't hitting his threes at
an ultra clip, and part of me wonders, he feels like he's better
suited and more of a play finishing role and it's not like he was holding
on to the ball a ton of LA. I want to make that clear,
like do they have the space? Yeah, do they have the spacing
to you know, continuously capitalize off of that is still a question for me
because if if he can give you, I don't even want to say,
like the peak postseason version of Ruey on offense. But if that's like seventy
five percent of that like that okay, like not with the defensive nouability.
Now now we're kind of cooking. I just still have questions about it.
Oh yeah, No, nothing is guaranteed, Like I mean, there there
are a question marks up and down the roster, But I honestly think the
same to be said for you know, for a lot of ross at this
stage, the sustainability of the offense is definitely an intriguing win. Might so
say, for instance, his shot just goes into the you know, goes
into the year. That would make that deal, you know, not as
comfortable. Yeah, you know it Laker's late, But I don't know.
I he he too, you know, you know for you know former you
know, high pick a guy that you know, there was some promise there.
Uh you know who knows you know what what is it a he's a
wasson in thing or you know he was a wasson with I don't know what
the game, you know, what the case was there. But what I
do know is when I saw him most recently playing alongside Lebron James and Anthony
Davis, he looked like, So the hope again is that taking care of
some of them. He's probably the second most compelling player for me on this
roster, behind Austin Reeves because you might have sold me on Max Christie though,
So he's in the top three of that list of compelling players just because
I'm still so curious about him. The Christian Wood signing only for minimum money,
so it's not it's zero risk, but I guess it's twofold here one
is he just like, is the vision we know what he brings offensively?
Is the vision just he is going to be? You're like second, like,
first big off the bench? Is it how are you gonna are you
playing him at the four or are you playing him next to a D predominantly?
Are you playing him at the five without a D predominantly? And then
the second part of this is every single year there's the anthy Davis doesn't want
to be a center. The Lakers have planned their rotation around that apparently,
and then Anthony Davis just spends the vast majority of his minutes at center.
So maybe answered the second one for it? Can we like do we really
even have to talk about this any Like we're just like Anthony Davis is at
center and the most important unit's anthy Davis is going to be your center exactly
and that it's funny. My first reaction was going to be like, can
we move past this? Not to you, but I'm saying, like the
general conversation with with Andy Davis is like, oh God, he doesn't want
to play center. It's like, yeah, he doesn't want to, but
he does, and he doesn't at a very high level on a lot of
nights. And when he's healthy, I'll take him. I'll take him against
a lot of centers out there, a matter of fact, just about out
all of them. I'll have no problem with acknowledging that. But the reality
is this, we don't have to bullshit. Christian wood Is is not only
a potential contributor, but he's an insurance policy as well. Because as much
as I think, as much as I would love to say, look,
I would love to tell you that Lebron's names and Anthony Davis are going to
play sixty five to seventy games each this year. I'd love to I'm not
going to tell you that because there's absolutely no guarantees of that. And if
you have two guys that you are going to be so heavily reliant upon when
when it really matters, it doesn't hurt to bring in a guy like Christian
Wood, especially on a flyer like this end of the summer, you know,
you know, essentially a minute of the l VET minimum deal, because
ultimately it's one of two ways with him. Either he buys in and recognizes,
hey, I might my ass might be out the league, you know,
you know next year if I don't, or if he doesn't and he
doesn't play well, then you can go ahead and ship, or you can
just straight out and you don't love and you don't you really don't lose all
that much. So for me, it's like gambling without, you know,
gambling with money that you already want. You're like with with winnings. You
know what I'm saying, I'm not going into my pocket. These are all
you know, I'm just gonna gamble with my winnings. Am I anticipating just
saying Stellar you're out of Christian? Would No, I'm not. Would I
love to be surprised, Yes, I would. Would I love for him
to say, hey, Jabari, shut the fuck up. You don't know
what you're talking about excuse my language, you said fuck earlier, so I
know, yeah, there's yeah, okay, but I would love for him
to say Jabari and everyone in Jabari at all, y'all shut the fuck up.
I'm coming to play. I'm gonna earn my way back into the great,
you know, into being considered you know, one of the you know,
the fun young your fun bigs, you know like that that are that
can do something, you'll do different things on the board. I would love
for that. I'm not gonna hold my breath, but I think that's what
the thought theory is. In the event that, you know, a d
goes down or Lebron goes down, in the event that he could put it
together, you get you've got a great situation, and worst case scenario,
you open up a roster spot, you know, at some point during the
year. I think there's also a chance offensively, I don't know. I
mean, I can see the theory of how it will work defensively, just
because of what Anthony Davis and Jared Vanderbilt are able to do, so you
can play. Christian Wood is sort of like a stationary low man, while
those guys are gonna just play up higher up, but like offensively if you're
if, and I mean this is a question too. Has Anthony Davis's like
efficient jump shot because the ship sailed on that, and if it has.
Between him and Vando being such shaky perimeter shooters, Christian Wood can do that.
Like he has ball skills and you're gonna want to explore them. But
like defensives will respect him when he's standing beyond the arc. Oh I okay,
So I don't know if you've like, no, we've never watched a
game together. One of my one of my favorite aspects of the game is
big the big passing, Like straight up I love this, Like you get
you get bigs working together. I'm like whoo whoo, like the former coaches
becomes out and I'm just like, oh man, this this is fantastic.
I expect to see some two man, you know, some two man game
between Anthony Davis and Christian Wood when they played again. I expect to see
some high low action between the two of them, and I can't wait to
see what it looks like. To answer your question, you know directly,
yeah, I'm not. I'm not anticipating Anthony Davis. She's like shooting fifty
percent or higher from the mid range. I'm not expecting that. I as
long as he's respectable, I'm okay with him taking it. I don't see
this thing. I don't have a problem with him relying on the mid range
game because that's kind of what you know, that that's where he's comfortable.
I just don't want to see the you know, like trailing back out to
the three point line. But truth be told, last year, if you
look at the bulk of what Anthony Davis was doing, he was going to
work in the pain. Yes, you know, towards the end of the
year he did start to push it out a little bit. Obviously, you
know, he's probably dealing with dealing with things that it would cause that.
But for the most part, he did a lot of his damage in the
paint. And in fact, you know, before that, you know that
one injury where he was out for like fifteen to twenty games or whatever,
he was leading the league in point paint like the point paint points and point
and paint touches and all like. So, for my money, I'm okay
with what they know, with what ad has gone on. And look,
to his credit, he did shoot forty four percent from mid range. To
your point about him working in the paint a lot, he like, I
don't think it was a career high, but it was pretty pretty close to
a career high. Share of his looks were coming in that four to fourteen
foot range, like outside the restricted area, but still in the paint.
He shot an above average clip from there. It was around forty six,
forty five percent, whatever it was. I do still feel like he becomes
and maybe it's later in the season fatigue thing, post injury thing. There
are just times when people becomes way too reliant on the jumper, and I
would just love like we've seen it in the bubble, We've seen flickers and
flashes of it in previous years before that. If he was just like this,
like I don't know, reliable pick and pop option from three, like
he could just change the entire like fabric of the Lakers offense and night.
Look, we're in year what is this year? Eleven? Year ten?
For hint, whatever it is, you can't if only this player had a
consistent three point like that's a pretty big if, yes, and not only
that, you know what it's like. It's like when we go back and
we say, like man and and and and allow me to finish before people
tear my head up about this because I'm not putting a D in the same
conversation with Shack can give me way. I'm just see, It's like when
we go back and we said, if Shaq could have just made his three
those so you know what, he was pretty damn good even with that.
He's pretty damn good even with that. And right now, all things considered,
when Anthony Davis is healthy and he's out there busting his ass defensively and
he's literally changing games and series, you know, defensively, I'll take it.
Man. I'm sorry, Like, I'm not going to knit big.
I'm not I'm not going to throw the baby out in the bath. Form
becomes to somebody that's that is that down. Yeah, he's a fantastic like
that. He can get the level of defense he played. And I'm specifically
talking about that Golden State series. I saw him do things that even after
watching him after all these years and I'm not sure I've seen him do but
that I was still in awe of where it looks like he is teleporting around
the court and so defensively, like alone with him is what he is on
offense right now, I don't know if you can call him a stable top
ten player because of the injuries and the there's some swings on his efficiency offensively,
like from the perimeter, but he is has top ten capacity the player
that he is right now. That's a big deals. I don't mean to
take away from that. It's just you look at the jumper and it's like
the form it's like kind of pretty, like why isn't it going? There's
sometimes there's too much, like you know, daring do with it, like
using it too much in his hands, but like the actual jumper is just
I'm not talking about the just the actual jumper. I look at it and
I'm like, I feel like that should be going in. Yeah. No,
I mean he clearly works at it like this is He's not like one
of those players. It's just like, yeah, I'm just gonna figure it
out, Like these are things that he's clearly working at but for whatever reason.
Yeah, like it again, I didn't think he was terrible last year.
He was better last year. It honestly, without even look at the
numbers, I would I would bet I would guess that he was better last
year than the year before. I don't again. I just don't anticipate him
getting you into above fifty, you know, like it would be lovely get
okay, much like it? Much like that, you know, much like
the last player. I would love, much like Christian Wood. I would
love for a d to say, you know what, Jabari, shut the
fuck up, I got this. I would love to, But but I'm
also okay if he just does what he's been doing. Yeah, I mean,
look, he shot technically better from three than he did this season before
outside garbage time twenty six percent versus what was he nineteen percent in twenty and
twenty one? Am I reading that correctly? Right now? Correctly? Yes?
So? And look his mid range efficiency was up forty four percent,
so I had that percentage wrong, but I was close at the rim.
He's just consistently up in the above seventies ever since arriving in LA and dating
back to New Orleans. So pretty damn good player already. I will say,
I'm kind of fascinated. I don't want to spend more time on the
Christian Wood Affy Davis thing, but like, if you can even just they
can be interest changeable. Where oh, Christian Wood is taking the Jared Vanderbilt
shots from the corner while like a D is serving as the big and Lebron's
the ball handler. Like if you could also have it where a D give
him some rest where he doesn't have to screen, he doesn't have them usage
if he can hit those Jared Vanderbilt type looks because you have Christian Wood to
screen and roll, and he could even make passes off and he could put
the ball on the floor, make extra decisions off the dribble. There's like,
I don't I try not to inflate the importance of minimum signings, but
like, there's a to me, there's a dimension in which Christian would,
at least on offense, is like super valuable to this team. I'll take
the rig with you and say it's boom or bust. Like, I don't
think it's going to be in between. I don't think. I look,
I think it's either going to be Wow, fuck they they they got one,
you know, for whatever whatever the reason, nobody else will given them
a chance and they got him, or yeah that's the Christian work. I'm
hopeful again, but I'm you know, I'm also I'm also not any I
see the tracks to now finally move into some bigger picture stuff. Do you
expect the starting lineup to kind of remain the same as it was where it
ended, where when Jared Vanderbilt and Dangel Russell will start with Reeves Lebron and
a day or do you see the potential whether it's immediately or mid season without
a trade, let's say, for some shakeups there. I think there's a
champion of shakeups. And we can be straight up about this. I alluded
to it, you know, we both alluded to it earlier. I can
see, you know, like, depending upon you know, it could be
circumstantial, could be matchup related. I can see gave Vincent working his way
into that into that starting lineup. I could also, honestly, I could
also see, depending upon the matchup secret them saying like, oh, let's
throw two bigs out there and throw Christian Wood into the starting lineup, especially
if they are able to have that type of connection that you know that we
were just talking about. So at the very least, I wouldn't be stunned
if ultimately, you know, like they do some playing around and you know,
like say Vandal Shot, who's never you know, never comes to it
comes to fruition and it simply is what it is. He's a good player
to have in your rotation, but you might not necessarily want to start the
game off feel like playing four on five offensively, and then all of a
sudden, you know that that opens the door for somebody else. I wouldn't
be shocked, but I do think it starts off, at least initially as
we left off. How do you see that? I'm kind of fascinated by
the secondary front court rotation. We've already talked about Christian Wood, we talked
a little bit about Ruey, But so you have Davis and Vando as your
bed and let's let's look at the four or five specifically, you have Davis
and Vandos like that base four or five in the in the starting unit.
How are we fleshing it out after that? Is it like are we seeing?
Is it Ruey and christian Wood are the primaries? There? Are we
seeing? Does Jackson Hayes sneak into that at all? And then there's also
we haven't talked about him a ton, but I think like Tory Prince was
an excellent pickup for this team. You play him at the four, that
really opens things up as well. That's exactly where I was gonna go with
it. They have flexibility, and you know what this is. This is
a parcel answer to you know, something else that's coming up. But the
flexibility that's dear. The interchangeibility that's dear. Again, that's off the rub.
I cannot praise him enough. He deserved the you know, he deserved
all of the criticisms that he was receiving two years ago and much him and
in return, he deserves all of the phrase because he's done, you know,
he's done a fantastic job of solidifying that roster. They've got the options,
like you know, like you know, whether it's you know, whether
it's going a little bit smaller, but until he and Prince at the four,
or you know, going a little bit bigger putting Christian Wood at the
four, they I'll be honest with you, I don't think that that question
should be answered until we see, you know, how the parts fit.
And I'm not trying to dodge it, but I really don't have an answer
for it until until I kind of see how all these guys fit together.
But the great luxury is they've got a lot of different directions they can go.
Should we I can't believe it's taken this long to get to him.
But Lebron James, he's pretty good and important. He's all right. Should
we just assume he had all season foot surgery? And I apologize when this
is coming out if we've already found out about it, it should be out
before Lakers Media Day. But should we assume he just had off season foot
surgery. I'm under that assumption. I looked at what his foot looked like.
I looked at the fact that he had to like prior to even coming
back in the postseason, what it looked like, and it was very obvious
that there were some problems structurally there. It was very obviously that he was
favorite. Anytime he would go down, it was the collective like, you
know, like clutching up my own pearls and gasping because like, yeah,
like that that foot, that foot looked rough. I'm hopeful that he did.
I hope he got all the rest that he needed and he's able and
he was able to rehab, you know fully. But I'll say this,
if he's not, like say, for instance, his body, we're not
ready to go, I would say, hey, let him wait. I
don't look they are improved. They made me said the Conference finals after two
and ten start last year, I wouldn't anticipate that even without him in the
lineup. But I'm saying I would much prefer a healthy Lebron over the course
of the season and down the stretch of the season. Then trying to you
know, you know, worrying about you know, rushing him back in there,
like if for instance, his body were not really but I say this,
and we'll be I'm sure by the time this comes out, we'll have
camp footage of him, you know, you know, cocking it back from
the free throw line or you know, step in front of the free tow
line and looking like he's you know, the like he's you'll never missed a
beat for all and like I don't really know age thirty nine season, the
foot injury and like and that's a fickle like the foot. I know he
went to the Lebron James the feet at one point, but I don't even
know what the fuck that means. Have you seen Lebronz feet? No,
it's anting comment looking to speak any of your listeners and viewers take a look
at Lebron's feet, and that's a funny it's a funny statement. Is this
like an only fan situation like the Lebron Lebron's It's not that. I mean,
it might be somebody's king, but his toes are like deformed and like,
you know, like from just constant pressure and playing and whatever the case.
Maybe yeah, he's got Jack He's got Jack de feet. But anyway,
sorry, I didn't mean. I didn't mean to real. You know,
first of all, that's absolutely Jermaine. I need to I need to
know that, so thank you for it. I just there it felt like
there was regression last year, and I don't know how much of it was
the foot stuff. He became a little bit more reliant on the mid range,
which I didn't love. But then also it's like he got to the
rim overall at the same rate as the year before he shot. I should
bring this up so I'm not getting it wrong. Yeah, I mean there
is the past three years he has shot at least seventy six percent at the
rim outside of garbage time, seventy five percent last year. Like, I
just do we brace for any regression at this point? Is there even a
chance where it's like the spacing is a little better. You got there's a
healthier ad. There's Austin Reeves making a jump. Our lineups are a little
bit more flexible. Lebron shoots better from three. Is it just maybe there's
no regression, Like we shouldn't even take in the five percent or whatever regression
that we're bracing for. I think I think you know what Lebron is is
what you know, It's pretty clear at this point, like he still he's
still a top line offensive you know, like genius that is still capable of
doing all a lot of the same things offensively. Is he every bit as
fast? No? Does he jump as high? No? But does he
still look like an absolute physical freak out there, even in you coming up
on thirty nine years old? Yes, it does. Do I anticipate him
and I am hope though this is wishful thinking. Do I anticipating him playing
less and having less uh to you know, you know, less of a
work share throughout the course of the long rigular season. Yes? I do.
But that's why I will not equate that to an actual regress. You
know what I'm saying, Like, I think he'll pick his spots and I
think he'll ramp it up when you you know, whin. It's time to
ramp it up, whether that's big moments, big games, big stretches,
or down the stretch. I know I didn't include this in the outline.
I don't mean to put you on this spot. Is there like an aspect
on the court that you view it from him that's critical to optimizing his aging
curve? Now moving forwards, is it really you know now Austin Reaves can
shoulder more of the ball handling and you have gave Vincent. Isn't that type?
Is that really what it is? So it's like maybe we're using him
more as a shooter play finish our type deal exactly that use him as a
finisher, like you know, like there's it's never You're never gonna have a
situation where the balls down Lebron's hand at some point, you know what I'm
saying. Lebrun like and and quite frankly, it shouldn't be. We were
called we were told differently during the Magic Johnson era. I believe let's we
were and we recognized very quickly, Oh no, that's not a good idea.
And Lebron's system is still Lebron. It just is. It doesn't matter
what anyone wants to want it to be or what we want to call it.
That's still the Lebron system. It just it simply is going to be.
But what I would love to see is him not being forced to carry
the load again over the course of the regular season where it comes. Look
when we get to sixteen versus themmunity instead of the eighty two. Hey hey,
Lebron, this that's what the money is for. This is what this
is what we need you for. But over the course of the regular season,
Yes, I absolutely think that they brought in guys like Gabe Vincent and
you know, like the improvement from Austin Reeves, and you know at the
additional requests of Austin Reeves. I think that it's absolutely the you know,
the direction that they're pointing, and they should the And is this like an
oversimplification. Does the idea of Lebron as the screener is one? Is that
does that help at all sort of limit his usage? Or is then they're
wearing tears the screener? And two does it just intrigue you at all?
Because very quickly the numbers the past two seasons the Lakers have explored it more.
He's finished about one hundred and forty. I think possessions as the pick
and roll man, and he's averaging like one point three five points per possession
on those touches. That's that's really good. I think I think that train
will continue. I think it will. I think we'll see even more of
it this year. Honestly, I think I love that. I love I
think we'll see again. They're never taking the ball out of his hands,
but I think we'll see the ball in his hands less simply be simply like
to protect him from him like sometimes you know what I'm saying, you got
him from himself, protect like this is they look Darvin hand. I was
farless critical of him than other people, because sometimes people are just unrealistic when
it comes to First of all, a rooky head coach, regardless of whether
he's been in the league forever, but a rookie coaches. But a rookie
head coach is taking over that specific situation and managing all of those egos and
all of those personalities and doing doing and being able to like reset on the
fly. I think you need a tremendous job. But here's the deal.
That was last year and this is this year. So the expectations are higher.
Now, I'm gonna need you to manage Lebron better. I'm gonna need
you to not ask everything of him and not allow him to be on the
court for thirty nine and forty minutes a night, for back to back nights
and you know win it's February. I'm going to need you to be able
to I'm gonna need somebody to help Darven from himself in that regard well,
And it's also, as you mentioned, saving Lebron from himself too. I
know he's good at picking his spots, but like he's also something and he'll
let you know that he's gonna want to win these games. He's gonna want
to play these minutes type deal. So he's he's probably better. He's more
balanced, I think than other stars where there's like the Chris Paul end of
the spectrum where it's who, I'm not playing a fewer minutes tonight or I'm
not taking a rest night. I think he's better than that. But there's
also just like he wants to log those minutes or to do that because if
everything's not perfect, he's gonna want the agency to send out the sub tweets
the sub quotes about we need this in that and that yeah, yeah,
yeah, oh my god. How many years ago is that? Kevin so
and you you kind of mentioned like this dovetails with what we were just talking
about with Lebron. The Lakers had a very good off season. Is it
overblown a little bit in the sense though, where like if they're going to
actually improve or replicate the success in the sense of they were a Western Conference
finals team last year? Is it more about when we get a healthier Lebron,
a healthier a d and elite from Austin Reeves. And now there is
something that they have not prioritized, even when kind of looking at their championship
season, like that off season they went and traded Danny Green for Dennis Shrewd.
They've not really prioritized continuity and augmenting what's already in place as much as
they have this off season. What's bigger the like the additions they made and
the retention or like the additions they made, or the prospect of continuity and
hey, at least one of Lebron and they probably has to play more minutes
than they did last season, plus the Austin Reeves development. I think I
feel like the additions were brady on top of a good meal, you know
what I'm saying. Like again, I think what they did, uh,
you know, prior to the you know, prior to the deadline, bringing
in Ruby, bringing in you know, vand bringing in you know de Low,
uh you know obviously you know, finding a new location you know,
you know for Russ and the other day he's hopefully happy in I think I
think that was the you know, that was the big bike and then all
of these were okay, how can we get you know, how do we
support and you know, and and and and prop up what we already have
and and and and and kind of what you were just saying, they did
a good job of them. So I think while yes, the off season
signing are important, and I can see them playing you know, like you
know, you know, like tremendous roles were up you know, drew up
sports in season and hopefully you know, deep into the postseason. I think
it is the continuity. It is the fact that you know, you're hoping
that you get a healthy a d You're hoping that you get a you know,
a now healthy Lebron or that you're able to maintain their health over the
course of the season. I think all of it is important, but like
we don't have the mince words. The Lakers go as far as Lebron James
and Anthony Davis take and quite frankly, Anthony and Anthony Davis, well,
here's the hot day. Anthony Davis was their best player last year, and
he's going to have to be a significant and he's going to have to be
head and shoulders their best player this year if they want to reach their ultimate
goals. And I think, I look, he was their best player last
year. A d was too, Like I think I don't know if he
was clearly their best player was he was their most impactful player, the most
you know, consistent, you're consistently dominant player, and they're gonna absolutely need
death from him. They're just gonna need it, you know, for seventy
games. And that's the that's the key. Two more questions before we reached
the cookie cutter portion, what do you think of jail and Hood Shaffino.
Just like as in the short term, long term, I understand the theory
of him on defense, I don't right now don't love the fit for him
on the offensive end. If you actually want this person to contribute to your
team, either as an encourt asset or develop into a trade asset. And
this is gonna sound terrible because and and you know, I ate even going
here, but it does feel like a developed trade and I and look again,
I hope to be wrong. I hope he will shock us and you
know, force his way into the rotation somehow, like I would love for
that to be the case. But the windows, you know what I'm saying,
Like his development window compared to Lebrons and eight and they're actually Gonnades championship
window, they don't match up. And again and that's not to say like,
oh, just get rid of them, But what I mean is I
don't know that he'll get the opportunity to like show this year. I hope
so, but I don't. I don't necessarily into I'd probably agree with you.
And the final thing here is, do you think even when this team
was at its peak, like what they do and can do in transition or
at least just getting into their early offense when it's not necessarily transition, they
were that's where they're going to do most of their most lethal work. They
were still at their best last year hovering around the bottom ten of half court
offense. Do you think that they have the talent, the developmental prospects,
the requisite shooting to being demonstratively better when their offense is forced to slow down.
I think they can be, but it obviously gets contingent upon you.
It's continued like Vistorian Prince going to be, you know, somewhere around thirty
eight forty percent from the in game Vincent going to get I think last year
he gets around thirty three. The year before, Daddy's around thirty seven.
If he could be thirty seven thirty eight. Hey, we're having a different
conversation. It's Austin Reeves improved yield, increasing his you know, his you
know, three point output, is he you know, don like maybe if
he doesn't double it, maybe he just had he know, he shoots six
or seven a game, you know what I'm saying. And with you with
the same type of efficiency, I think then you will see that. Honestly,
the Lakers' offense wasn't terrible. It was really bad to start the year,
like it atrociously bad, and they kind of just worked their way up,
you know what I mean. But you're like, yeah, at the
end of the year. You know, I didn't feel like it was you
know, like we were watching like just an absolutely atrocious offense. I think
you simply build upon what you had and with those extra pieces. I do
think it could get I think it should get better. I don't necessarily know
if it would be demonstratibly better, but I think it should be better.
I wish I had more insight. I honestly have no idea. I think
it probably comes down to just what is Austin Reeves shooting on volume? Does
Lebron's three point shooting improve? Are they're getting enough like sort of shooting and
three point volume or just and not I should even say shooting at people and
volume? But are there threats enough on those other like on just every spot
that's not the Anthony Davis Lebron spot? Is there enough of outside threats to
open up the floor for everything they want to do? If they like Gay
Vincent, what's he shooting from three? Howard defense is guarding him? How
much is Tory and Prince playing and what's he shooting from three? And Howard
defensive guarding him? Has Christian Wood been able to stay on the floor?
Have have you gotten? Is Jared Vanderbilt and or Ruby Hatchamura hitting more of
their perimeter attempts. That's just I feel like that's very boiler plate, but
that's the stuff that I think would go along way. No, you're exactly
right, like like it might like these might not be sexy answers, but
those are the answers like that, that's what it will for deal like that,
that's what will decide. So Jabari, are you ready for the cookie
cutter portion of the podcast? Are there any underrated under the radar strengths and
or weaknesses concerns about this team we haven't touched upon yet. The depth I've
already mentioned too. I've already mentioned it. The depth that they have at
various positions is going to be a strength, I believe, you know,
unless everything just just falls off the cliff. I think they're I think they're
going to have a very solid honestly all the way to ten man, you
know, you know, rotation like yeah, yeah at times. The one
thing, and I actually mentioned it earlier, the one thing that's still concerned
to me is I would have preferred that they find a way to bring it
up Big Biden Center, just some just someone to eight minutes. At certain
times, whether it's guys are out or guys are dinged up, or you're
playing against Yo Kitchen, you need to have that. And maybe they say,
hey, we got Rudy. Maybe they are thinking that they you're like,
you'll in spot situations he can be utilized for, you know, for
you know, stuff like that. But I would have felt better had they
been there, you know, just bring in one more people. But I'm
always not like that. I know he's not a big body relative to centers,
but like I would have preferred, he's still floating around out there as
we're recording this, we're recording September twenty first, Like it's not beyond bo
it's just unsolid and he had like really good moment. It's for Phoenix the
past two years straight up. That is exactly okay. So when they signed
Christian would, I will tell I was quiet about him on the timeline because
I honestly don't like going back and forth with fans because they get sensitive and
they get like like you know, like they get all like, oh,
if you don't agree with every single thing that I say in every aspect of
it, that you're just an asshole. It's like, calmed down, buddy.
It's called an opinion. I was. I was more in favor of
signing Biz Macmugo. I still have in favor of signing him heeling you know,
to this point and and and having him, you know, like and
quite frankly as a luxury like absolutely would have but that but that would make
things more difficult, and make things and and make it so that maybe something,
you know, one of those other younger guys wouldn't necessarily be able to
be there. So I recognized like it, it wouldn't surprise me if over
the course of the season they do find a way to bring that that guy
or that type of guy. Looking at the ten man rotation, or if
people are gonna well, actually, oh no, they're gonna go deeper,
they're gonna shorten it. The top ten most played guys on a regular basis
here I have it as I think when you look at it, there are
I'm gonna say eight locks for me, and that's Lebron, Delo, Austin,
Reeves, vand Davis the starting five, then Vincent Prince and I don't
maybe you don't consider him lock and then Ruey would you agree with like those
eight guys, or do you think there's some like his Prince not guaranteed minutes
here like before going to the final two spots. No, I would agree
with those. I would anticipate Prince, you know, not just you know
that, I would anticipate him earning a spot, but I would anticipate him
be because he's interchangeable, because you can play him at the three or the
four, Like, yeah, I think he's gonna get minuted. Beyond that.
That's where it does get interesting because basically you've got like five guys for
two spots, and I'm gonna be sure, I'll be straight. I think
it really will just depend on who's playing the best, who's playing like who
like, who is contributing, who is bought in, who is locking in,
who is you know, you know, making his teammates better, all
of those basketball the old energies, but basically between Christian Wood, Jackson,
Hayes, Cam Reddish, Max Christy, and possibly you know hood, you
know, dependent upon how things go. It really is going to be a
matter of you know who, like who was playing well at that time or
maybe even Grafsk in a giving game. I think one of those at least
one of those two spots will definitely be wood or Jackson Hayes, depending on
how invested they are and playing two bigs at once like two true bigs.
Maybe it's both of them. I think if it were me, I would
probably go. Christian would to start just to see what that's not? Start
lineup like he's defecated one of those spots, and then I don't know I
would. I was gonna say, Max Christie, you might have sold me
on just the Cam Reddish experiment again, like I'm falling. It hasn't worked
out that meme. It hasn't worked out for everybody else, but maybe it'll
work out for us. He might be the but I would think it's one
of Christian Wooden, Jackson Hayes's Howard go and then one of Cam Reddish or
Max Christy as like around out the final two spots. I think he hit
it on the that that is in all likelihood given the rest of the Russian
That's that's how this is always matchup depending But if if you're picking a one
size fits all crunch time unit for this team, what is it? It's
Lebron, Austin Reeves and Anthony Davis for sure, and then I think so.
So my hesitation wasn't with those three. It wasn't with them. I'm
thinking of the other two honestly, at least early on, because I do
think they're gonna give him like an early opportunity. Christian would wow, Okay,
I do. I could see that, and then it really depends,
man, it really is going for me. It's a matter of who's playing
like like matchup and who's playing well how to given time. Like as crazy
as it sounds, I saw them do this in twenty twenty and then you
know, like and want a title that way, and I and I saw
them do that. You know, the next year obviously they you know,
they'd even win a title. But it's matchup, in a match up,
a situation, you know, you dependent. I don't think that you have
just a set roster or a set lineup or even a set rotation. So
if you know, if it at a given time, if Cam is playing
well and has had a good game or its had a hot hand or whatever,
the matchup you'll benefits him. I can see him being in You're like
you're being in a closing lineup. If Torrian Prince you'll like I can absolutely
see Torrian Prince being in a closing line. It really does just depend.
I think I would go as like sort of the all right, we're gonna
pencil this in Torrian Prince and Gabe Vincent or depending on it, like you
probably could even just like can you fit Vando in if Torrian Prince is shooting
well enough? Like that's super big. If you have Prince, Lebron,
vand Davis and then Reeves would be like a fascinating closing five. And we
can also be real about it. De Loo will do. De Loo will
close some games matter Like, yo, there's gonna be certain times where you
have you can't have him on the court, but Delo will be closed with
some games too. I mean, look, who's the broodest world right?
Yeah well yeah, I didn't even think about him, but like conceptually,
like like forget about the numbers that you saw last year, but even I
mean by the number, is who's the best pull up three point threat on
this team? Maybe you think it's Lebron, it's pubably Delo, No it
is it is now. He's as streaky as hell at times, but over
the court, like like you average it out. It's probably is dual.
So is there a weirdo, wonky, unconventional. They're never gonna try it,
but should try it? Lineup that you want to see. Yes,
I want a D at the five, I want Vando at the four,
I want Braun at the three, I want Cam at the two, and
I want Reeves at the one. I want just funky long as all ship
lineup. That can pretty much change across the board. I so mine was
similar. It's weirder and I don't know what it would look like. I
want a D, I want Vando, I want Lebron. I also want
like, let's roll if Vando is going to defend the point of attack anyway,
what is it kind of like Prince was the other guy, or it
wasn't Prince Christian would was the other guy. Okay, so let's go three
bigs with Lebron and then we'll throw offten Reeves out there. But if if,
if that's too like out there, give me like throw Torrian Prince in
like the Christian Wood spot or maybe even the Vando spot. I'd be defensively
like Lebron, Vando, Torrian Prince, a D and Reeves. I might
have just said that could be a closing lineup for me. So that's not
really that spicy, but I would love to see that. Give me that,
especially against like a team like Minnesota. Give me that against Like,
honestly, I'm here for that line. Yes, yes, which you're gonna
play two big yeah yeah, so like you beend upon the matchup, I'm
here for it. Is so right now, their win total as of September
twenty feet is forty seven and a half. Are you taking me over or
the under on that? Give me the over. I'm not saying they blow
it out the water, but I think there's going to be somewhere between forty
eight and fifty two. I think they're gonna be a top you know,
three seed in the West. I think they're gonna be super competitive like this.
I think this is I'll see it. I think this is a title
team. You know if now, a lot of teams could say that,
but we know that we have seen title teams. I have one hundred six
seeing title that wasn't a knock. I was like, I'll see if he's
a Nick's guy. But you know what I mean, you know what I
mean? This feel this feels like one but there are a lot of it's
given the overall like questions about him, so too that end. How many
teams would you be prepared to guarantee will be better than the Lakers this season
in the West and the right? You mean, like you know, record
wise in a regular season. Yeah, I think Denver is going to continue
to You'll continue to steam roll. I mean, I'm not as high on
the Suns as others, but I could see them winning a lot of regular
season games. But after that, there's no reason know, could I see
could I see other teams? Sure? Yeah, but I think I think
I think the Lakers are right there. I think that's the both the East
and the West, and the East is more wide open than the West because
Denver exists to me, and I think Phoenix is just but I have Denver
and Phoenix would be the teams I'm prepared to guarantee. And that's like it.
I will say the Lakers are one of the teams that are in like
the So, if you told me, oh, the Pelicans were better than
the Suns or the Nuggets, I would probably be shocked. If you told
me the Lakers ended up being better, I would not be as shocked.
So they're like the Golden State Warriors. Lakers kinks here where it's like,
could I see them finishing first or second in the West, Sure, but
I would be prepared to guarantee that Phoenix and Denver are are better than them
mostly and you can get into what about the health with Phoenix. The Lakers
have their same questions with a d and Lebron, So that's what that's where
it gets difficult. I'm with you, I don't know if I'm gonna hit
the over the under because availabilities a lot. We haven't done that podcast.
Grant and I just yet. This team based off how they kind of closed
last year, and I think some of the pieces they've added, the development
of Austin Reeves. If you can just get like relatively good, like if
Lebron is finishing the season relatively healthy, if Anthony Davis is the same,
this is a title contender like they are in the I don't know if they're
are they when you're looking at the entire league? I probably have again Denver,
Phoenix definitely, I think definitely Milwaukee, Like, those are probably the
only three teams if I'm looking at title stock, those are the three teams
I'm prepared to just put in front of the Lakers right now. I don't
trust Boston after the kid, I'm not gonna lie Boston will still be good.
I don't love what they're kind of pivoting into. I love Cleveland.
That's the team that I get stuck on. I'm so high on Cleveland.
Like, but like, we don't know what the fuck is going on in
Philly as of right now. Will Miami have Dame, will they not have
Dame like the Lakers might be. I mean, we don't know what's gonna
There are other teams that to be on Golden State. The Kings need to
be considered here, like there are other teams that can have big seasons,
but right now, like to say the Lakers have a top five title stock,
I think it's fair. And then you can bring in the health caveats,
but that's that's the same with almost every team health exactly like like and
and and that's really where I am with it. They put themselves in the
conversation and like so, and it's a they're solidly in the conversation. But
now they gotta go out, and you know, they gotta go out and
either prove us right or prove us wrong. But yeah, I actually did
put money on them. Oh you did you bet on them to win the
title? No? No, no on the over? No no no no
oh over yeah yeah, yeah, Well I don't. I traditionally have never
been like you know, title uh prior to the season. But I'll have
fun with awards and over under, so I will do that at times.
Is there anything at all that I haven't asked you about that you think we
need to discuss before I let you go? Where the parade is going to
be this year because we didn't get one in twenty probably probably Denver, probably
somewhere in Colorado, I think again, Actually, oh oh they haven't had
they Okay, you know if they want to add, that's cool. I'm
pretty sure you covered it all because you are a master at which you at
your crap. I'm actually and this is maybe a comment to both of us,
but I didn't want to go through like every individual move or question necessarily
we didn't talk a ton about Jackson Hayes or like like, I think we
did a good job covering this and under eight seventy five minutes for us is
pretty good. You and I know what, pretty long? So we do
when we can. And well we kind of cheated because we talked for like
forty five minutes prior to mccorthy, so that that took some of it.
It wasn't about the Lakers, though, to be true. That's true,
that's true, Jackson Hayes, no disrespect. I'm sure you're going to be
fantastic this year. Oh you're sure, all right, that's mark it down,
uh Jabari. I always appreciate one year insight to just here. It's
so much fun talking with you in three just the time you give me each
and every year. So are you able to tell our listeners where they can
find you on social media and anything that you're that you're working on, Dan,
It is truly my pleasure. I say it each year, and I'm
gonna say I will say it again. This is the most fun preview I
do. I didn't even realized that I had done it four times because because
it's not like it's not just like, it's not like work. It's just
like, oh man, this is a fun conversation with a great guy.
Find me on Twitter, very easiest place to call, you know, to
find me. I'm never gonna call it X because Mamma called Twitter, and
I'm going to continue to call it Twitter. It also sounds like a porn
site. By the way, I don't know which. I'm not judging,
but like, that's come on, that's corny and silly and you know whatever
Twitter Jamari names NBA as as Dan mentioned earlier, Mad Boosties, you can
find it, meaning where you find me. I guess I write and produced
for that show. Those guys are great. They have they have a fun
time with a great you know, with a great guest. And I'm not
patting myself by saying that, but they you know, they end up with
great guests each week. It's a fun conversation for the more casual to lighthearted
basketball. They you guys do slum it every once in a while, because
I've been on twice, so like I sometimes guess every uh and the links
to Jabari's Twitter and the Matt boost these podcast to subscribe, those will be
in the podcast and YouTube description for everyone listening watching whatever I mean, if
you're watching, I don't know who watches podcasts on YouTube. I know people
comment, but I always think, like you're listening to them in the background,
you're not, hopefully not sitting there watching me, becoming raptured by Jabar,
like I'm just sitting here like this sometimes just staring at Jabari. I
hope they weren't looking at it. You're we're actively watching me, but if
you were a year By the way, Matt, Matt Leeb, and Roy
Wood Junior coming up in the next couple of weeks on MATA again. Link
is in the pod and YouTube description. Go goscribe to check it out.
Jabari, thank you so much. You know, by now, as long
as this podcast exists, I'll be spamming your dms again. In the future,
I will be gleefully receiving those insane arrogance so things