Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

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Lakers Fall to 0-2 In Preseason, Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent Play Well, Look Healthy Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Overall, JJ Redick was happier with the effort in Sunday's 111-103 loss to the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco than he was with the preseason opening loss to Phoenix on Friday.

And again, the Lakers were missing frontline players - this time, Luka Dončić and LeBron James sat again, and were joined by Friday's star Austin Reaves. Still no Marcus Smart or Adou Thiero. So not only were they short on talent compared to the Warriors, who played starters (at least in the first half), they were playing some combinations that likely won't be seen in the regular season, with people playing roles they won't likely play.

On the positive side (at least if you exclude an abysmal third quarter), the Lakers got very good performances from Jarred Vanderbilt, who continues to move like the version of the guy they acquired a couple years ago. He was disruptive defensively, active on the boards, and -- by his standards especially -- was pretty effective finishing on offense, including drawing and and-one, and what appeared to be some sort of Eurostep. Vincent hit 3-7 from beyond the arc, and all five of his free throws. Deandre Ayton didn't get off to a great start, but played much better as the first half went along, getting more aggressive in the pick and roll, getting on the glass and pretty consistently changing shots in the paint, defensively.

So there are things to be encouraged by.

The Lakers get a week of practices before their next game (Sunday at home against the Warriors). Redick is hoping to get a couple of dress rehearsals before the end of the preseason, so everyone will be monitoring whether LeBron gets on the floor this week, and puts himself in position to play in Sunday's game.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Lakers lose Sunday in San Francisco.

SEGMENT 2: Vando and Vincent look good!

SEGMENT 3: Can the Lakers get their dress rehearsals?

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BONUS EPISODE: Sloppy, Poor Shooting Lakers Lose Preseason Opener, 103-81 Oct 04, 2025

Show notes

The Lakers opened the preseason without a lot of rotation players in uniform (no Luka Dončić, LeBron James, Marcus Smart and Gabe Vincent), and it certainly looked liked they missed them.

While there were some good individual performances, as a group the Lakes were sloppy and couldn't make a bucket to save their lives (31 percent overall, 17 percent from downtown), losing to Phoenix 103-81. Austin Reaves played will in his minutes, with 20 points, three rebounds and two dimes. Rui Hachimura was active defensively and was second among starters with 11 points, but he was also 3-12 from the floor. Deandre Ayton? Eight rebounds and two blocks in 18 minutes... but also only one point and two shots, overall. Jarred Vanderbilt definitely looked mobile and active, which is great, but also didn't have a field goal in four tries. Dalton Knecht? 2-10. Bronny James? 1-12!

Jake LaRavia played a nice game, as did the bulked up Jaxson Hayes.

But overall, this was a disjointed team effort. Nothing to sweat so early in the preseason, with so many important players out of the lineup, but surely JJ Redick will want something a little better on Sunday.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

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JJ Redick Emphasizing "Championship" Fitness, Plus Preseason Game 1 Preview Oct 03, 2025

Show notes

It's been a mantra for JJ Redick since the Lakers lost Game 5 against the Timberwolves in the first round of last year's playoffs—everyone needs to come back with championship level fitness.

At the time, while people certainly applied it to the team at large, it was also seen as a message for Luka Dončić. To whatever extent it was, it's pretty clear Luka took the message to heart, given what he did with his body this offseason. But the Summer of Luka hasn't done anything to change Redick's emphasis on fitness as the Lakers have entered training camp. Wednesday's practice ended with a bleep-ton of sprinting.

But the fitness kick isn't cosmetic. The Lakers have lost a lot of games, particularly playoff games, late in fourth quarters over the last couple of years. That's physical fatigue, potentially, but it's also mental. Defensive communication gets less robust, decision-making and execution suffer offensively. The Lakers aren't going to build more depth than the Thunder, or likely the Nuggets. They are an upper tier team in the West, but need to find any edge they can. Any way possible to boost their ceiling. That can be fitness, and the ability to execute through fatigue.

Meanwhile, the Lakers are kicking off the preseason slate of games tonight out in the desert against the Suns.

LeBron James and Marcus Smart won't play, but there will still be plenty to watch. How fast do the Lakers get into their offense? How well do guys chasing rotation roles (say... Dalton Knecht) play? What about the Lakers debut of Jake LaRavia?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: JJ keeps emphasizing fitness.

SEGMENT 2: Why fitness is such a critical point.

SEGMENT 3: What to watch for in tonight's preseason opener vs. Phoenix.

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Rotation Questions: Where Do Jarred Vanderbilt, Jake LaRavia and Dalton Knecht Fit In? Oct 02, 2025

Show notes

The Lakers open the preseason on Friday, and while there are plenty of issues to work out, and plenty of time to do it, it's not too early to get a feel for what the rotation could look like.

Luka Dončić and LeBron James (who won't play Friday, but was doing individual drills on Wednesday) give the Lakers a ton of flexibility, based on having guard skills in forward bodies. Austin Reaves provides obvious guard skills as well. So that means JJ Redick can deploy his other assets creatively. Asked about the guard rotation Wednesday, there were two notable things -- first, he included Jake LaRavia in that group. LaRavia has played some shooting guard, but generally is seen as a forward. And then he didn't mention Dalton Knecht.

That indicates Knecht has some work to do before he can crack the regular rotation, and it probably means the Lakers have real plans for LaRavia, even if it's smart not to get too hung up on positional designations.

It also leaves a lot of room for frontcourt guys to have rotation minutes, especially Jarred Vanderbilt. Vando has been in and out of the lineup for the last couple of seasons, and has had very little opportunity to develop consistency in his play. Given the amount of energy and physicality he plays with, Vanderbilt really needs good health to perform. Right now, he has it. Vando talked about it on Media Day, Redick noted it Wednesday after practice.

So what does a healthy Vanderbilt mean for the Lakers?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Injury updates: LeBron does individual drills, Vincent is back, Kleber is hurt.

SEGMENT 2: Where do LaRavia and Knecht fit into the guard rotation?

SEGMENT 3: Vanderbilt!

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LeBron James Nursing Injury, Lakers Season Opener in Jeopardy Oct 01, 2025

Show notes

After a really fun first day of school (Media Day) the Lakers got down to work on Tuesday, and some of the shine came off the apple fairly quickly.

Why? Health.

First, LeBron James sat out with what JJ Redick described as "a little bit of nerve irritation in the glute." It's something the Lakers are obviously going to be careful with, and that could keep James on the sidelines for the full slate of preseason games as the Lakers work him through a "little bit longer" ramp up to the regular season opener on October 21st. The Lakers were likely to treat James carefully anyway through training camp, given his always high level of fitness and the fact he's entering his 23rd season. There is no indication yet he's in danger of missing the start of the regular season.

Nevertheless, Lakers fans are going to be nervous about this, and it's totally reasonable.

The vibes with Marcus Smart aren't too much better. He isn't practicing yet because of tendinopathy in his left Achilles, an ailment that if nothing else sounds kinda scary. Gabe Vincent is nursing knee soreness, and likely won't be cleared until next week.

So are the Lakers in the danger zone yet? Hardly. But it's always better to start with everyone on the floor, and they can't do that.

One guy who is playing? Deandre Ayton, who was frank and highly self-aware in his time talking to the media Monday.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: LeBron dinged up to start camp.

SEGMENT 2: Smart sore, as well.

SEGMENT 3: Deandre Ayton knows the stakes.

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Luka Is Ready to Lead, LeBron Is Excited and Ayton Sees the Opportunity Sep 30, 2025

Show notes

Monday was the official start of the 2025-26 Lakers season, as Media Day hit El Segundo.

It was a low key, mellow affair, with no drama to speak of, and little news to be made. This is a good thing, of course. Luka Dončić came to camp with a new contract in hand, and had very little to say that hadn't been said already. LeBron James put to bed any sense of dissatisfaction, showing serious enthusiasm and excitement for the upcoming season, even while avoiding (no surprise) any firm commitments about what his future holds.

Rui Hachimura? No grumbling about starting vs. coming off the bench. Same with Marcus Smart. Deandre Ayton made it clear he fully understands and appreciates the stakes of this season. Will he follow through? We'll see, but early returns are positive. Austin Reaves? Ready to go. Bronny? Happy with his growth, and looking forward to more. Jaxson Hayes put on 20 pounds of muscle, which probably can't hurt.

And so on and so forth.

If you watched it on TV, you probably learned that JJ Redick has a performance coach.

All in all, it was the sort of first day at school the team would have wanted. Something less interesting for us media types is ideal for the organization itself.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Luka's ready, LeBron is excited.
SEGMENT 2: Ayton understands what's at stake.
SEGMENT 3: Opportunities abound.

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Lakers Media Day Preview! Plus, Will Rui Hachimura Get a Contract Extension? Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

It's finally here, people! The 2025-26 season for the LA Lakers kicks off today with Media Day. In less than a week, the Lakers will be playing preseason games.

And while they don't open as favorites in the West, the Lakers definitely do open with the expectation of being very good, and should be a fun team to watch. It is, in the eyes of many, the true beginning of the Luka Dončić era in Los Angeles. It's his first Media Day in a Lakers uniform, his first time taking the photos and taping all the goofy stuff they play on the Jumbotron.

There are critical questions about JJ Redick, entering his second season. What has he learned? How can he improve, especially given the contract extension granted him by the Lakers in the offseason.

What about LeBron James? Will he put at least some of the speculation to bed, insofar as it pertains to his relationship with the Lakers and his excitement for the season?

And, of course, there will be questions for Rui Hachimura about his future in Los Angeles. Right now, he's on an expiring deal. Asked about it last week, Rob Pelinka implied that the Lakers and Hachimura might be working on an extension. But then again, they might not. And signing him creates some complications. But one thing is definitely true: The Lakers like Rui, and love how he's developed as a Laker. Whether that translates to a long term future here, or a resolution to his future that comes before next offseason, remains to be seen.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Training camp opens today!

SEGMENT 2: Big questions for the Lakers, including JJ and LeBron.

SEGMENT 3: What about Rui?

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NBA SQUAD: Rockets Fred VanVleet Injury Nightmare, Media Day Wishes, Can the Thunder Level Up Again Sep 26, 2025

Show notes

It's time for another episode of the NBA Squad! Today we are breaking down the Houston Rockets' nightmare Fred VanVleet injury, what we want to see from NBA Media Days, whether or not the Oklahoma City Thunder can take another step up and more!

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Lakers Give JJ Redick a Contract Extension, Want LeBron to Finish His Career as a Laker Sep 26, 2025

Show notes

The Lakers braintrust met the media on Thursday ahead of next week's kickoff of training camp. As is his custom, Rob Pelinka opened with a sort of state of the union. Talked about the positive summer, the excitement of new acquisitions, and of course the amazing Summer of Luka.

And then he dropped the big piece of news, almost as a throwaway line at the end: Earlier in the offseason, the Lakers gave head coach JJ Redick a contract extension. That's after one year of his coaching career (let alone his Lakers career) and with three years remaining in the contract that he signed last year. It's a remarkable leap of faith in a guy with a short track record, who was not in line for this kind of consideration at this point. Nobody was talking about whether Redick would get an extension yet. Frank Vogel got a fake extension (only one year) after winning an NBA championship.

So yeah, it's an indication the Lakers are very, very confident in Redick.

It also means the Lakers have real continuity going forward. With their star (Luka Dončić) their GM (Rob Pelinka, who also got an extension recently) and now their coach. That level of predictability is critical for building a program, including attracting not only star players, but also role playing free agents that have a huge impact on a roster.

Meanwhile, Pelinka made it clear the Lakers would like for LeBron James to finish his career in purple and gold. No question, Pelinka gave James plenty of space and deference to make his own choice when the time comes, but was pretty clear in framing the desire to bring him back, should James decide to keep playing next year.

We explain why the Lakers are in great position to make whatever choices need to be made.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers give JJ Redick an extension.

SEGMENT 2: Good idea?

SEGMENT 3: Lakers want LeBron to stay, finish career in purple and gold.

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Lakers Season Preview: What Lies Ahead for Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Deandre Ayton and more? Sep 25, 2025

Show notes

With Brian out of town traveling, Aaron Larsuel, the former host of the Official Lakers Podcast, who's also worked for several NBA franchises (including the Lakers), drops by to offer thoughts on the upcoming season for the purple and gold. Together, they run through a bunch of overarching questions about this upcoming season, including...
- The starting lineup options

- Deandre Ayton's fit, on the court and culturally

- The "Summer of Luka," and what it could mean for this season

- How JJ Redick could best mesh Luka, LeBron and Austin Reaves

- The significance of the Lakers' sale, for the Buss Family and for Mark Walter

And more!!!
Hosts: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Starting lineup and Deandre Ayton talk
SEGMENT 2: The Summer and Season of Luka!
SEGMENT 3: What to look for in the post-Buss Family era?
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