Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

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Should the Lakers Start Rui Hachimura or Marcus Smart with Luka, LeBron, Reaves and Ayton? Sep 24, 2025

Show notes

The Lakers have three starters everyone, from the org to fans to media all agree on. That would be Luka Dončić, Lebron James and Deandre Ayton.

Austin Reaves is going to start, even though there's an active faction of Lakers fans who prefer he come off the bench. Sorry folks, that ain't happening.

So that leaves a fifth spot, and presumably JJ Redick will be choosing between incumbent starter Rui Hachimura, and free agent acquisition Marcus Smart. There are a bunch of ways to look at how this should go, and reasons to lobby for both guys. With Hachimura, he's tended to play better as a starter, and provides better floor spacing. Smart, of course, brings far better defensive integrity, and is a better secondary ball mover. Rui would have more opportunities to use his best skill set (scoring) off the bench, where there are more shots available and the Lakers need some oomph. Smart is best served in a role where supplementary offense is the goal, as opposed to one where he needs to post points.

The Lakers could also go in a different direction, and stick Jarred Vanderbilt in that slot. Vando, in theory, gives you a more versatile defensive energy and athleticism than Smart, but with less offense. But what if Vanderbilt, healthy for the first time in a while, gets back to merely average on offense? Would that higher end D then become a better fit?

It gets to a truth about Vanderbilt for this year - he's one of the true wild cards for the Lakers. It's been a minute since we saw the best version of Vando, and so when people talk about him it's often really about the concept of Vanderbilt more than the player. But if he's near the top end of what people think he can provide, Vanderbilt really does change what the Lakers look like, at least during the regular season.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Who is LA's fifth starter?

SEGMENT 2: The pitch for Rui, the pitch for Smart.

SEGMENT 3: What about Vanderbilt?

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Fred VanVleet's Injury Shakes Up Western Conference. Opportunity for the Lakers? Sep 23, 2025

Show notes

The Lakers are unquestionably a very good team, but aren't generally considered a top contender in the Western Conference.

There's a path to get there, but it involves unfortunate things happening to the teams that (on paper at least) are a notch above them in the preseason pecking order. Well, Monday one of those things seems to have happened. Houston point guard Fred VanVleet suffered a major knee injury—a torn ACL—that will require surgery and likely keep him out for the year.

The Rockets have a pretty stacked roster overall, but VanVleet is a critical part of their offense, and a major voice in the locker room. Moreover, they don't really have any depth at the position, and because they're right up against the apron and have a bunch of players who can't be traded until December 15th, aren't likely going to be able to do anything to fill the void. Or even try. Not right away, at least.

So the question becomes how far this knocks down the Rockets in the brutally competitive West. It's a big enough loss that you could project the Lakers to leapfrog them, for sure.

Nobody wants this sort of thing to happen, but broadly "bleep happens" is going to be a reality of any rise for the Lakers. Most teams in the conference will need to benefit from a little luck, even the top ones.

One thing that will help the Lakers vault to the top? MVP level play from Luka Dončić. And to that end, coaches, execs and scouts around the NBA are bullish, as expressed in the annual ESPN preseason survey. They also weighed in on a predicted location for LeBron James next year. Do they think he'll still be in LA?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: VanVleet hurt.

SEGMENT 2: What it means in the West.

SEGMENT 3: Bullish on Luka.

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Rob Pelinka Says Luka Gives Lakers "Optionality", Plus, Horry says to (Eventually) Trade Reaves Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

Rob Pelinka spoke with ESPN's Dave McMenamin last week, and needless to say had a tremendous amount of good stuff to say about new star Luka Dončić. Everything about this summer, McMenamin writes, has led Pelinka to believe the Lakers can do big things with Luka perhaps a little faster from a roster building standpoint than perhaps they originally thought.

One big reason is Luka's offseason transformation, which either reinforces or reestablishes his status as one of the elite handful of best players on the planet. One of the best, if not perhaps the best, by the end of the season.

But another is that Dončić has such a varied skill set that he gives the Lakers tremendous optionality. There really isn't anything he can't do, which means there aren't many players he can't play with effectively. That's a great luxury for a GM, because it broadens the portfolio of players that can be had in an effort to build a championship caliber roster. (Plus, when you have one of the two or three best players in the league, it covers a lot of sins.)

But with that in mind, the Lakers will have decisions to make about how to build around Luka in the future. And to that end, Robert Horry, talking on his own podcast, expressed a thought we've kicked around here a lot - that Austin Reaves has too many similar qualities to Luka, and rather than commit to him long term, the Lakers might want to consider a trade.

Is he right?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Pelinka talks "optionality."

SEGMENT 2: What the Summer of Luka has meant for LA.

SEGMENT 3: Better to trade Reaves this offseason?

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Bonus Pod! Will LAKERS FINISH AHEAD OF CLIPPERS, WARRIORS? Pacific Division Preview! Sep 19, 2025

Show notes

It's a Pacific Division preview with (most of) the Locked On hosts from around the west coast... and Arizona! Which of these five teams is best positioned to rack up the most wins? The Lakers, with the most top-end players of the bunch? The Clippers, with the most pure depth? The Warriors, with a roster that was one Steph Curry injury away from, at minimum, making the 2025 Western Conference Finals? The Suns, with the--- just kidding! The Suns have no chance at finishing on top. Ditto the Kings. But they're still interesting in a "train wreck" kinda way.
Sit back as the Locked On hosts chop it up and talk all things Pacific Division.
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky, Guests Darian Vaziri (Locked On Clippers), Ben Garcia (Locked On Suns), Chuck Walter (Locked On Warriors)

SEGMENT 1: State of the Pacific

SEGMENT 2: A Deandre Ayton debate!

SEGMENT 3: More on the division

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Is LeBron James Dropping Clues About Retirement? Plus, Do the Lakers Have a Title Path? Sep 19, 2025

Show notes

Fair to say people are fully invested in the LeBron James retirement tea leaves.

So when he speaks about the subject, as he did this week on the 360 With Speedy show, it's going to get a lot of attention. And here, LeBron didn't reveal a ton, only (again) that he's (obviously) far closer to the end than the beginning. But to some ears, at least, you could hear hints that he's planning to stick around beyond this season, and overall there are certainly indications he's inclined to do so assuming he maintains his strong level of play and doesn't run into major physical issues.

What might get him to hang it up after this year? A title might be a good place to start.

And with that in mind, we open up the mailbag to take viewer/listener questions. The first one starts with that question of a title. Do the Lakers have a path? And if they do, is it one that is relatively easily navigated, or will they need to hack through jungle with a machete to get to the promised land? Plus, bold predictions!!!

Then another piece of mail, asking about JJ Redick and Darvin Ham. Will JJ get the same level of scrutiny as Ham did in his second season? Was Darvin treated unfairly, looking back? What will Redick have to do in order to maintain the perception of continued growth?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: LeBron retirement hints?

SEGMENT 2: Do the Lakers have a real path to a title?

SEGMENT 3: JJ vs. Darvin.

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How Luka Dončić Changes the Future for the Lakers (Mark Walter Helps, Too) Sep 18, 2025

Show notes

ESPN's annual Future Rankings had been a sad place for Lakers fans over the last few years, even when things were going well for the team.

The Lakers may have had potential in the present, but down the road, things were a lot trickier. Building around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, for a variety of reasons, came with ... complexities.

Now, however, things are looking bright. Why? Because a team that has Luka Dončić not only gets a top 5 (at worst) talent, they get him ENTERING HIS PRIME. This is critical not just because it means the Lakers have one of those dudes on the team for a while (presumably), but because players looking to join the Lakers can do so knowing they have Luka around for a while, and he's going to be good.

So they can attract free agents, they can attract disgruntled stars. And the presence of Luka guarantees a certain level of competitiveness every year.

And now they also have big money to go with the appealing market as well. LA has always ranked well as a market in these rankings, but the Lakers lost points because the Buss family was the wrong kind of billionaire -- namely, their fortune was tied up in the franchise. Mark Walter doesn't have that problem, and over time it will allow the Lakers to match market with budget.

Oh, and the rankings even have us sticking up for Rob Pelinka. Or sticking down for the Clippers and Warriors, at least.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Luka saves the day.

SEGMENT 2: Why Walter's money matters.

SEGMENT 3: Judge the Lakers by the same standards, people!

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Luka Doncic now Truly Ready to be a Laker? Plus, his Relationship With LeBron. Sep 17, 2025

Show notes

The Summer of Luka continues, this time with a profile in WSJ Magazine, the long form arm of The Wall Street Journal.

It's both a player profile -- one confirming again that Luka does, in fact, look awesome, physically -- and a fashion spread. And as the writer Jason Gay notes, the two are related. Most guys aren't all that interested in the modeling (which in this case includes a shot in the cold tub) if they're not feeling good about their appearance.

The story was a nice introduction of Dončić to a demographic that might be less familiar with his work. And Rob Pelinka got to describe him as an "illusionist," a word he was likely back-pocketing for use in a well-respected publication like WSJ.

Luka, of course, has completely changed the franchise's fortunes, and perhaps nothing illustrates that quite the same way as ESPN's Future Rankings, where without doing much other than swapping Anthony Davis for Luka (and not spending into their cap space), they vaulted from 21st last season to 8th. And let's be honest, most of that is just Luka.

So how well set are the Lakers for the future, now that Dončić is under contract?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: More good press for Luka!

SEGMENT 2: Did Luka fix LA's future?

SEGMENT 3: How well set are the Lakers?

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Is Deandre Ayton Set Up To Have a Big Year for the Lakers? Sep 16, 2025

Show notes

Context is everything in sports.

The Lakers have imported Deandre Ayton to be the new starting center, and it's an opportunity for him to change the conversation. Viewed by many as anywhere from a disappointment to a major disappointment to a bust, Ayton arrives in Los Angeles with a totally different set of expectations. Nobody in LA will look at him as a failed top pick, taken ahead of Luka Dončić. None of that matters. With the Lakers, he needs to stay engaged defensively, rebound aggressively and be maybe the fourth or fifth best offensive player on any given night. Sometimes he can pop off for 25, but the Lakers shouldn't need it all that often.

And if Ayton stays healthy, he'll certainly be better than what they had at the end of last year, which was Jaxson Hayes.

But remember, context matters. Ayton may seem disappointing, but had his best season playing with a great point guard in Chris Paul. Now he has Luka, who has made a career out of boosting the stats of his centers. Meanwhile, if Ayton wants another big NBA payday, it behooves him to stay as dialed in as possible this year.

His skill set should match well with Luka. Ayton is good in the pick and roll, has a midrange game, and can get above the rim.

There's every reason to believe that Ayton will be a very positive contributor, even if sometimes he falls short of the championship level expectations everyone on the Lakers has to carry.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: New environment for Ayton.

SEGMENT 2: Why context is king.

SEGMENT 3: What does the O look like with him?

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Should the Lakers Trade Rui Hachimura for Andrew Wiggins? Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

On Friday, we discussed reports that the Lakers might be more inclined to make moves eating into cap space they've made potentially available for next offseason, or the summer following (when a few high profile stars could become available). Is that really a plan they're kicking around? Would they spend some capital, and some flexibility, to get a guy like Andrew Wiggins from Miami?

And no question, this is in large part a Wiggins issue, because a) he's seen as at least somewhat available, and b) as a two-way wing (particularly effective defensively) Wiggins fits a clear and obvious roster need for the Lakers.

Put Rui into a deal, and the math works pretty easily. Leave him out, and it's a lot more complex. But more than that, is Wiggins worth that kind of move? If it cost Hachimura, Dalton Knecht and perhaps a first rounder? Is he enough of a difference maker? What if you take out the pick? What if you take out Rui (though it gets harder, for sure), but include the other stuff?

What if you tried to approximate what Wiggins could deliver, but at a lower price?

What exactly does "all in" mean for the Lakers, anyway? Is it the same for them as it might be for another squad? Does the definition matter?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Does Wiggins make sense?

SEGMENT 2: What is "all in" for the Lakers, anyway?

SEGMENT 3: Would Wiggins fit better than Rui?

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Luka Dončić Has the Lakers In "Win Now" Mode? Plus... More Ballmer/Kawhi/Clippers Mess! Sep 12, 2025

Show notes

Luka Dončić dominated Eurobasket, leading an undermanned Slovenia to the Round of 8.

That performance, along with everything else we've seen in the Summer of Luka, might have been enough to get the Lakers to change their long-term plans. Or at least change the way they do PR around their long term plans. Dan Woike of The Athletic writes that the Lakers, who had been reportedly very, very protective of their cap flexibility going forward into next summer and even the summer of 2027, could be tempted by the right deal to acquire a player who would eat into that space.

It would be a defensive-minded wing. And right now, the only player who meets that criteria and is seen as available is Miami's Andrew Wiggins.

Would Wiggins, who has an option for about $30 mil next season he'll almost certainly exercise, give the Lakers enough of a push to make it worth giving up not just a first rounder and Dalton Knecht, but likely Rui Hachimura, too?

From there... woah Nellie, is Steve Ballmer in hot water. Pablo Torre followed up on his initial reporting about a potential cap circumvention involving Kawhi Leonard with another big story, this time linking payments to a Clippers sponsor and payments to Kawhi in ways that seem a lot more tangible (not that the initial volley of news wasn't pretty damning in and of itself).

How much evidence does the NBA need in order to feel comfortable dispensing justice? How much more is coming out?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Did Luka get the Lakers to change their plan?

SEGMENT 2: What about Wiggins?

SEGMENT 3: Ballmer is neck deep now...

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