Lakers Practice Report: Injury Updates, Reaction To LeBron’s Ad, Transition Defense & More

Lakers Practice Report: Injury Updates, Reaction To LeBron’s Ad, Transition Defense & More

Yoan Buha Buha. Yo yo, I’m Yoan Buha, NBA reporter for Boohha’s Block and welcome to another live show. Happy Tuesday afternoon everybody. Shout out to the chat. Uh just got back from Lakers practice where the Lakers practice for the first time since their two preseason games. Uh, we have some injury updates. We have some schematic updates. We have a team bonding experience to talk about. LeBron’s advertisement which had the NBA world in a chokeold for 24 hours. A lot to get into, but before we get started, you guys know the drill. For those watching on YouTube, please be sure to hit that subscribe button, turn on channel notifications, and like and comment on this video. For those listening on Apple Podcast, please be sure to follow, download, and leave a fivestar review. Also, be sure to check out the new Discord channel. I’ve been trying to be more active in there and uh just getting into the the Discourse uh and having some fun with you guys. And then also check out memberships, which just launched last week and have already been having a bunch of signups with that. Uh, so shout out to Lakers Visuals, Stephen Daily Meditation, Rock Official, who is finally catching a live. He says, “Ryan, Walter, Wes, Connor, Kevin, Jake, Trent, your boy Rich, Drip, Drip Show, excuse me.” Uh, so let’s get into today’s practice report and then we’ll get into the Q&A. So, in terms of injury updates, the injury updates from today were Marcus Smart participated in most of practice for the first time during uh training camp and he participated in the live portion as well. Did didn’t participate in everything. So, lack of clarity as to which part he did not participate in, but he went from being a limited participant to a nearly full participant. So, I think that is a positive development. JJ said he looked really good and was able to sustain his energy levels throughout the entirety of practice and JJ said they practiced a bit harder today. So, I think from a Marcus Smart perspective and and his potential availability this Sunday to make his preseason debut, it’s looking for now that things are trending in the right direction. LeBron and Luca were both limited participants. JJ called them modified participants. So, whatever uh term you want to use, but both guys did not participate in the live portion of practice and focused on more individual drill work. Same thing with Maxi Cleba. Uh then Gabe Vincent was the same as Marcus participated in most of practice including some live portions. And then we did not get an official update from Adu Theo. I mean from JJ on a duo, but I was told that no change in status for now with a duo in terms of him still being a being held out of at least the live portions and being more of a modified participant in practice. So that remains to be seen if he’s going to be able to ramp that up and play on Sunday, but we still have a long week. Lakers are practicing every day this week except for Friday. Uh, one note with Luca, JJ was asked if Luca was dealing with anything and he said load management and then he said under his breath, I’m being sarcastic. So unclear if Luca actually is dealing with something or if this is just the Lakers being cautious and load managing him, at least through training camp. I don’t anticipate this going into the regular season. I lean more toward the latter in terms of Luca just being relatively healthy, but obviously he played deep into the offseason with Euro basket and LA just wanted to be cautious with him to start the preseason also with no LeBron. And we got a report today from Shams uh from ESPN that LeBron is unlikely to play in the preseason. And so with that context, I can see the argument to holding out Luca at least for the first couple preseason games, letting him get a little bit of a break and then starting to ramp up as the preseason goes on. Though the Lakers are missing some key opportunities here, I think to really develop continuity and get some oncourt reps together, both in preseason games and in practice. and the fact that LeBron is yet to be a full participant in practice. Uh he’s not going to play in any preseason games, like that’s a really big piece for the Lakers uh puzzle and in championship aspirations that is not going to be there. And of course, LeBron is LeBron. He is one of the smartest players of all time. He’s one of the most versatile players of all time. So, I’m not really worried about LeBron fitting in or or guys fitting in around him. But I I just think in in general that this is the time to practice and and to get these reps and to develop onc court chemistry. And I I think you there’s only so much you could do by talking about it or watching film together or uh even kind of going through drills together. I think you you have to do it in the form of live action which is scrimmaging and also on the court in actual games and against uh real opponents. So, I think the Lakers are unfortunately trending toward being a little bit behind the eight-ball in terms of the team’s continuity and just where they’re at going into the season. Already, I felt like that was apparent in the first couple preseason games. Both Phoenix and Golden State were sharper than the Lakers. They looked in better shape than the Lakers. They looked like they had a better sense of their identity, a better sense of uh just what they were trying to run on both sides of the ball. And of course, no Luca, no LeBron, no Austin, no Marcus for stretch, you know, for portions of like Austin played in the first game, then didn’t play in the second one. The other guys didn’t play in either game. Of course, that’s going to affect the offensive end, but overall, uh, right now, I I think it’s a little disappointing to be completely frank that the Lakers are just not having the full roster or or close to it going into the deeper portions of training camp and the preseason. Second takeaway for me is going to be we learned a little bit about the schematics uh in terms of JJ was asked a question about just some of the stuff he’s trying to implement and he referenced that the Lakers have some proof of concept going back to last season where they had a stretch of uh he said when they were healthy postluca trade where they went 13 and4 were a top 10 offense and a top 12 defense and he said that that is the foundation of what they are trying to do this season and building off of that. He said they had the number one shot quality over that stretch and he wants to keep just, you know, take a lot of what they did there and apply it to this group and that there is some continuity with some of the principal figures on this year’s roster. So, we still don’t we know the Lakers are making some changes defensively with switching more to uh drop coverage, trying to be more selective with the switching on and off the ball and that’s that was apparent through the first couple games. And I’d like to see what that looks like with the starting group with a a full rotation. But we still don’t really know as much offensively. I think there was more intentionality and and a bit more organized offense through the first couple games in part because they didn’t have their full assortment of playmakers and ball handlers and and shot creators and just not having Luca, Austin, and LeBron together that’s going to deplete what the offense looks like. So, I I think we we still have some questions about how how organized is the offense actually going to be because I think the the offense with Luca versus without Luca is going to look a bit different and maybe we got a little bit of like a sample with Austin le lineups kind of with that Suns game. But that I I think the point being like we still don’t we still have a lot of unanswered questions with the schematics with this group in part just because we haven’t seen it yet. But I thought JJ’s answers were interesting because that does seem to indicate that this is going to be a team similar to last season postluca trade that did ramp up their three-point volume was playing more five out was playing a lot of high pick and roll and a lot of three-man actions in the middle of the floor and playing out of that. So, I I think we have a at least based on JJ’s answers and and we’ll have to see it in actual application, like that seems to be the way that this team is trending. And I think you could look at some positives and negatives with that, right? I don’t think the Lakers ever quite hit their ceiling or their potential last year on offense and then defensively it felt like at times a little fool’s goldie and it it didn’t sustain deep into the season and did not sustain into the playoffs. So, I I like the switch to more drop coverage and selective switching, but we we got to see what that looks like with the the full group. Uh then third thing, and I’ll just lump these two things together because uh they’re I guess newsy things. Uh, one, the Lakers are having a a team outing uh with that Lucaled team outing where they’re going to a Porsche motor track and each player is going to get to pick from a selection of three Porsches and and they’re going to do some racing and uh some just team bonding stuff at the track. So, I I think that’s that was something that JJ had teased last week. So, that’s a worthy thing of just the group continuing to bond off of the court and spending time together. And I think that’s really important, especially during a week like this where the Lakers are off the entire week until Sunday. Uh, in terms of games, like them being able to spend time off the court, I think is really important for team chemistry. And then of course, one of the big topics of the day, one of the big topics at uh practice was LeBron’s ad where he teased the second decision and a bunch of people were wondering if he was going to announce he was retiring, if he was going to ask out from the Lakers, like what whatever it was. Uh I said yesterday on the show with Kobe, my live reaction to it was that it was likely an ad and likely an ad uh Amazon ad because today was Prime Day, but it was also Taco Tuesday and then it ended up being a heennessy ad. So, everyone had their their own reaction to it. Everyone said they got texts. JJ said anyone who thought it wasn’t an ad is an idiot. So, he was very blunt with his assessment with it. And then, uh, Austin, you know, kind of stayed out of it, but it was just said he got a bunch of texts, wouldn’t share from who. And then Ruie said he actually texted LeBron about it and LeBron was sending him some emojis and he had no idea what the emojis meant. Uh, and then actually final thing, I’ll add a fourth takeaway as I just remembered this, uh, transition defense. So, I was very critical of the defense and I know some of you felt I was a little too harsh on the defense through the first couple games. I I did say it was a bit concerning and and did make me question how high the Lakers ceiling and floor is on that end of the floor. Uh but JJ Reick said their transition defense through the first couple games and through practice last week, which he did not echo this at practice last week when we were discussing certain things, but he now reflectively was like our transition defense in practice and in both games was dog And Austin had a good laugh at that. It it was, you know, agreeing with him. So that is a big point of emphasis for the Lakers this week, as I think it should be. JJ mentioned the conditioning element that the Lakers are not where they need to be from a conditioning perspective. So, I expect there to be also more of an emphasis on that. He he did indicate that they had a tougher practice today. So, that’s just something to monitor of. Uh, and for those who have been tracking this stuff for a while, I actually just went back and looked on NBA.com stats year-over-year. The last time the Lakers were a an above average or or not even above average, an average because they were 15th this year. The last time the Lakers were average or better in opponent fast break points was 2010 2011. You got to go back 15 years to the last time the Lakers were average or better in opponent fast break points. Uh and over that span of 15 years they’ve been in the top 20 one time. It was the 202021 season they were 16th in opponent fast break points. Otherwise every year they’ve been 20th or worse. And they have a bunch of seasons in the bottom five. So, for whatever reason, like this uh this extends beyond the LeBron era. This extends beyond the Nadier of the Lakers franchise, which was that like mid to late 2000s stretch where they missed the playoffs a bunch. This extends into the Kobe, like the end of the Kobe era. For whatever reason, the Lakers have been very bad at transition defense going on like 15 years now just as a franchise. Uh, so this continues to be an issue and it’s going to be something they have to figure out because they are that is one of the margins they continue to to lose on or at least like tread water because there’s been Lakers teams that have been good in transition offensively, but they continue to just be uh to quote JJ, dog defensively for whatever reason. So uh that is something to monitor and that was something I picked up on the film. I’ve rewatched both games and there were some individual good transition possessions, but for the most part, guys are failing to communicate, guys are failing to match up, guys are failing to protect the basket, guys are losing guys on cuts. It’s just been it’s really been a train wreck on that end. I think overall, but specifically in transition. But with all that said, let’s get into the Q&A here. First one from Appetizers and Sushi. Thank you for the super chat. for all the talk about older players being injuryprone. The younger guys spent the first seven years injured and inexperienced. Uh Morant WBY Zion. Yeah, I I would say there’s a variety of things here with Jaw. I think it’s very much related to his style of play. And we’ve seen guys like Derrick Rose and Russell Westbrook, Westbrook to a lesser extent, but but more so Rose I guess deal with certain types of injuries because of their playing style at that size. Though I think Morance’s a little bit smaller than Rose. With WBY, it’s just the track record with guys at that size of 74, 75 is tough. uh guys deal with lower extremity injuries, foot injuries, knee injuries, and with WBY, I I just wonder if this is going and also just factoring in his frame of of how thin he is. I just wonder if that’s going to be a bit of an issue just for his entire career or something you got to be careful with. And then Zion, I think the weight mixed with the power that he plays with, like I think these three guys in some ways are I don’t want to say exceptions, but they they each have some type of quality that makes that like with Zion and Morant, it’s sort of the style of play mixed with like the athleticism and power that they have. And then with WBY, it’s just he’s the tallest player in the league and and just this anomaly who plays like a mix of KD and and Yiannis on offense, but he’s also like, you know, what 220 230 lbs at like 75. Uh so I I think those I I agree with your premise to be clear. I I just think you can kind of talk yourself into each one of those guys having some sort of like excuse for dealing with injuries or having some form of load management through the beginning of their career. Uh I think like WB is the one that’s the easiest to justify to me just because he is such an anomaly with that size with Morant and Zion. I think it’s more of a playing style thing. Zion a little bit with the weight and he needs to be careful with that. But yeah, I mean the NBA I’ve been covering the NBA like professionally since 2011 and there’s been a and that was kind of around the time when load management was starting with San Antonio. Remember they had that game in Miami. It was a big marquee game. They end up resting their stars uh because I think they’re on a road trip and they don’t play in Miami. They get a big fine from the league and that was when the the tide started to shift with load management and players resting. Granted, some of their guys were a little bit older and like in their early to mid-30s, so that was a little bit more justifiable. But yeah, in terms of injury prevention and how these things are handled, there’s been a real shift across the league. And I guess you can now throw Luca into this kind of depending on how legitimate like I I’m gonna guess JJ was just joking, but they are limiting him obviously holding him out of the first couple preseason games and not being a full participant in practice today. Connor Phillips, has there been any more news on the Ruie extension front? No, it’s been quiet. I uh so the Lakers have until the 20th. They have until the day before the season. And so they they got a little under two weeks here to figure out a potential Ruie extension. I’ll I’ll say he has not gotten off to the best start. I think he’s been arguably the most disappointing rotation player through I guess like I don’t consider Dalton a a real rotation player at this point, but if you want to throw Dalton in there, then it’s between Dalton and Ruie for most disappointing rotation player through the first couple games. Uh so I don’t think he’s doing himself any favors on that front. I don’t think that’s ultimately going to determine whether he gets an extension or not. But if there if you are judging it on like a what have you done for me lately. I I don’t think it’s been the best start to the season for Ruie. Uh but yeah, I I it’s going to be interesting to see like what if something happens, what is that number and what like if I’m the Lakers, I don’t think I feel comfortable going above like 20. But then if you are going above 20, you are potentially like right now depending on how things play out, the Lakers could resign Austin and if LeBron leaves or retires, be a cap space player. And that can be signing a free agent, but that also could be facilitating some sort of larger deal. They will have upwards of three first round picks to trade uh at the 2026 NBA draft. If they end up extending Ruie, now you are locking yourself into a certain roster. It also eliminates him from being traded. So that would also change how we talk about, and I made this point before, but that that would change how we view the potential trade market for the Lakers because Ruie is all of a sudden off the board. He would not be able to be traded technically until April, which is past the trade deadline. So, he’d be ineligible to be traded this season. And that means you’re now trading Gabe, Maxi, or Dalton really as like your three tradable guys that you you’re trying to flip. So, uh, no updates or developments to my knowledge right now, but, uh, I, if I to guess, I I would assume they do not come to some sort of agreement and it becomes how does Ruie perform this season? How does he fit in? And maybe figure like there’s no really from the Lakers perspective, there’s no real reason to do this. Like I I don’t think Ruie is going to outperform his prior production and and earn this like major bump in salary. So, I think Ruy’s value is is pretty static. If anything, it might decrease, especially if he potentially gets moved to the bench at some point. So, I I think if I’m the Lakers, I think the shrewd move is to not extend him to see how the season plays out, see what happens with LeBron, see how good this group is, and then go from there next summer. Your boy Rich, thank you for the super chat. Post LeBron, you think Ruie would be a great starting four? I would be concerned with his rebounding and physicality. I think it really depends on the roster build. I I’ve made this point before with Ruie, but I think the ideal slotting of Ruie. The two examples I continue to bring up are OKC and Minnesota of in Minnesota. Let’s just hypothetically say he replaced Julius Randall. Okay, now you’re putting him next to Rudy Gobear and JD McDaniels. Two elite defenders, two alldefense caliber guys. Uh Gobear’s a monster rebounder. McDaniels is a really good rebounder for his size and and his position at the three. And I like that slotting of Vui next to two good defenders and two good rebounders. Same thing with OKC. If you put him next to Hartinstein or Cadet at the five, Ruie at the four, JDub at the three, you have two good to elite defenders and two good rebounders. So, I I do think when you’re slotting Ruie potentially as a starter, you need to factor in he’s ideally the worst front court defender and he’s ideally next to two good rebounders. The Lakers do not project to have that type of roster build next season. That could change depending on what moves they make ahead of the trade deadline. That could change depending on what moves they make in free agency. But as of right now, if it’s DeAndre Aton plus, I mean, I guess Aon and Vando kind of checks that box, right? Like definitely checks the rebounding box. Defensively, I would not put Aon in the same class as a Go Bear, a Hartinstein, or a Cet. I think he’s definitely a tier or two below those guys defensively. Uh, so I don’t think it’s quite the optimal build for Ruie. And that’s where I think you get into some of the questions with the extension and is it worth extending him? Is it worth taking him off of the trade market I so I again if I’m the Lakers I would not extend him and I would just have the optionality to potentially trade him and then if things if you don’t find the right move for him and things work out then you just re like there’s no downside. It’s kind of like the Vando situation where the Lakers extended Vando. They didn’t need to extend Vando. And if they just waited till the next summer, like yes, from a business perspective, you could argue it’s it’s nice business and you earn goodwill with with players or agents or whatnot, but if they had just been patient and waited on Vando, they could have gotten Vando at a much more teamfriendly deal. And he’s probably like, if they wait one more year, he’s probably a taxpayer MLE level guy and he’s on like a instead of a what was it? four years 48 for Vando, something like that. Uh, if I’m not mistaken, they probably get him for four years 24. They probably get half of the the money slashed off if they wait one more season to resign Vando instead of extending him. So, I think they they got to be careful here. And and to me, I wouldn’t go so far as to say it would be a mistake to extend Ruie because I I think depending on the number, you can justify it and he also could theoretically be the LeBron replacement longer term. But I do think you need a specific build if you are going to have Ruie as your starting four. And that’s that’s been why I don’t think he should be the starter right now like but this team cuz I don’t think they have that build and you know longer term I think it really just depends on on what it looks like. Darien thank you for the super chat. Hi Yovan. What defensive style do you think fits this Lakers team the most or one that you think is optimal? Also what role do you see Vando playing this year? I think the sh the shift to more drop coverage to me suits this group more, at least the starting group. Uh I think DeAndre Aton is more of a drop big, but should be playing up to touch. And I think we we’ve seen some possessions he he’s done it well. Uh he he’s had a couple blocks or at least one block, a couple of nice contests playing up to touch. He’s also had some possessions where he’s just far too low. And maybe it’s some of the habits of of playing in Portland where they had him in a really deep drop. They had him often playing deep into the paint like Brook Lopez style. I don’t think that’s the optimal way to have DeAndre Aton guarding guys. So I think with the starting group and this is the the main reason why I think smart and now potentially Vando like I I’ll say one one of the biggest developments for me in training camp in the preseason has been if I am the Lakers coaching staff I would still start Marcus Smart. I still think that’s the best option, but I would at this point rather start Vando over Ruie just from a defensive perspective. Like seeing it actually play out through the first couple games and seeing the Lakers defensive style, seeing how Ruie fits into that. I think it’s one thing if you’re switching everything, I think that actually plays to Ruy’s strengths a little bit more because he is a versatile defender. But when it is a lot of you actually have to like get around screens, stick with your man, have a certain level of awareness, have a certain level of reading the defense and like making split-second decisions quickly. Uh, I don’t think that’s a strength of Ruiz defensively, and I think that’s a strength of Vando and Marcus Smart at just a different level. To say nothing of their actual onball defense and and screen navigation in comparison with Ruie. So, I still think Smart is the best option to start mainly because I think he is just a better offensive player than Vando and I think you’re getting a higher two-way floor overall. But if the Laker like if Smart’s just not available, not healthy, he’s load managing, whatever it ends up being with him, then I think you could talk me into Vando making more sense and even Jake Raia making more sense. I I think at at this point I’m pretty out on Ruie as a starter and I just I just do not think with the way the Lakers want to play defense it makes any sense to have him in the starting group defensively. Uh so I I think in terms of defensive I think it’s drop coverage with Aton then you have Austin and or again depending on the matchups Smart and Vando as like the the primary guard defenders, right? like Austin’s going to be the secondary guy. Smart or Vando is going to be the primary guy and then those guys can also scale up and defend some wings and even some fours and that’s your primary coverage. I think you can selectively switch off of the ball and I think the Lakers have been trying to figure that out. There’s been a lot of miscommunication right now with when do we switch, when do we not switch and that’s something that they have to iron out this week in practice and in film. But like before it used to be they just switched everything and now I think they’re trying to be more intentional of does this switch make sense? Is this the right way to approach this? And there’s going to be some learning curve and you know some growing pains with that and I think that’s understandable. Uh so I think the shift toward more of a drop coverage instead of switch everything makes more sense because it doesn’t allow you to just relentlessly target Austin and Luca and Gabe and whoever else you want to target. In terms of Vando’s role, I think Vando is so far the biggest riser in preseason. I’m still a little skeptical. I don’t know if you guys saw JJ’s postgame comments against Golden State, but I I wish I brought this up during the the Golden State stream. He was asked about Vando and he complimented uh him and then he went directly to his shot unprompted and mentioned that his shot is the biggest thing and that’s going to be like a big factor in Vando’s performance and role. And to be completely honest, like the shot looks a little bit better, but he’s he’s one for six on threes. I don’t think Vando is ever going to even sniff like league average as a shooter. So, I think based on JJ’s sensibilities, JJ loves threes. JJ wants an analytical approach offensively. I just think there’s a limitation to despite how good Vando is defensively and how impactful he’s been. I just think my read is I think JJ is going to have him in a certain box that it’s going to be really tough for him to break out of. So, I I still view him as a bench player with how this coaching staff wants to play, but could he be the seventh man? Could he be maybe even the sixth man in vault ahead of uh Ruie and and maybe it’s more of a Vando Smart kind of alternating as like the fifth guy? Uh maybe. But I I think for now I I still unless we see like a real sustained progress offensively, I think there’s just a limitation to like JJ I think has played he he likes the offensive end and he likes spacing. He likes shooting and Vando just doesn’t do that at a even like a bare minimum level. So uh I I but I I definitely view him as a riser where last year I’ve said this a million times 14 minutes a game in the healthy games with Luca. I think that’s going to jump up to at least 18 19 if not into the low 20s and I think that’s really going to help LA’s defense. Job of the Hut. Uh thank you for the super chat. Luca has had a calf strain the last two preseasons. So maybe that’s why they’re being more generous with rest even if it’s not needed. Yeah, I mean I I’m not even against Luca them being cautious with him. Again, I just made the point like he played in Euro basket. There’s no LeBron, so there’s already a limitation to how much you can get in terms of reps and stuff. I I’m more just from like a general perspective, I’m a little disappointed that it sounds like LeBron’s not going to play in the preseason. No idea how much of training camp he’s going to participate in uh you based on what we’ve heard so far. So that that’s it’s it’s more so like a macro. I just want to see what this group looks like together. It would be nice for them to get some reps in practice. would be nice for them to get some reps in preseason games, but that doesn’t seem like it’s going to happen out like outside of LeBron. Uh or or including LeBron. It will happen outside of him. But uh yeah, I mean I would hope Luca at least plays in they do have a weird stretch here coming up where they play Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday. So I I would suspect Luca doesn’t play in more than two of those three games. I don’t think he’s going to play three games in four days. And I don’t I think they’re going to rest their guys in one of the either the front end or the back end of the backtoback. Maybe the the front end because it’s in Phoenix, back end’s in Vegas. NBA cares about Vegas. So I I think maybe they they play in the Vegas game. But uh yeah, I mean I would like to see Luca play in at least two games, if not three. And yeah, but I I get being cautious with him. I think you could probably have him practice a little bit like the the practice stuff. I don’t know. Game stuff versus practice. I I would like to see him in practice, but he did pra like to his defense, he did practice last week, so if they’re just giving him off today, like he’s supposed to talk to us tomorrow, so we we’ll see what he says. Uh Jeremiah, thank you for the super chat. Top three dumb, silly news about the team last year. Uh what what do you mean by this question? I’m not sure what you mean. Is this in reference to the LeBron situation? Well, uh, if you follow up in the chat, I’d be happy to answer this further. Mo Love says they are working backwards from the playoffs. We can’t be tired going to the playoffs. Uh, clearly being three seed doesn’t mean much. There’s a fine balance, right, with this. Uh, I think if you have to pick between seating and health, I every team would pick health. I think the Lakers would rather be a six or seven seed and be healthy rather than be a three seed and be unhealthy. I do think this team is better equipped to handle and withstand injuries. And if let’s just say LeBron is load managing and he is missing some backtobacks or he is having his minutes reduced to 30 minutes a game instead of like 34 I think they are better equipped to handle that than they were in the second half of last like second half of last season. They were barely getting to like seven sometimes eight playable guys in the regular season and that really condensed down to like five or six in the playoffs. So, I think this team has better depth, but the West is just a a gauntlet. It’s a blood bath. Like, there could easily be eight teams this year that push for high 40s or or even 50 plus wins. Like, we we’ve seen that before in the West. And there there’s not much margin for error. And I think the Lakers also have a pretty I don’t say pretty easy relatively easy start to the season. We we’ve gone over the schedule before. And if they can get off to a really good start, like that gives you more margin for error later in the season. But if you’re starting off slow because you haven’t practiced together, guys aren’t healthy, guys aren’t available, then all of a sudden you’re six and five compared to eight and three. Doesn’t sound like much, but but that does like those games add up later in the season. And when you’re in the February March stretch, which like their February and March stretch is brutal again, like yeah, it’s just I think it’s it’s important for them to get off to a good start. Kane Carter, hey yon, in your eyes, do you feel Rob struggles to see value in good role players? I feel since 2020, it seems like Rob fails to realize what works around stars. That’s like fueling Ferraris with cheap gas. Yeah. Uh I I would agree. I I think they they have some real hits on the role player front. Malik Monk comes to mind. Uh Ruie comes to mind. Vando, the the initial stretch of Vando comes to mind. I think Austin, depending on how you want to characterize him, comes to mind. Max Christie comes to mind. But I’ll say in general they have I I think strugg like I I do think in general and I’ve talked about this before but they seem to prioritize offense more than defense and they’ve tended to put a lot of these like combo undersized guards who don’t scale well into a playoff setting and then it’s like or it’s it’s it’s a lot of one-way guys that I mean that that’s really what it comes down to. I think they’ve failed to identify two-way talent. I think it’s a lot of offensive guys who can’t defend or it’s defensive guys who can’t shoot. And in my opinion, they’ve done a pretty poor job since the we’ll say the title defense season because I still think 2020 2021 they had uh KCP, Caruso, Cuz they still had even Wes Matthews for like the stretches he was healthy. he he was decent for for some of those stretches. I I think that was like the last time they really identified that type of talent. And then it’s been a slew of players who are really limited on one side of the ball. And there’s also, I think, been sometimes a prior like prioritizing guys who are are like names or pedigree and like former lottery picks or uh like I don’t want to name specific names. I think you guys can fill in the dots, but I I do think in general they have prioritized like pedigree and like what what was your previous potential rather than what have you actually shown at the NBA level. And I I do think overall their batting percentage on filling out the roster and and finding particularly two-way contributors has been pretty bad. Mo love, what do you think about having different offensive schemes and sets based on the mix of players on the floor versus the plays that everyone drops into? Does JJ think in this way of p uh personalization? I like personalization but with personnel in there. I like that term. I am for that. I think you should be running different things and I think that’s probably the way that this is going to end up playing out. I think Luca just likes to play a certain way and it it often involves him having the ball a lot and that’s okay because that’s a proven it has a proven track record. We’ve seen those teams go to the conference finals and finals. We’ve seen him have a lot of success and and be one of the best under 26 players of all time. Uh so he he’s had a lot of individual success and team success playing the way that he likes to play. So, I do think when Luca’s on the floor, they are probably going to play Luca Ball or or closer to Luca Ball or you know, more Luca Ball than not, right? But I think when it’s Austin and LeBron, especially if it’s Austin without LeBron, I would like to see more uh organized offense, more sets, more actions. With LeBron, kind of same thing. I I think he is someone especially if you could get him in the post or uh ISO against a mismatch or something like I think those are are things that are sustainable in like second unit grouping. So I think when Luca is off the ball I would like to see more intentionality, more actions, more sets, more organized offense. When Luca’s on the floor I just think like you can do some of those things for sure and you could also do some offball. I’ve referenced before that chase 77 action that they run for Luca, but we know there’s going to just be a lot of high pick and roll. Or there might be an initial action and then the second half of the shot clock, it’s going to end up being Luca, where’s DeAndre Aton, come up here and screen for me, everybody else space the floor. So, I think there’s going to be a mix of that. But, uh, I mean, again, be nice to see some of these things in the preseason and just know what it’s going to look like. And I think we’ll finally see that on Sunday. But, I’m with you. I think that there needs to be a balance. There needs to be a mix. And again, I think they’re going to play a certain way with Luca, but when it’s Austin and or LeBron as the primary or or primary guys together, there should be a little bit more direction and organization with the offense. Matthew Wilson, even with screening, defenses stay off Vando, but Vando is the primary screener for offball actions and cutting the dunker spot is better than him trying to create a shot in the paint or shooting threes. Agreed with everything. Uh, I think the one thing with playing five out and having Vando, it’s similar to Draymond and the way that the Warriors have used Draymond at times, though I I do think Vando is an underrated ball handler and playmaker for his size and for his offensive ability. Like Draymond’s obviously just at a completely different level as a ball handler, as an initiator, as a passer. He’s one of the best passing bigs, frankly, of all time. No, he he’s in like I I wouldn’t put him at like the tip tip top of the the Jokic, the the Bill Walton, but he’s on like that probably second tier of elite passing bigs. And but like point with that is what the the Warriors would do with Draymond is is similar to Vando. Teams would ignore Draymond and or still ignore Draymond, play off of him. the big’s in the paint, the big’s helping, or or maybe it’s even a guard that they’re putting a small on him and putting a big on someone else. But then that leads to dribble handoffs with Steph and with Clay and with KD. And with that space, it’s now Draymond is able to and he loves to set illegal screens. he he’s able to smack whoever’s guarding Steph or Clay or KD and then hand the ball off to them and all of a sudden they have a wide open look or there’s at least that moment of separation, confusion, whatever that there’s that opening where that player then could maybe even take like a side dribble and take a three or or even take a couple dribbles in if it’s like KD and pull up from 18. So, I think the Lakers can do some of those things with Vando. They don’t have that type of shooter really. Uh Dalton in theory is supposed to be that guy, though the shot has been very up and down. Uh dating back to the we’ll say like final third of last season. Gabe showed some flashes of that in the Golden State first half, but we know with Gabe, he’s also an up and down shooter. I don’t think Lavia is that type of player or shooter. Austin, his catch and shoot stuff is pretty good, but he’s not really that type of guy either. So I do like they don’t have that type of of course not like a Steph Clay guy but but even like a Malik Beasley type uh or a Duncan Robinson type or or whatever, right? So that type of player I think would would benefit from playing off of Vando and the potential space that he could create with the openings that of just not having guys guard him. You could all of a sudden turn that into a pick and roll, dribble handoff and Vando can screen for that guy. So, I think that’s that’s something that the Lakers need to experiment with more. I think one of the big things, and we saw this in the Golden State game, especially like Vando just needs to be moving at all times. And I think that was a big thing was he he had the one play, he creates a turnover, resets it to Gabe, and then just cuts, Gabe hits him, and that’s when he gets the DEL euro uh finish for the N1 like that. He just needs to be constantly moving and moving. And um AirPods just died. So let me let me make sure my audio is good. Uh still good. Uh he just needs to keep moving and moving. And I think if he is being relentless in terms of cutting and relocating to the opposite side of the floor and screening and just being this chaos agent on offense, I think that’s the most effective way he can be used. But there, of course, this is just a limitation to Vando’s spot. Uh Moad uh or Moad uh thank you for the question. Hey Ovan, do you think Jake Laavia is an upgrade over DFS overall? I think he’s much better offensively and not as much worse defensively. I think he is more skilled and versatile offensively. I think he’s a better ball handler and a better creator and playmaker offensively. I think he’s a better offensive rebounder. The two areas I think that the jury is still out on Jake as a higher volume shooter. I’ve mentioned this before, but he only attempted like the percentage was elite, but he only attempted two threes a game last season. And part of that was just fewer minutes, but part of it has been he’s been a relatively low volume shooter just in general. So I think in terms of scaling up like we’ve kind of seen what DFS can do when he shoots five, six, seven threes per game. He’s been an average to above average shooter. And with Jake, I think he’s better than that as a shooter, but I want to see what that like until we see the scaling up, we just don’t know. Uh, and then the other thing is like specifically kind of as a u an offshoot of that, DFS was a really effective pick and pop guy and we saw Luca attack uh bigs in, you know, drop bigs when they had to guard DFS that DFS popping and having the quick trigger to uh shoot threes above the arc at a high volume and in a high rate. That is another question I think with Jake of of could he scale into that type of role. But o overall offensively I would agree with you. I think he is better defensively they are very different players. I would say certainly DFS I think is better at being like the small ball center in a group. I think he’s a better help defender overall. I also think he does a really good job of boxing out bigger guys. In terms of onball, I I think they’re both kind of similar. I probably give DFS a slight edge. Uh I will say like the offball stuff, I was a little disappointed with Jake through the first couple games in that regard. But JJ mentioned he still needs to be in better shape just like the rest of the group. And that’s when he mentioned that the transition defense was dog It was actually in response to a Jake question. He wasn’t even asked about the transition defense. So, I I think like that was top of mind for him with Jake and just the defense overall. So, there’s some things he could clean up on that end. I I think overall though, yeah, like it come to my head, I I think DF like the stretch we saw from DFS from December through April is probably going to be more impactful. Like he was a plus minus monster. The Lakers were always better with him on the floor. I don’t know if Jake can quite get to that level this season, but I I think he’s also what 23. like I think he’s going to continue to get better and maybe you know by next season he should be better than DFS. So I think it’s close though. Ken Carter, hey yo, in your eyes do you think Vibes aka chemistry is a reason why they haven’t moved on from Ruie Vando Gay Maxi yet? There are uh they’re important but what’s the point if they don’t fill the holes needed? Yeah, I mean I I think continuity is a big part of it. I just think trade value is a big part of it. I think of the three guy or four guys you just named only one of them is a clear positive in terms of trade value and I think that’s Ruie and even then he’s an expiring so there’s some uncertainty of if you trade for Ruie he might just dip in free agency. Gabe and Maxi are still I think I think Maxi’s a slight negative right now in terms of trade value uh if not just a negative but he isn’t expiring so that that helps. Gabe I would put as a slight negative to neutral. Vando I would put as a a a negative, but I think he’s going to play if he continues this, he’s just gonna have a lot of value to the Lakers and regardless of like what his outside value is. So I actually think like most of these contracts are just not really tradable for the Lakers or haven’t been up to this point. But that so I I think that’s honestly more of the reason why these guys haven’t been traded outside of Ruie. I think Ruy they’re they’re very high on. Uh, but to your point, like chemistry is important, but so is just overall talent, skill, and fit. And I think we could debate how much these four guys fit into like what specifically the Lakers need. I think Vando, again, because of his contract, is probably a guy who’s going to have more value to the Lakers, and he’s looked really good through the first couple preseason games, but the other three guys, I think you could really debate how they fit into what the Lakers need and if they’d be better off flipping them at some point. So, uh, I think again if if with the exception of Vando, I think the other three are are the most likely like add in Dalton and those are the four Lakers most likely to be traded. In defense of the genre, 10:22, what are you going to be for Halloween? Yo, I like this one. Uh, I’m not quite sure yet. I have not celebrated Halloween in a long time just because of the NBA schedule this year. The Lakers will be on the road for Halloween. I believe they’re going to be in Minnesota than Memphis. So, I will not be at either one of those games. So, I I guess I can kind of celebrate Halloween. So, got to figure it out with the wife. I might be uh might do like a couple’s costume. Let’s see. I think I missed uh missed a couple super chats. Drip show, are you a Hennessy man? I’ve only had Hennessy a couple times, but when I have, I have enjoyed it. Uh I try to drink I’ve tried to drink less overall the last two three years and tried to drink less hard alcohol. I’ve switched more to beer and wine. Uh so try trying to reduce the hard a consumption but I I do I I do enjoy Hennessy. It is good. Uh light him up. Thank you for the super chat. Yo, do you have any updates on Chris Manon and why he isn’t playing or will he be playing in preseason? We have not gotten one yet uh from JJ when we ask about injury updates. So, don’t have anything for you, but I I will ask tomorrow either JJ or uh Lakers PR to try and get an update on Manon. Smokey says, “Weed and Hennessy is a dangerous combo. I cannot say I’ve had those two together, but I’ve had those two separately.” Ibiz, you have Serbian roots. You’re Rockia guy. Yeah, of course. big Rakia guy. Uh what anytime there’s a family celebration, uh you got to take at least one shot of Rockia. It’s a big shot. It is uh not not the little shots. Ken Carter, in your eyes, do you think trades are possible if Rob really wants to do it? I believe sooner the better. Yes. Uh but I believe in track records and at this point Rob has shown to be more of a mid-season trade guy. So I I feel like post December 15th through early February is is most likely. Bakano. Wait, you are Serbian? Yes. Uh Yoan is a Serbian name. I am uh half Serbian. Daily meditation. Yoan, you were talking about fit but want to start Reeves over Vando. Makes no sense. Uh I I mean, I’ll I don’t really want to get like the Austin conversation to me is just I I don’t like I He’s just regardless of what I think he’s going to start. So, I I don’t think we need to have the the Austin conversation like he’s starting. I I so pen like put him in pen. It’s Austin, Luca, LeBron, and Aton. And then we can debate the fifth starter. I I just I don’t know what else to say on this. Mike, uh, what is your favorite and least favorite NBA arena? Favorite is MSG just because of the history, the presentation, the vibe, the buzz in the arena. There there’s just nothing quite like an MSG game. And it feels like one of the few NBA arenas that still has some history with it, right? like a lot of uh like go down e even go down the list of the Pacific division, right? Like so you have the Lakers who have been at Staples/crypto since 99, but Clippers have a new arena. Warriors have a new arena. Suns arena is just not nice. So there’s not a lot of nostalgia there. Like they’ve renovated it, but it’s an older arena and it’s not very nice. Kings have a new arena. So very like there’s been so many arena changes for most teams over the last 10, 15, 20 years that there are very few arena and MSG’s undergone renovation and and been updated and stuff, but like MSG is still the MSG that people were playing in in the ‘ 60s and 70s and 80s and it just has a certain air of of history and um just NBA culture there that I think is really special. So I would say MSG’s favorite road arena for sure. also love anytime I can go to New York. Least favorite. I’ve talked about this. I think it’s probably Charlotte. Uh I don’t It’s a Spectrum Center. It’s typically like twothirds full. So I would say it’s one of these smaller like like just not always full. So that that’s an element of like the atmosphere isn’t always great. Uh, but I would also say it’s the only NBA arena for the media where we don’t have water. And I know that’s like a small thing, but just like, you know, I I consume typically, I don’t know, two or three waters at a game on average. And it’s typically free. And they typically have a refrigerator with water bottles for the media. and the Spectrum Center. It’s also like most most arenas have catered food for the media that’s either free or you got to pay for. This is that you get a voucher and you have to go up into the concourse, get food only from a couple spots and then also uh if you get a water or any beverage, they take the cap and then you don’t have a cap with it and and that’s a little annoying if you’re walking around with the water. So I it’s a very like media specific issue with with the Spectrum Center but as a media member like I factor that stuff in and it’s the only arena that I have to deal with that in like every other arena either has uh food or if they are giving you a voucher it’s far more options and they don’t do the the water bottle thing. So that’s uh that’s a big one. Uh, Jorge, half Puerto Rican. Yes. Half Serbian, half Puerto Rican. My dad is from Serbia. My mom is uh born in New York, born in Brooklyn, but uh grew up partly in New York, partly in Puerto Rico, partly in the Philippines. Uh I believe partly in Texas. Uh she could correct me on that, but uh she she moved around a lot because her dad was in the military. Smokeoky most intimidating arena. Ovon I would say TD Garden and I mean they’re they just have a very drunk and loud crowd and I’ve gotten into it. Uh, it’s actually funny. There’s been like because also where we sit at TD Garden is every arena’s setup is different, but the the seats are in the crowd and then the last row is directly in front of like the the first row of fans like for that section. So the the fans are right behind you within a matter of like 2 feet or so and they sit the visiting media in that back row. So, basically, you have a row of drunk Boston fans like right behind you. So, I’ve gotten into it with with fans before and uh just kind of talking uh to each other and and whatnot. But, um it actually became like friends with with a couple of the guys just just from like the the we’ll say friendly banter back and forth. But, uh yeah. No, that’s the a crowd I think. And especially just because Lakers Celtics, it’s they you know, the the hate, the vitrial, like it always means a little bit more. Trying to think if there’s been any other crowds that are like intimidating. I I wouldn’t even say like, you know, intimidating is is all relative, but that’s probably the one where it it gets uh the the rowdiest and like, you know, you feel like something could go down. Rock official says, “Not a Warriors fan at all, but the Oracle was crazy. The fans were turn.” Yeah, one of the best like Oracle would be if Oracle still existed in the context of like being a Warriors crowd still. Uh that would be in the mix for sure. Uh Jeremiah I see. Okay. Jeremiah says from his earlier super chat probably news like Isaiah Thomas gets mad at LeBron for practicing without a shirt on. Article news that were made bigger than it really should have been. Okay. So you’re asking you’re asking for the three dumbest things from last year. The Isaiah Thomas thing probably is number one because what are we doing complaining about LeBron practicing with a shirt off or warming up with a he’s done it for years. It’s not disrespect I that’s just old man yelling at the clouds type behavior. Umh off the top of my head I’m not that one really stands out. I think the JJ game four stuff was a little bit overblown, but I think I’m in the minority with that in terms of the whole not playing guys in the second half. Like I I thought I thought that was a little bit of an overblown storyline. Uh then yeah, I mean it’s I thought the Luca being some of the Luca criticism was a little overblown as well where he was still playing like a top 10 if not top five player and you know all the all the Dallas stuff that kind of created that narrative around him. But yeah, I mean I I don’t I don’t know. Brian Farber. Uh, what benchmark record in the first 20 games would define a successful beginning of the season for the Lakers? I think 14-6. If we’re saying if we’re saying specifically record, I I would like to see 14 and six, top 10 in offense, top 15 in defense. I think if they’re hit all three of those things, that’s a success. Matthew Wilson, I really like Austin’s emphasis on getting to the rim quickly and getting things moving on offense. Yeah, I mean, you saw a real shift or or a real difference with Austin running the show versus anybody else just in terms of downhill ability and and creation. I think it’s going to look even better once Luca’s out there and he doesn’t have the main defender on. Like I thought I thought that was actually one of the bigger developments in that game was like he had Ryan Dunn on him who is the type of defender that’s given Austin problems before and I thought he handled I think Ryan Dunn’s a really good perimeter defender and I thought Austin handled that assign you know really well and defense of the genre 1022 are they really that racist at TD Guardian? I’ve personally never heard anything, but I, you know, obviously that there’s we’ll say a bit of a track record there with with some of the things throughout their history. We’ll say Ibra, do you speak fluent Serbian or Spanish? No, I speak neither. Uh, Serbian, I blame my parents for both not speaking either language fluently. Uh, my dad just for whatever reason didn’t teach me Serbian. And then with Spanish, I actually blame the uh American uh/c California um education system because I did go to good schools, but I took seven years of Spanish, got A’s every year, and still don’t speak it fluently somehow. So, uh I think one of my biggest issues with like the language system, and this I mean I’m kind of joking around, but I I feel like we would never speak it actually. It would always be like, can you read it? And I feel like even now I can read Spanish or I could probably take a test in Spanish and do better in that than like speaking it because it would always be we would focus on reading and writing for an hour and then the last 10 minutes of class it’s like go around the room and read this passage out loud and yeah that that’s a whole other thing. Rock Nation, where do you rank jazz fans? Uh, bottom half for sure. I would have to, you know, in the interest of time here, I’m going to go about 10 15 more minutes. Bottom half, I I would really have to think about it to give you a better answer. Sarah, ever witnessed a crazy fan altercation? Yes, there was actually a fight in Sacramento, pretty close to the media section between a man and a woman, and that was insane to watch. and uh you know that should never happen and that happened. So I think actually a couple PR and media people got involved to like break it up, but that that was I think the only I I’ve seen I think Phoenix maybe there might have been a fight one time, but yeah, I would say uh the Sacramento one was definitely the craziest. Shakira says, “You are cute.” Thank you. Uh I I let’s hope my wife does not see this otherwise I will get in trouble. Uh Moad uh are you the third most famous Serbian behind Yokic and Jookovic? Uh, no. But I I I like my dad my dad is always following Serbian news and stuff and they will constantly reference me over there or anything that like I you know any I report or anything like I’ll I’ll make the Serbian news. So that is pretty cool. But Conano says you are not familiar with the Luca over criticism Yoan. They legit said the league sucked when he scored 70 uh 73 instead of praising him. I I’m aware of it. I just I’m going to push back and say it’s a little a little overblown. Shakira mentions Dalton went from the next LeBron to just weak. I think the Dalton storyline was a little overblown in the opposite way. But yeah, Tally Khalifa, hey Ovon, been a minute. Hope you’re doing well. Missed the top of the show because of work, but what’s the update with Adu and Maxi if you don’t mind repeating? Uh no update with a new uh status quo in terms of him being limited participant and Maxi similar where uh we saw him shooting after practice uh some catch and shoot relocating threes and stuff also halfcourt competition with M uh Marcus Smart doing left-handed threes but no uh he’s still a limited participant. Uh really the big one was Marcus Smart was a near full participant and participated in live Sarah, did you speak any Serbian with Luca and Sasha? Uh, I have met uh Sasha and uh for reference, Sasha is Luca’s dad. Uh I’ve spoken a little Serbian with Luca and we’ve talked about that. That that’s been one thing we’ve connected over. Uh he is it depends who you talk like how you want to view it. His dad is technically of Serbian heritage, but he sort of, you know, we moved to Slovenia and is adopted being a Slovenian. So, he’s got the Serbian roots, but I think, you know, technically now, believe a Slovenian citizen. And then his mom is Slovenian, and but Luca does love Serbian music. That was something actually Ruie talked about today. But everything you hear when Luca’s warming up pregame is all Serbian music. My mom says, “Yoon is the second most famous Puerto Rican after Bad Bunny.” Hey, I will take it. It’s me and uh Jose Alvarado. Ryan Rich, I wish the Lakers would make a trade to get better and have time together rather than the trade deadline and have to adjust on the fly. Uh you are preaching to the choir. This is a point I’ve been making not just all summer, but going back to last summer, I made that point. Of course, I did not have the uh the foresight that they would trade for Luca Donuch, so I think it ended up working out for the Lakers. All right. But I do not anticipate them making a Lucas-ized move this uh season. In defense of the genre asks about Viven, that’s a name I’ve not heard in a while. Yes, I do remember that whole situation. G most famous person you met at a game, uh Denzel Washington. And it’s really cool. Brad Turner of the LA Times, who’s been covering the Lakers since the 80s. So, before I was born, he’s been covering the Lakers, which is just wild. Uh, you know, 40 plus years or around 40, like high high30s. Um, he’s known Denzel since, you know, Denzel’s obviously big Laker fan, been coming to games for a long time. Uh, so I think he knows him from like the Kobe Shack era, but uh, Denzel has come over a few times to media row and uh, at the time I was sitting next to BT. So he’d come over, talk to BT, and then introduce myself and, you know, chop it up a little bit. So I would say Denzel is the most famous. Uh other one like it’s actually really one of the funny or wild things will be so the the closest bathroom to depending on like so there’s like the suite side on the opposite side or like the VIP section. Uh one time I walked in there with a friend who was sitting close and had those uh that access and like you just walk in and like Leo’s right there. But typically I’m I’m not on interacting with with that side of the arena. that’s on the opposite side of the media side. But with the media side, you never know who will pop in because that’s the closest bathroom. So, a lot of the people on that side of court side or or that side of like the lower bowl will end up coming into the media room to go to the bathroom. So, I’ve seen Kim Kardashian goes in there a lot with her kids. Uh randomly Joe Burrow was in there. He went to a couple games last year, but you just never know. and we’re just like going in getting some ice cream, getting coffee, getting a water, getting whatever. And uh because crypto has really good food, uh and they they treat the media right. Um and then you just see these, you know, mega stars who are just chilling in in the bathroom line like everybody else and the same bathrooms that we like it’s also the same. It’s uh they have a co-ed three bathrooms for for everybody. So, everyone washes their hands in the same place. Everyone uses the same stalls. So, it’s uh yeah, it’s it’s an interesting bathroom experience. O boy, what up? I like your Kobe Shack profile pick. Ethan says, “I missed the crypto ice cream.” We are uh we’re we’re a few days away few days away from from Sunday. Kang Carter, I don’t want to sound spoiled, but if you could do the Luca trade again, what two pieces would you try to get from Dallas instead of Maxi and Keefe? What piece would you rather throw in instead of Max? Uh, this is easy. I would rather have thrown in Dalton or Mac. I mean, a Dalton or a first instead of Max. Uh, that was true at the time, but I think that is aged even more. Um, I would have rather gotten gaff if if you could have gotten Gaffford or Grimes or uh some I I think they hadn’t traded Grimes yet if I’m not mistaken. Um, let me quickly check. Yeah, if you that was after the Luca trade. So, if you could have gotten Caleb Martin also, like I I’d rather have him than Maxi or Keefe, there’s a list of multiple players I would have rather had, but I think that the big one would have been keeping Max and then throwing in some other asset. Adub, who would be the best person to pair with Luca after LeBron retires? Who should the Lakers target? I I’m big on the the potential Giannis fit, but it seems like New York is the most likely place for Giannis, at least based on the reporting from Shams. So, if not Giannis, uh that’s tough. Um, I I think it ideally is a two-way wing or a big and and then if you kind of think about it almost like like I think ideally the Lakers three best players in an ideal world would be something like Luca, an elite two-way wing, and an elite big and then like that’s like your big three kind of build. Uh but yeah, uh Jean or Jean Paul or John Paul. Uh Giannis is an awful screener. Yeah, I mean you’d have to figure like obviously Giannis and Dame had some flashes but it never really quite put it together. So that would be the concern would be Giannis would have to take some semblance of a step back compared to like the Dame dynamic. But I think I think Giannis could be coached up to be a better screener. Bakano says, “Give me Bam and Kesler.” I don’t know if Bam and Kesler could work together. I think defensively, yes. Offensively, I think there’d be some questions with the spacing. I don’t want to turn. Bam is more of an elbows, like top of the arc type playmaker, pick and roll big passing hub. I think that could get a little clunky with him and Kesler offensively, but I I would take either one of them. Poster King, Jaylen Brown type. Yeah, I I think Jaylen Brown that type of guy. G favorite NBA announcers that are underrated. I mean, I I I love Iron Eagle and I don’t even know if he’s I think he’s underrated just overall. I think he’s one of the best announcers, period. And I think he’s he’s finally getting his props. Uh, I do like Eric Collins. I know he’s for some people. I know he just did football and and some people weren’t happy about that, but I like him. Matthew Wilson, mid-season trade for Lori. I don’t think the Lakers have enough unless they’re flipping Reeves, but even then I don’t know if Reeves and a first even gets you Lori. I think they probably want more user one. Luca is one of the stars that I don’t think you need a 1A partner with. Give me super role players. I agree to an extent. Uh, and this I guess could potentially be where Austin comes in as like you could have a situation where Austin is maybe like the number two offensively, but overall within the team hierarchy, he’s like the third or fourth best player depending on how good the other like players are in terms of two-way ability, right? Uh, I still I think in general though, you typically need it’s not it’s not like a Luca specific thing. It’s it’s more just like if you go through NBA history, uh I think like I guess if if we want to have some parallels here, you could go to like Giannis and Joic winning titles more recently. But I would argue like in the regular season, I don’t know if either one of those teams had a second top 25 guy, but I think in the context of of playoff performance like Jamal Murray that title year, I think overall by the end of the season, we would have ranked Jamal Murray in that top 25. He played at a lights out like all-star level. Uh like like borderline all NBA level really if he if he sustained that for a full season. in the playoffs. I think Chris Middleton was obviously huge and and made a bunch of big shots and and big plays in crunch time during the Bucks run and then they also had Drew Holiday. So, I think like both of those guys were fringe top I mean I think definitely top 50, even top 40ish guys and then come playoff time I think they they were also risers. So, you can kind of get away with it I guess in the regular season to some extent if you have a great enough player. But I do think the more common model is uh and I guess the Warriors with Steph. So I I think to your point there is something to that. But I also look at like OKC with Shay and then JDub’s a top at least 20 guy if not top 15. Chat is is knocking on that door. Boston with Tatum and Brown. Like I think you you typically need that second guy to be at least in the top 25ish if not higher. Kevin, thank you for the super chat. If Houston really struggles with playmaking, would you do AR for Tari plus Clint trade? Houston gets the playmaking, shooting, and LA gets the 3 and wing and backup five. Uh, I personally think this is selling low on Austin. I think uh like from a pure fit perspective, I think I see what you’re saying and and I see the the fit upgrade and and certainly Tar I I really like Tar East. Um I think some of the stuff with his contract that that has been out there is a little like I don’t think he’s a $25 million a year player uh personally, but I think two things. one, I think I don’t think the Lakers would do this, and I think the Lakers would view this as selling low in Austin, regardless of uh my personal opinions, but factoring in my personal opinions, I also would agree that I think this is selling a bit low on like I would want I’d want another asset from Houston if I’m LA. Uh, and really again, the barometer for trading Austin has been like a very high level player. Not to say that Tar Een is not that, but I think they want like a name or like a I mean the things I’ve heard and reported before have been like all-star level talents that’s not Tar E. So, uh I think and and Clint Clint’s fine as a backup. He’s definitely an upgrade over Jackson, but I don’t think the upgrade of Jackson to Clint offsets the overall like talent skill because I think you do have a m like I I’ll like restructure this and this continues to be my thing with Austin is there is a pretty big whoever you think is like the fourth scoreer on this team. There’s a pretty big gap between Austin and that player offensively overall, especially because I think the fourth score is probably Eightton and then the fifth is Ruie. But both of those guys are very dependent on Luca and LeBron and those guys are finishers. They’re not really creators. Like we we’ve already seen some mixed results from Aton and postups and like he’s more of a pick and roll big. uh either you know get him a post mismatch or get him on the roll, get him in the pocket for a little short jumper. He’s more of a dependent on a an elite playmaker and that’s something he lost when he went to Portland. Ruy we’ve seen is not much of a shot creator. He’s a guy who’s finishing on spotups or on cuts. Uh occasionally we’ll get a post mismatch against a guard if if there’s a guard on him, but Ruy’s also more of a finisher. I think the Lakers like you really go to like Marcus Smart is now your next best shot creator and I think that is like for Marcus Smart to be your third ball handler or shot creator I just think that’s that’s unless he really bounces back to like multiple years ago Marcus Smart offensively I think that’s that’s too big of a gap between like just looking at some of the other teams in the West. So uh I I don’t think the Lakers do this. Dylan Deville and Brooks. Hey, you think Braun and Luca not playing this preseason? It’s hard for JJ to install offense or build chemistry with Luca and LeBron not playing. Latest from Shams is LeBron is not playing. Uh Luca is going to play. I I think Luca is going to play at least a couple games. Bakano, Yovon, give us I’m going to go two more minutes uh till 120 and then I will wrap. Uh Yvon, give us your perfect starters next to Luca, of course, having a reasonable cap space. It’s really tough off the top of my head. Um, I did really like Derek Lively next to Luca. So, that type of big, I think there’s several bigs that fit that like role man, you know, elite lob threat, but also versatile defensively, good rim protector. Derek Lively, I don’t think has looked the same since Luca has been gone, though it is a relatively small sample size. But uh I mean honestly like the Dallas I I I thought the like Dallas built a pretty close like that starting five of I know Gaffford was starting but Lively was often closing over him. Uh like Lively Washington, Derek Jones and Kyrie. I think some form of like a a second ball handler to just present a a credible secondary level of ball handling and even primary if you need it. uh for Luca to play a little off the ball then big front court, versatile defensively. That’s like the type of build. So that that would probably be um like I I think or you can go a different way where maybe you go with a defensive guard and then more of a front court playmaker. But uh I I still think Luca needs another highlevel second weapon just to like help him so he doesn’t have to do too much. and then ideally like a a rolling rim protecting big and then a couple of perimeter two-way 3&D options. So, I like a Herb Jones next to Luca. I like a Jaylen Suggs next to Luca, Tammani Kamara, that type of player uh or or players. And then like lower level obviously like a Derrick Jones Jr. and then I think there’s a bunch of bigs. I would have to really look through all the the cap stuff like this probably more of a mailbag question if if you want to pose it in the comments as a mailbag question but uh for off top my head that’s close to uh my idea with that o boy do you think prime tic black makes the roster what a a what a call back what a shout out um no I mean I I guess it comes down to is he better than Jackson? Because if you look at the roster and who was set really the like Ad was drafted and they were going to keep him obvious. I I mean they they paid multiple millions of dollars to trade up and and you know acquire him. So I think Adu was always someone who was going to be on the roster. It really comes down to what it would have been Tar Black or Jackson Hayes and I think Jackson is better. But I I do like the the Tar Black shout out. Kevin, WebM is a perfect fit with Luca. Sure. I mean, WebM is a perfect fit with everybody. I was I was trying to be like semi-realistic with the star pairing, but I think WBY would be a great fit. I think Tatum, if he bounces back fully healthy, would be a really good fit. I think Ant could be a really good fit with Luca. Uh, yeah. I mean, I I think it’s basically like as long as you’re not a point guard. Like we’ve seen Brunson, but now Brunson has evolved into a different echelon of players. So I think like Brunson, Mitchell, I’d probably want to stay away from that. Steph would be interesting. I mean, just the collective firepower would be ridiculous. Uh but otherwise, I think my ideal like star level pairing with Luca is some sort of big, ideally a defensive big and some sort of wing. Ideally a defensive wing. Karter, what do you think about the Mavs length and size? is do you fear them? I fear them when healthy. I think they have a some real offensive questions as currently constructed. Uh I mean we’ve seen like I I mean DLO can run the offense, but I I thought he regressed a bit last season both in LA and Brooklyn as a shooter, but but just as an offensive player overall. So I I I think he’s tentatively like their starting point guard. They’re also going to run a lot of the offense through Cooper Flag and Anthony Davis. But I think there are real shot creation, playmaking, just offensive questions overall. Like they do have some individual pieces, but I just don’t quite see the outline. I think defensively they’re going to be huge. They’re going to be very versatile, tough, nasty, physical. Like I think they’re going to be a really good I think they’re going to be a top 10 defense. And then it’s like, are they the 13th best offense? Are they the 22nd best offense? Like I I think there’s a range there with the offense when Kyrie’s back. If he comes back and if he can make a full recovery or close to it, then I think that unlocks every you know when it’s Kyrie Flag 80 Lively or Gaffford and then like Washington or Clay or or Max or whoever is the fit guy that is now like a two-way lineup that I think makes a lot more sense. So I think until Kyrie comes back, I have some real offensive concerns. like we we saw last year the Lakers tried to run the offense more through AD and there was mixed results and now they’re talking about it again he’s going to be a playmaking hub and like I don’t know I I just I think there there’s some real offensive questions for me but I do like Dallas when healthy Jel says uh hi Ovon I expect the Lakers are going to have a slow start in the beginning of the season LeBron not playing entire preseason difficult for JJ to install offense to build cover street. Yes, agreed. Uh I’m I’m be becoming a little bit more bearish on the start of the season. Fortunately for the Lakers, they do have an easier schedule relatively, so I think that can offset. Tali says, uh underrated elite pairings with Luca would be Trey Murphy or Jaylen Johnson. Really like the Jaylen Johnson call. Also like Trey Murphy. Uh then I I’ll end with this one from Kane Carter out of Rui, Gabe, Maxi Connect. Who would you move? Who would you move first or which two would you move first for who and why? Give me realistic moves. I mean, there’s a realistic move out there of Ruie and Dalton for Andrew Wiggins and and then some sort of draft capital. I I think a first round pick is too much, but a second round pick is probably too little, so maybe it’s a swap or something. I I’m not quite sure. Uh I would do that one. I think there could be a Dylan Brooks uh availability later in the season depending on what happens with Phoenix. I would be interested in flipping like I I think you probably have to give up Ruie realistically. Ideally, you don’t, but it’s just I think that changes the caliber of player because if it’s Gabe and Maxi, no team is taking them on for their actual ability. It’s as an expiring and typically like people have asked about Matis Styel and the point I continue to make with Matis Styel is why is Portland just giving up Matis Styel for Gabe or for Maxi when they’re both expirings? Like it it the point of getting an expiring is to get off multi-year deals. And if a player’s a good player on a multi-year deal, the team’s going to want to keep them. So typically, it’s like we don’t love this contract. That’s why we’re giving up a multi-year deal for an expiring. So unless the Lakers are willing to take on bad money or questionable money, like they’ve said they want they’re willing to take on money past 2026, but are they willing to take on bad money or or questionable money is its own separate question. And if they’re only willing to take on good money past 2026, which I think should be the ideal goal, well, you got to give up something to get something. And you don’t just give up here’s Gabe Vincent and a second round pick and we’re getting like a starter. Like that’s just not how this is going to work. So, uh, that I think ideally it’s pro like to get the best bang for your buck, it’s probably Ruie and and Dalton and what can we get for that? And that gets you in the like, you know, low teens to I mean high teens to to low 20s in terms of salary. And then are you throwing in a second? Are you throwing in a swap? Are you really doing the motherload offer and that’s a first and that’s like the most you can realistically offer. I I so I I think if I’m them uh like perfect world is probably you just flip maxi and and in and a first for like a really good player, but I just don’t see that materializing that way. So, uh, yeah, Kevin Thyel buyout mid-season really just depends on what happens with Portland and how good they are. Uh, I think I mean they had a good close to the season. Maybe they are a pesky playing team. White Falcon, Yvon, you think real two-way players are just hard to come by. Yes, I I do think the pool of two-way players is small uh or smaller than than you would think, and that’s what makes those guys so valuable. Uh, so to go back to the Tar Een conversation, like maybe that does make him of similar value to Reeves or or or closer than you might expect just based on stats. But yeah, I mean, it’s hard especially especially wings because most wings are not 2A players. Most wings are either deficient defensively or deficient in some way offensively. And uh you know, it’s just hard to find guys who are true positives on both sides of the ball. Those guys are expensive. My mom says, “Thank you for the likes.” Yeah, let’s get those likes up. Um I’m going to wrap here though. I went uh a little bit over as we tend to do here. But I appreciate you guys so much. I have a vlog coming from today’s practice and then tomorrow, as I said earlier, Luca is going to be talking. So, we’ll be going live tomorrow, have a new episode on Thursday, and then have a special live on Friday. I don’t know, some of you guys might remember earlier in the offseason did a poll on the top 25 Lakers over the past 25 years. Now that we’re 25 years into the millennium, uh so going to have a live uh with some special guests uh going through the list of the top 25 Lakers that you guys voted on. Uh I am rearranging some of the names just to I think make it a more accurate list, but but very small tweaks. So, we’re going to go over the top 25, just kind have a general conversation, and then we’re going to draft teams, and then you guys can vote and comment on who has the best team and who you would have picked in what order and and whatnot. So, uh that’ll be something fun that uh we’ll be doing like little graphics and posting that on YouTube and on social and uh should be a fun episode. And uh you know, there’s only so much content we can go through this week with just not many games to talk about. So, Lakers are off Friday. So, I think that’s a natural break in the schedule to do something fun. But be on the lookout for that later in the week. I’ll continue to promote it and hype it throughout the week. But I appreciate you guys for watching and listening. For those watching on YouTube, please be sure to hit that subscribe button. Let’s get to 50K by the end of the year. Uh, make sure you like, comment, share, all that good stuff. And for those listening on Apple Podcast, Spotify, or your podcast platform of choice, please be sure to follow, download, and leave a fivestar review. I’ll be back tomorrow. I’ll talk to you guys then. Shout out to the late night gang.

Jovan Buha shares three takeaways from Los Angeles Lakers practice on Tuesday, Oct. 7, 2025.

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TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 Intro
1:42 Takeaway No. 1: Injury updates
6:17 Takeaway No. 2: JJ reveals more about his schematic philosophy
8:59 Takeaway No. 3: Luka-lead team outing & LeBron’s “Second Decision”
10:40 Takeaway No. 4: JJ says the transition defense is “dogs**t”
13:30 Q&A
1:24:38 Outro
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