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Speaker 1: welcome to Hoops tonight. You're at the volume. We have

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Speaker 1: a very special show today. We're doing a deep dive

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Speaker 1: into like kind of a mid season review of the

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Speaker 1: Los Angeles Lakers mixed with a trade deadline preview with

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Speaker 1: my buddy yovonn Bouja. We're going to get into a

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Speaker 1: bunch of good stuff today. Yovon, how are you man?

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Speaker 2: Doing well, Jason, Thank you for having me excited to

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Speaker 2: be on.

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Speaker 1: It's good to see you. We are actually recording this

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Speaker 1: on Thursday. I think you guys are going to be

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Speaker 1: seeing this on Saturday, but we're recording this on Thursday.

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Speaker 1: After a win against the Miami Heat, Yovan and I

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Speaker 1: were joking before the show about how precarious theme things

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Speaker 1: looked at the end of the first half yesterday. I'll say, though,

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Speaker 1: like having gone back and watched the film, like, I

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Speaker 1: didn't think they played terribly in that first half.

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Speaker 2: It just they were kind of it was.

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Speaker 1: Kind of an extension of the funk that they've been in,

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Speaker 1: and honestly, I thought that second half was one of

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Speaker 1: their best stretches of basketball this season in terms of

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Speaker 1: execution on both ends of the floor. And that kind

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Speaker 1: of is the way that I would wrap up this

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Speaker 1: entire Lakers season to this point is a combination of

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Speaker 1: like extremely frustrating lack of commitment to those details and

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Speaker 1: then some pretty basketball when it all comes together. And

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Speaker 1: so I want to kind of start big picture, and

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Speaker 1: I want to start before we even get into any

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Speaker 1: like like actual traits about the team. Where do you

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Speaker 1: think the team is at mentally right now in terms

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Speaker 1: of this up and down season. You have this crazy

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Speaker 1: hot start with this crazy low low peaking with that

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Speaker 1: Miami loss on the road to a nice resurgence to

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Speaker 1: a three game losing streak, this trade for Dorian Finney

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Speaker 1: Smith that sends the Angela Russell out, and now we

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Speaker 1: have this win against the Heat. Where do you think

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Speaker 1: this team is at mentally right now?

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Speaker 3: I think they're in in uncomfortable growth period right now,

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Speaker 3: because last against the Heat that there were some very

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Speaker 3: interesting comments publicly from this group. We spoke with Max

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Speaker 3: Christy at shoot around and he talked about how disconnected

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Speaker 3: they've been, particularly on the defensive end, and he put

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Speaker 3: it more on the players and the coaching staff. He's like,

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Speaker 3: we know what we're running defensively, just for whatever reason,

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Speaker 3: we're quiet out there. We don't communicate well, we're not

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Speaker 3: on the same page, and we botch a bunch of

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Speaker 3: basic stuff. And you can tell when we're connected, we

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Speaker 3: look really good and we can be a defensive team.

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Speaker 3: When we're not, you can also tell ed we're a

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Speaker 3: pretty bad defensive team. So I thought that was a

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Speaker 3: pretty relevatory statement from a starter on this team, and

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Speaker 3: just admitting that this group is not on the same

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Speaker 3: page right now and that it's something that they've been

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Speaker 3: talking about and trying to address. Then after the game,

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Speaker 3: you have JJ Reddick just come out and say they

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Speaker 3: had a team meeting at shoot around and he challenged

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Speaker 3: this group from a leadership perspective, and he's talked about

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Speaker 3: several times this season that this is more of an

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Speaker 3: introverted group. They are quiet, They don't necessarily have that

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Speaker 3: like commanding vocal leader. It tends to be Lebron, but

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Speaker 3: outside of him, the rest of the group is pretty

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Speaker 3: more to themselves. So JJ talked about like, if you

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Speaker 3: guys aren't going to lead vocally, you at least need

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Speaker 3: to lead by example, lead with diving on the ground

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Speaker 3: for loose balls, your defensive rotations, crashing the offensive glass,

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Speaker 3: like doing the little things on the floor that lead

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Speaker 3: to winning basketball.

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Speaker 2: And you guys have not done that enough late.

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Speaker 3: So I thought you saw that, especially in that second half,

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Speaker 3: that the group really led by example and everyone was

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Speaker 3: locked in.

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Speaker 2: They're playing serious basketball, as you like to say.

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Speaker 3: And then the final thing was AD I think pretty

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Speaker 3: much summed it up where he was like, whether we're

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Speaker 3: up or we're down, we have to stop being front runners.

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Speaker 3: And I think there's been that kind of front runner

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Speaker 3: energy at times with this group, where when they're up,

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Speaker 3: everyone it's all kumbaya. Everyone's happy that they're you know

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Speaker 3: that the spirit's great. But when they're down, everybody separates.

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Speaker 3: And you've seen that. How many times this season have

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Speaker 3: they had a second half where they just get absolutely

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Speaker 3: smacked and end up losing a game by twenty twenty

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Speaker 3: five thirty points. That's the reason why their point differential

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Speaker 3: and that rating are so bad despite being above five hundred,

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Speaker 3: is because they have these just god awful second halfs.

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Speaker 3: So I think right now they're in this growth period

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Speaker 3: of trying to figure out the new rotation, trying to

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Speaker 3: figure out the way that they've adjusted offensively and defensively

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Speaker 3: without d Angela Russell. But it's been uncomfortable at times.

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Speaker 3: There's been some tension, there's been some disconnection, and right

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Speaker 3: now as we're recording this, they're three and four post

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Speaker 3: THEFS trade, and I think they were expecting to be

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Speaker 3: better than that and the twenty ninth in defense over

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Speaker 3: this stretch, Like, I think they were supposed to be better defensively,

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Speaker 3: but right now, I feel like that they're trending in

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Speaker 3: the right direction temporarily, but with this team, as we know,

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Speaker 3: it's kind of a week to week team.

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Speaker 1: That's why I wanted to start with the mental element,

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Speaker 1: because there's a certain amount of self awareness that is

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Speaker 1: important in all walks of life. But an important piece

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Speaker 1: of self awareness for this Lakers team is that they

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Speaker 1: are not the most talented team in the NBA. Like that,

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Speaker 1: that is the first thing you have to acknowledge. NBA

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Speaker 1: history tells us that you don't have to be the

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Speaker 1: most talented team to win the title. I think, even

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Speaker 1: as recently a great example is the twenty twenty two Warriors.

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Speaker 1: I don't think they were the most talented team in

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Speaker 1: the league and they won the title. There's a lot

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Speaker 1: of different ways that you can create opportunity for yourself

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Speaker 1: through the commitment to those details. The reason why the

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Speaker 1: commitment to the details is so important is like what

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Speaker 1: you're talking about, those moments where the Lakers have a

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Speaker 1: ten to fifteen point lead, but they kind of squander

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Speaker 1: it down and end up barely scraping out a win

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Speaker 1: with a couple of big shots from Lebron late or

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Speaker 1: or it's the game where they fall down by ten

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Speaker 1: and instead of rebounding back from that, they just give

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Speaker 1: up and lose by twenty five. That's where the commitment

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Speaker 1: to habits and details will carry you.

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Speaker 2: Like, there is a certain floor that.

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Speaker 1: Every basketball team can have just simply through effort and execution.

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Speaker 1: If you're just in the right spots on defense all

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Speaker 1: the time, and you compete physically for every loose ball,

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Speaker 1: and on offense, you sprint into your cuts, you set

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Speaker 1: solid screens, you get to the right spot on the floor,

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Speaker 1: and you execute your offense properly. If you do all

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Speaker 1: of those things, you will you will give yourself a

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Speaker 1: chance to fight back even when things aren't going your way.

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Speaker 1: And so like when you get up fifteen, if you

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Speaker 1: continue to do those things, even if they're playing more

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Speaker 1: desperate than you, you should at least kind of hang

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Speaker 1: on right when you're down by fifteen, If you're at

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Speaker 1: least doing all of those things, you should be able

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Speaker 1: to hang onto the rope, and when they lose desperation,

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Speaker 1: you'll gain some ground on them. It is a basketball

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Speaker 1: character thing that is absolutely necessary. And the reason why

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Speaker 1: I ask you about this is this is like a

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Speaker 1: non negotiable for this team if they want to get

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Speaker 1: to where they want to go. I heard JJ talk

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Speaker 1: about I don't want to coach a good team. I

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Speaker 1: want to coach a great team. You and I talked

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Speaker 1: about this on your pod the other week. Yeah, last week,

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Speaker 1: Lebron comes out after the I think it was after

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Speaker 1: the Houston loss. I want to be a great team.

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Speaker 1: I thought Steph Curry's comments after the game last night

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Speaker 1: when he was like he was like, if you guys

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Speaker 1: think I'm okay, like leading an average team, you're insane,

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Speaker 1: and like, that's the step one is be committed to

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Speaker 1: the work.

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Speaker 2: Once we accomplish that, then we can.

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Speaker 1: Shift to the big picture and talk about strength and

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Speaker 1: weaknesses of the team, how to address these sorts of things.

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Speaker 1: But there is a decision that has to be made,

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Speaker 1: and last night is not the first time this season

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Speaker 1: that they've made this decision. Like, Hey, tonight, we're gonna

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Speaker 1: do it, guys, That's not the first time they've made

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Speaker 1: that decision. It was jarring to watch Yovan the difference

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Speaker 1: in the way they were defending when they got into

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Speaker 1: like precarious switches compared to the games against San Antonio.

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Speaker 1: The games against Dallas where like Austin gets Bam, BAM's

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Speaker 1: got Austin in the post instead of everyone standing around

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Speaker 1: Lebron hard double teams and they're in position off that.

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Speaker 1: Max was really bad defensively in the first half and

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Speaker 1: he ended up losing Tyler Harrow on that play, but

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Speaker 1: they were at.

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Speaker 2: Least offering support. There was a peel off switch.

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Speaker 1: There's a like again, JJ talked about we're not gonna

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Speaker 1: do one to five switching any that was just a

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Speaker 1: game plan specific thing for the Spurs and for Dallas. Okay,

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Speaker 1: we're gonna do less switching tonight. Well, Bam sets a

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Speaker 1: monster screens Suddenly it ends up having to be a switch.

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Speaker 1: He buries Max in the post. Instead of just standing there.

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Speaker 1: Ruey stunts, Anthony Davis stunts, They offer him support. They

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Speaker 1: forced Bam to pump Bake. He ends up missing a

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Speaker 1: hook shot. Like this team is capable of doing the

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Speaker 1: things that JJ is asking them to do, they just

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Speaker 1: have to do it. And so again, it's not about

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Speaker 1: one game, and this is why we can't ever react

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Speaker 1: to any one game step one before we go any

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Speaker 1: further with this team. What they did last night needs

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Speaker 1: to be their journey. It needs to be what they

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Speaker 1: do on a daily basis to maximize the talent that

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Speaker 1: they have on this team. So the pivot point that

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Speaker 1: I see for the deadline and this is where I

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Speaker 1: want to kind of shift gears towards what we can

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Speaker 1: expect in February. I see two different directions that the

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Speaker 1: Lakers can go. Option number one is anchor Lebron, Anthony

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Speaker 1: Davis and Austin with two way athletes, and the way

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Speaker 1: that this was manifest is like an upgrade at the two. Basically,

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Speaker 1: I thought Max was pretty rough in the first half yesterday.

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Speaker 2: Max is a very up and.

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Speaker 1: Down player because he's a young player, so that's to

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Speaker 1: be expected. You have more of a rock solid option

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Speaker 1: so that Max can be a backup but still play

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Speaker 1: twenty twenty five minutes, get his reps, but not be

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Speaker 1: someone that you depend on. And that requires what you

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Speaker 1: saw at the end of the game. That requires Lebron

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Speaker 1: to be hit in tough right shoulder fades, hitting little

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Speaker 1: elbow jump shots and pick and roll Austin to hit

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Speaker 1: shots like that. It leaves the onus on Lebron in

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Speaker 1: Austin to do enough offensively. Option two is to get

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Speaker 1: super aggressive on the shot creation star front, which is like,

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Speaker 1: let's go get a Zach Lavine, Let's go get a

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Speaker 1: brandon Ingram, Let's go get a Collin Sexton, let's go

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Speaker 1: get a Jordan Pool whoever?

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Speaker 2: That is right?

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Speaker 1: Which direction do you think the front office is lean?

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Speaker 1: And I should include two before I pitch this to you.

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Speaker 1: The role player element probably includes them potentially hunting for

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Speaker 1: a backup center if that's something that you to do.

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Speaker 1: But which direction do you think the front office is

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Speaker 1: leaning more towards at this point? And where are you

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Speaker 1: leaning at this point?

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Speaker 2: So I'm leaning toward the former option.

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Speaker 3: You and I have spoken about Bruce Brown as a

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Speaker 3: potential option that we think would make a lot of

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Speaker 3: sense with this group. And I look at the twenty

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Speaker 3: twenty model, not necessarily from the big man perspective, but

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Speaker 3: the put a bunch of two way perimeter players around

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Speaker 3: Lebron in eighty. Have those guys be relatively interchangeable from

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Speaker 3: a skill set perspective? And if you can think about

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Speaker 3: DFS and Max next to Lebron Ady Austin or DFS

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Speaker 3: and Bruce Brown or Max and Bruce Brown and like that,

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Speaker 3: there's so many combinations. Vando when he gets back, obviously

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Speaker 3: leans more defensive than offensive, but that the Lakers started

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Speaker 3: to use him in some interesting ways last season before

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Speaker 3: the injury in Boston, So I like that model more

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Speaker 3: than the ladder. I think the playmaking. There's been some

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Speaker 3: growing pains with Austin as he has transitioned to being

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Speaker 3: a full time point guard, but he also had a

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Speaker 3: performance like last night where fourteen assists, one turnover and

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Speaker 3: it was just dissecting the heats zones. So I thought, like,

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Speaker 3: there's going through matchups where Austin struggles, and I do

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Speaker 3: think there's some overlap between Austin and Lebron in terms

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Speaker 3: of the matchups where they both struggle, where athletic teams

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Speaker 3: that can put pressure on the ball can't affect both

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Speaker 3: of those guys, and that's when you'll see higher turnover

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Speaker 3: games and them not being as necessarily efficient offensively. But

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Speaker 3: those were also the types of teams that De Lo

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Speaker 3: would struggle against. So if they do go out and

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Speaker 3: get another playmaker, I think it would have to be

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Speaker 3: a different kind of player arc type than the one

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Speaker 3: that they previously had.

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Speaker 2: But I think they're.

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Speaker 3: Going to lean more of the playmaking route between those

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Speaker 3: two paths. That that is my sense currently. I know

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Speaker 3: in conversations with people around the team in the fallout

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Speaker 3: of the DFS trade, one thing that they wanted to

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Speaker 3: evaluate was the playing and if there was a bit

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Speaker 3: of a hole there after trading d LO, And I

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Speaker 3: think there has been, Like I think that the playmaking overall,

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Speaker 3: it's probably been fine, but there have been some stretches

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Speaker 3: where they've they've struggled. And I don't even think it's

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Speaker 3: necessarily making a wholesale change of bringing in a new

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Speaker 3: starting point guard or a new primary ball handler.

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Speaker 2: I think it's more so just like.

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Speaker 3: They could just use a third reliable ball handler, playmaker initiator,

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Speaker 3: even if it's like a bench player, so that could

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Speaker 3: like we talked about Bruce Brown as a guy who

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Speaker 3: kind of checks a couple boxes where he does have

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Speaker 3: some history being that type of guy off the bench

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Speaker 3: in Denver, and then he also, excuse me, is a

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Speaker 3: type of two way tip, a two AA wing that

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Speaker 3: he can kind of check a couple of those boxes.

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Speaker 3: Because I think the Lakers have three holes right now,

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Speaker 3: and I don't know how realistic it is to check

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Speaker 3: all of them. But in terms of playmakings versus two

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Speaker 3: a wings. I think that the Wing acquisition was probably

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Speaker 3: dfs and looking more toward a backup big or a playmaker.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, I would agree with you. I agree with you

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Speaker 1: that there's there's three holes. I would say that the

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Speaker 1: backup center hole as a hole that most teams in

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Speaker 1: the NBA have, And there are these teams out there

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Speaker 1: where it's like teams like Dallas is a good example,

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Speaker 1: I think in other examples like Detroit with Jalen durn

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Speaker 1: and Isaiah Stewart, where it's like you almost feel like

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Speaker 1: you have two starting centers and then they do like

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Speaker 1: that both of them play like twenty four minutes ish

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Speaker 1: and they and they just play their asses off the

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Speaker 1: entire time they're out there. That's a great luxury. I

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Speaker 1: don't want to sit here and pretend like that wouldn't

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Speaker 1: be super helpful to have like a Walker Kessler that

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Speaker 1: would be able to come in for twenty twenty five

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Speaker 1: minutes a night and play really high level center.

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Speaker 2: And help the team.

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Speaker 1: But that's a weakness that like quite literally almost every

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Speaker 1: team in the league has, except for a couple of others,

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Speaker 1: mainly just because there's just not that many good centers

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Speaker 1: in this league, and most of the backups come with

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Speaker 1: gaping holes. Like I always think it's funny when I'm

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Speaker 1: listening to Bucks and it's like, we just need to

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Speaker 1: have a center that can defend, and I want to

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Speaker 1: be like, yeah, you're right, Bobby Porters sucks at defense,

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Speaker 1: and bringing in a center that can defend would really help.

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Speaker 1: But Bobby Portas is also really good at offense. And

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Speaker 1: whatever guy you bring in that's better at drop coverage

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Speaker 1: and tracking guys around is probably going to be a

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Speaker 1: guy that janks things up for your offense on the

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Speaker 1: other end of the floor, because that's just the type

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Speaker 1: of player that you're dealing with there right now.

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Speaker 2: When it comes to the shot.

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Speaker 1: Creation versus the the athletic support debate, I think it

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Speaker 1: comes down to discussing what level you can get to

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Speaker 1: on either end of the floor. And when I start

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Speaker 1: thinking about the Lakers trying to outscore people, what I

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Speaker 1: get worried about is like, can they outscore Denver? I

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Speaker 1: don't know. I don't know that they can. Let's say

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Speaker 1: they get out of the conference. Can you outscore Cleveland?

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Speaker 1: Can you outscore Boston? Can you like that's it I'm

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Speaker 1: worried about, like, oh, like, let's say they got zach Lavine,

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Speaker 1: which the those hot, super high salary guys are just

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Speaker 1: really difficult to match. But I think zach Levine is

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Speaker 1: a really chew in offensive fit with this team. It

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Speaker 1: would be an obvious offensive upgrade. Like, do I think

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Speaker 1: zach Lavine, Lebron, Ad and Austin is going to outperform

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Speaker 1: offensively the top offenses in the league. I don't know, However,

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Speaker 1: I do think, because I've seen it, that Lebron and

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Speaker 1: Austin and AD can scale up offensively a certain amount

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Speaker 1: in the postseason to where they have a puncher's chance

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Speaker 1: to compete on that side of the floor. But if

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Speaker 1: you anchor them defensively, I actually think there's a level

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Speaker 1: this team can get to defensively when they're engaged. And

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Speaker 1: I know this sounds at frankly just ridiculous because of

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Speaker 1: how bad they've been defensively this year, But in theory

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Speaker 1: and engaged Anthony Davis and engaged Lebron, and engaged Drian

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Speaker 1: Finney Smith and engaged let's call it Bruce Brown in

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Speaker 1: an engaged Austin Reeves that is committed to the details

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Speaker 1: and builds out the have it's necessary. Within JJ Redick's

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Speaker 1: defensive scheme, I think they can hit a really high

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Speaker 1: defensive level while also having a certain offensive upside because

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Speaker 1: of Lebron and Austin and Ad and so there's a

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Speaker 1: risk both ways. Right, if you go after a playmaker,

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Speaker 1: it's possible that you're just not good enough defensively and

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Speaker 1: you can outscore people. If you go all in on

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Speaker 1: a athletic support type of player, then you have a

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Speaker 1: shortcoming in playmaking shot creation that we've talked about that

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Speaker 1: I agree with you that has manifested since the De

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Speaker 1: Lo trade.

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Speaker 2: There's holes both ways, but the.

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Speaker 1: Defensive the defensive hole for going for a role player,

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Speaker 1: there's nothing in house that can scale up and cover

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Speaker 1: for that, whereas Austin and Lebron might just make shots.

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Speaker 2: And if they do, maybe you win the whole damn thing.

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Speaker 1: That's where I look at it, where like there's a

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Speaker 1: certain scaleability with like what if Lebron and Austin, Like

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Speaker 1: for instance, last year and in the first round series,

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Speaker 1: I thought Lebron and Ad were awesome. That wasn't the issue.

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Speaker 1: I didn't think shot creation was the issue. I thought

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Speaker 1: the issue was they weren't supported athletically the way they

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Speaker 1: needed to be. If they Denver scored every time down

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Speaker 1: the floor in Game two and in Game five down

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Speaker 1: the stretch, you get stops on thirty percent of those possessions.

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Speaker 1: You're up three to two in the series against the

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Speaker 1: defending champs, and I think they match up really well

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Speaker 1: against Minnesota. So like it's one of those things where

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Speaker 1: it's just it's flawed either way. And so we go

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Speaker 1: back to my original question, which is like, which is

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Speaker 1: like if this team commits to the work, that's step one,

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Speaker 1: which flawed path is more likely to lead to the

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Speaker 1: promised Land. And I think anchoring them with athletic support

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Speaker 1: has the upside of Lebron and Austin versus anchoring them

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Speaker 1: with offensive support has the downside of them just not

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Speaker 1: having enough defensive talent to get the job done. Let's

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Speaker 1: start talking about some specifics and before we get into

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Speaker 1: the trade of the actual trade market, where is Vando

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Speaker 1: at in his return at this point? Do you think

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Speaker 1: his return is imminent or do you think we're still

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Speaker 1: a few weeks out.

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Speaker 2: I would say relatively imminent.

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Speaker 3: JJ said that early next week there's going to be

403
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Speaker 3: an update in terms of a more concrete timetable, So

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Speaker 3: that to me typically is what when the team gives

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Speaker 3: a timetable, it's like a seven to ten day on

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Speaker 3: the short side, So I would expect Vando to potentially

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Speaker 3: be back in the next couple weeks. On the shorter side.

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Speaker 3: He one challenge they've had right now is that they're

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Speaker 3: trying to find scrimmage reps for him, but the team

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Speaker 3: has not been practicing. They are not practicing. They are

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Speaker 3: practicing Thursday. The G League team has been out of town,

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Speaker 3: so he was getting some reps with South Bay, but

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Speaker 3: they've been trying to get.

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Speaker 2: Ready group anymore they do, so he's been doing it

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Speaker 2: with the coaching staff, but but they want him to

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Speaker 2: get actual five on five reps with like the team

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Speaker 2: and see what it looks like and ramp that up.

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Speaker 3: So maybe like the end of next week on the

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Speaker 3: very early side, but I would suspect it probably goes

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Speaker 3: into the following week. But that then gives you like

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Speaker 3: a week and a half to evaluate this group and

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Speaker 3: he'll JJ has already said he's going to be on

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Speaker 3: a minute restriction to start at about like ten to

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Speaker 3: fifteen minutes, so you don't really get the sample size

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Speaker 3: that you want, because that's been a big thing for them,

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Speaker 3: has been saying, we want to get Vando back, we

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Speaker 3: want to get Christian Wood back. We want to see

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Speaker 3: what this group looks like healthy, so we can like

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Speaker 3: because right now, sure it looks like we need another

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Speaker 3: wing defender, but maybe Vando is simply that wing defender.

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Speaker 3: Like it looks like we need a better backup five.

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Speaker 3: Maybe Christian Wood is that better backup five. But we

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Speaker 3: don't know if we're going to see those guys back

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Speaker 3: before or the trade deadline, so they might just have

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Speaker 3: to make a call as to you know, what do

436
00:22:05,320 --> 00:22:07,000
Speaker 3: we think this group looks like, what do we think

437
00:22:07,040 --> 00:22:09,640
Speaker 3: the holes are and how do we plug that? What's

438
00:22:09,640 --> 00:22:12,480
Speaker 3: your best guest with Christian Wood? Christian There's been no

439
00:22:12,640 --> 00:22:15,000
Speaker 3: updates on so that's the one that I think is.

440
00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:17,240
Speaker 3: You know, I asked about it a couple of days

441
00:22:17,240 --> 00:22:20,199
Speaker 3: ago and JJ just kind of laughed, it was like,

442
00:22:20,640 --> 00:22:24,960
Speaker 3: no update, So that what I'm like. You know, they

443
00:22:25,080 --> 00:22:28,040
Speaker 3: just released Quincy Olivari as a two way guy, added

444
00:22:28,119 --> 00:22:31,960
Speaker 3: trade Jemison from New Orleans. He's a big six eleven,

445
00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:36,240
Speaker 3: two hundred and seventy pound I mean, physical monster, So

446
00:22:37,040 --> 00:22:40,000
Speaker 3: that to me could be a sign that between him

447
00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:43,560
Speaker 3: and Coloco that they're more looking at some younger, cheaper

448
00:22:43,560 --> 00:22:47,320
Speaker 3: options the backup five spot. But yeah, I think Christian

449
00:22:47,320 --> 00:22:49,680
Speaker 3: Wood for now it's that one's on the back burner.

450
00:22:49,680 --> 00:22:51,480
Speaker 3: But but Vanda, it seems like he could be back

451
00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:54,000
Speaker 3: within the next couple of weeks, which would obviously be

452
00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:56,240
Speaker 3: a much needed infusion to this group.

453
00:22:57,040 --> 00:22:58,760
Speaker 1: That's always where I'm at with the backup center thing,

454
00:22:58,840 --> 00:23:01,000
Speaker 1: especially if you can have a couple different types, like

455
00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:02,800
Speaker 1: if you have this big, bruising guy and then you've

456
00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:05,480
Speaker 1: got more of like the running athlete in Christian Coloco

457
00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:08,919
Speaker 1: or Jackson Hayes. Like I think, I think the gap

458
00:23:09,119 --> 00:23:14,040
Speaker 1: between a two way backup center and a backup center

459
00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:16,879
Speaker 1: that you see traditionally throughout the league is like one

460
00:23:16,920 --> 00:23:18,640
Speaker 1: of the smaller gaps that you'll see in the league,

461
00:23:18,640 --> 00:23:21,000
Speaker 1: Whereas like the gap between like a backup point guard

462
00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:24,560
Speaker 1: and a two way point guard feels like a chasm, right,

463
00:23:24,600 --> 00:23:26,760
Speaker 1: Like the the gap between like the Jalen Hoods Chaffino

464
00:23:26,840 --> 00:23:29,840
Speaker 1: types and a you know, a D'Angelo Russell or the

465
00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:32,200
Speaker 1: type of big gap type. You know what I mean, yeah, exactly,

466
00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:35,760
Speaker 1: whereas like, like, like I think like a Christian Colloco

467
00:23:35,880 --> 00:23:39,200
Speaker 1: type could come closer to a Bobby Portis in terms

468
00:23:39,240 --> 00:23:41,840
Speaker 1: of overall two way impact, just because he's just going

469
00:23:41,920 --> 00:23:43,760
Speaker 1: to play hard and he's big, and he's athletic, and

470
00:23:43,760 --> 00:23:46,520
Speaker 1: he's gonna do all these really basic things. Okay, let's

471
00:23:46,520 --> 00:23:49,800
Speaker 1: talk about the trademarkt a little bit. Let's start on

472
00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:54,080
Speaker 1: the playmaker side of things. If there is a specific

473
00:23:54,520 --> 00:23:58,359
Speaker 1: type of guy that like, a specific guy that you prefer,

474
00:23:58,560 --> 00:24:01,600
Speaker 1: let us know. And then among the guys that you've

475
00:24:01,640 --> 00:24:04,200
Speaker 1: heard mentioned with the Lakers, talk to us about where

476
00:24:04,200 --> 00:24:06,920
Speaker 1: the Lakers prioritize them. Actually let me let me pitch

477
00:24:06,920 --> 00:24:08,439
Speaker 1: you a really quick one. Do you think it's one

478
00:24:08,480 --> 00:24:10,200
Speaker 1: hundred percent chance the Lakers make another deal?

479
00:24:11,520 --> 00:24:14,760
Speaker 3: No, I would not put it at one hundred percent.

480
00:24:14,840 --> 00:24:19,399
Speaker 3: I would put it at let's say, sixty five percent.

481
00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:22,080
Speaker 3: I think it's more likely than not that they make

482
00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:25,640
Speaker 3: another deal. But as I hinted at a little bit earlier,

483
00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:28,240
Speaker 3: the recent intel I've been getting is that they are

484
00:24:28,240 --> 00:24:30,760
Speaker 3: more likely to do a smaller deal with one or

485
00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:34,160
Speaker 3: two second round picks than actually using a first round pick,

486
00:24:34,280 --> 00:24:36,840
Speaker 3: or you know, let alone both first round picks.

487
00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:38,919
Speaker 2: I think part of that is the market right now.

488
00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:41,359
Speaker 3: If you look at the types of guys that have moved,

489
00:24:41,400 --> 00:24:45,399
Speaker 3: it's been those like fringe starter, high level bench guys,

490
00:24:45,800 --> 00:24:50,720
Speaker 3: the Schroeders, DFS, Dlo, Nick Richards. So I think if

491
00:24:50,880 --> 00:24:53,640
Speaker 3: there will be better players that move around the deadline,

492
00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:56,640
Speaker 3: but right now teams will really hesitant to move first

493
00:24:56,720 --> 00:24:58,040
Speaker 3: round picks in general.

494
00:24:58,600 --> 00:25:01,200
Speaker 2: Now I don't agree with that strategy.

495
00:25:01,200 --> 00:25:03,200
Speaker 3: I think if you're the Lakers, like we've talked about

496
00:25:03,200 --> 00:25:06,119
Speaker 3: it several times over the past year, you got to

497
00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:09,679
Speaker 3: go for it. You have eighteen months potentially with Lebron

498
00:25:09,680 --> 00:25:11,720
Speaker 3: and Ad left, and I think you need to make

499
00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:13,480
Speaker 3: the most of it. Put the picks on the table,

500
00:25:13,800 --> 00:25:16,280
Speaker 3: go take a bigger swing. But the recent until I've

501
00:25:16,320 --> 00:25:19,760
Speaker 3: heard it, seems to be trending toward them leaning more

502
00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:22,160
Speaker 3: toward making a smaller deal than a bigger one.

503
00:25:23,040 --> 00:25:27,159
Speaker 1: Okay, so let's start with these bigger swings. Well, actually,

504
00:25:27,200 --> 00:25:29,479
Speaker 1: are there any playmakers out there that you view as

505
00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:32,399
Speaker 1: a smaller swing, like, let's say Collin Sexton, for example,

506
00:25:32,480 --> 00:25:34,800
Speaker 1: Is there anybody in that boat that you think they're exploring.

507
00:25:35,640 --> 00:25:38,080
Speaker 3: I think Lonzo is someone that's going to be on

508
00:25:38,160 --> 00:25:41,160
Speaker 3: their radar, and I think depending on the price, if

509
00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:43,680
Speaker 3: you could get him for a second or two seconds,

510
00:25:43,840 --> 00:25:46,359
Speaker 3: I think that's an interesting swing. And also someone with

511
00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:51,000
Speaker 3: that six foot six frame that could potentially I think,

512
00:25:51,160 --> 00:25:54,040
Speaker 3: be similar to Bruce Brown check a couple of boxes

513
00:25:54,119 --> 00:25:57,560
Speaker 3: where he can He's bulked up a little bit throughout

514
00:25:57,560 --> 00:26:01,080
Speaker 3: his career, so he can guard us and even some

515
00:26:01,119 --> 00:26:03,680
Speaker 3: smaller threes and potentially be part of like a one

516
00:26:03,720 --> 00:26:07,919
Speaker 3: through three switching scheme. And then offensively, I think, especially

517
00:26:07,960 --> 00:26:10,919
Speaker 3: if you're just coming off the bench as a secondary

518
00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:14,320
Speaker 3: ball handler, playmaker and also a spot up shooter, like

519
00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:17,639
Speaker 3: I think he is someone who's an interesting gamble for them.

520
00:26:18,119 --> 00:26:20,359
Speaker 3: So I would look at kind of the hybrid guys

521
00:26:20,359 --> 00:26:23,440
Speaker 3: like a Bruce Brown or Alonzo Ball or a couple

522
00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:25,399
Speaker 3: guys that I've reported on that have been linked to

523
00:26:25,440 --> 00:26:29,639
Speaker 3: them having call In Sexton and Malcolm Brogden. So in

524
00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:33,280
Speaker 3: neither instance, I mean, those guys are making a little

525
00:26:33,280 --> 00:26:35,359
Speaker 3: bit more money, so you probably have to include RUI.

526
00:26:36,119 --> 00:26:39,480
Speaker 3: I don't see the Lakers being able to put Jared

527
00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:42,000
Speaker 3: Vanderbilt in any of these deals without including a first

528
00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:45,159
Speaker 3: round pick to attach with him, so that kind of

529
00:26:45,160 --> 00:26:47,280
Speaker 3: limits like right now. I think the biggest thing for

530
00:26:47,320 --> 00:26:50,760
Speaker 3: them is just the contracts are really tough where people

531
00:26:50,760 --> 00:26:55,680
Speaker 3: don't want Gabe Vincent's contract Ruey is very much I

532
00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:58,760
Speaker 3: of the beholder type asset. And then Jared Vanderbilt has

533
00:26:58,760 --> 00:27:02,800
Speaker 3: three more years left and the salary figure isn't that bad,

534
00:27:02,920 --> 00:27:05,640
Speaker 3: but that's still a lot for a guy who's basically

535
00:27:05,640 --> 00:27:09,439
Speaker 3: been injured for two years, and teams are reluctant to

536
00:27:09,480 --> 00:27:12,600
Speaker 3: take on that type of money. So I would look

537
00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:16,360
Speaker 3: at those four as potential guys that two of them

538
00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:19,919
Speaker 3: more wing or big guard types that can check a

539
00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:22,719
Speaker 3: couple boxes, and then two of them the more traditional

540
00:27:23,400 --> 00:27:27,800
Speaker 3: backup slash you know, off guard in Sexton and broad Day.

541
00:27:28,920 --> 00:27:31,000
Speaker 1: Yeah, Lonzo Ball is an interesting option. I actually think

542
00:27:31,040 --> 00:27:34,400
Speaker 1: he'd be a fantastic fit alongside Austin. I think he's

543
00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:37,160
Speaker 1: a good defender. I think he plays hard and competes

544
00:27:37,200 --> 00:27:40,879
Speaker 1: for loose balls. I think he's a more natural offensive

545
00:27:40,920 --> 00:27:44,280
Speaker 1: fit with everybody because he's a guy that can knock down,

546
00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:47,440
Speaker 1: catch and shoot jump shots. Is really good like connective passer,

547
00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:49,679
Speaker 1: like he is like Austin in that regard for when

548
00:27:49,680 --> 00:27:51,760
Speaker 1: he's driving closeouts, he's so good at like making that

549
00:27:51,880 --> 00:27:55,280
Speaker 1: next play, and there's a lot of good there. I

550
00:27:55,400 --> 00:27:57,919
Speaker 1: just am so freaked out about Lonzo's health. It just

551
00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:00,040
Speaker 1: feels like such a gamble.

552
00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:00,520
Speaker 2: For a guy.

553
00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:05,320
Speaker 1: Like there's there's health conversations around guys that I think

554
00:28:05,359 --> 00:28:09,840
Speaker 1: are somewhat unfair, like sometimes like guys like Cam Johnson

555
00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:13,159
Speaker 1: or Zach Lavine. Like Zach Lavine, like, yeah, he had

556
00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:14,960
Speaker 1: a bad year last year. He played seventy seven games

557
00:28:15,000 --> 00:28:16,680
Speaker 1: a year before, and in the five years before he

558
00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:19,880
Speaker 1: averaged like sixty seven games played or sixty five games

559
00:28:19,880 --> 00:28:22,040
Speaker 1: played or something like that. Like there's that, and then

560
00:28:22,080 --> 00:28:24,160
Speaker 1: there's the I haven't touched a basketball in years thing

561
00:28:24,200 --> 00:28:26,720
Speaker 1: with with Lonzo ball, right, and like that That's where

562
00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:29,280
Speaker 1: it gets a little a little freaky for me. I'm

563
00:28:29,359 --> 00:28:31,520
Speaker 1: kind of out on Malcolm Brogden because it's like injury

564
00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:34,040
Speaker 1: concerns and I just don't think he's particularly great on

565
00:28:34,119 --> 00:28:38,040
Speaker 1: either end of the ball. The reason why I am

566
00:28:38,280 --> 00:28:43,920
Speaker 1: partial to the Bruce Brown thing is I actually I

567
00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:48,880
Speaker 1: think that the Lakers struggle with ball pressure in a

568
00:28:48,920 --> 00:28:52,160
Speaker 1: way that is separate from some of their half court

569
00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:55,520
Speaker 1: shot creation stuff. Like I think when they get pressured

570
00:28:56,040 --> 00:28:58,480
Speaker 1: and they don't get into their offense until later in

571
00:28:58,520 --> 00:29:01,240
Speaker 1: the clock, they can get stagged and things can fall apart.

572
00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:03,000
Speaker 1: But when they get the ball up the floor and

573
00:29:03,040 --> 00:29:05,640
Speaker 1: they run their stuff, I feel like they do okay.

574
00:29:06,280 --> 00:29:08,680
Speaker 1: And one of the things that Bruce Brown did for

575
00:29:08,800 --> 00:29:11,719
Speaker 1: Denver for ages, it wasn't like he was quote unquote

576
00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:14,440
Speaker 1: running the offense. He would just bring the ball up

577
00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:17,479
Speaker 1: the floor and make the high post entry tookitch and

578
00:29:17,520 --> 00:29:20,040
Speaker 1: then they would go play their play their game. And

579
00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:23,360
Speaker 1: so it was Bruce has a unique ability to just

580
00:29:23,560 --> 00:29:27,160
Speaker 1: like grab and go that allows you to deal with

581
00:29:27,320 --> 00:29:29,240
Speaker 1: ball pressure in the backcourt and get the ball at

582
00:29:29,280 --> 00:29:30,800
Speaker 1: the floor and get into your offense. And so I

583
00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:35,720
Speaker 1: think that's why Bruce remains my favorite option, because he

584
00:29:36,000 --> 00:29:39,120
Speaker 1: brings a bunch of different characteristics to the table that

585
00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:41,520
Speaker 1: accentuate the team. Like he's a good rebounder. This team

586
00:29:41,600 --> 00:29:43,960
Speaker 1: is desperate for guys that are good rebounders, can handle

587
00:29:43,960 --> 00:29:45,920
Speaker 1: ball pressure and bring the ball to the floor, something

588
00:29:45,960 --> 00:29:48,320
Speaker 1: this team desperately needs. The catch and shoot think can

589
00:29:48,320 --> 00:29:51,000
Speaker 1: get a little tricky. But like I don't know about

590
00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:53,480
Speaker 1: you guys, but when I was watching Max and Cam

591
00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:56,720
Speaker 1: just break every open three in the Spurs game, I

592
00:29:56,760 --> 00:29:59,080
Speaker 1: wasn't exactly out there thinking like, oh, but Bruce can't

593
00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:01,720
Speaker 1: shoot either, you know, like it's like like an upgrade's

594
00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:02,880
Speaker 1: and upgrade at the end of the day.

595
00:30:03,760 --> 00:30:05,480
Speaker 2: Colin Sexton is an interesting option. I think.

596
00:30:05,560 --> 00:30:08,120
Speaker 1: I think he represents a middle ground in a lot

597
00:30:08,120 --> 00:30:18,120
Speaker 1: of ways because he one has like legit offensive upside. Two,

598
00:30:18,280 --> 00:30:22,840
Speaker 1: he competes on defense as a ball pressure guy. Three,

599
00:30:22,880 --> 00:30:28,200
Speaker 1: he's at a more achievable salary. And for you could

600
00:30:28,280 --> 00:30:31,760
Speaker 1: kind of envision a scenario where he could be that

601
00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:35,120
Speaker 1: fifth guy at times where on certain nights it makes

602
00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:39,440
Speaker 1: sense to go Austin Colin dfs lebron ad. But then like,

603
00:30:39,480 --> 00:30:41,360
Speaker 1: if the matchups are different, you can go to a

604
00:30:41,360 --> 00:30:43,400
Speaker 1: different guy at that two guard spot. But he also

605
00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:46,360
Speaker 1: get an anchor bench units, like, oh Austin's out for

606
00:30:46,440 --> 00:30:49,320
Speaker 1: a night, Well, Colin can scale into a role like that,

607
00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:52,160
Speaker 1: like if Austin misses a game at some point this season,

608
00:30:53,320 --> 00:30:55,680
Speaker 1: what the hell are the Lakers gonna do in terms

609
00:30:55,720 --> 00:30:58,560
Speaker 1: of guard ball handling, Like, I get.

610
00:30:58,560 --> 00:31:01,280
Speaker 2: That Austin plays all that shit exist we saw last night.

611
00:31:01,360 --> 00:31:05,360
Speaker 1: Good God, yeah exactly, So I think I think Colin

612
00:31:05,640 --> 00:31:07,200
Speaker 1: there's a deal that I that I kind of like

613
00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:08,720
Speaker 1: was looking at where it's like, what if you did

614
00:31:08,720 --> 00:31:14,120
Speaker 1: something with Utah where you got Kessler and Sexton and

615
00:31:14,160 --> 00:31:16,800
Speaker 1: you did something with the pick protections from the original

616
00:31:16,880 --> 00:31:20,400
Speaker 1: d LO trade. Do you think that a deal is

617
00:31:20,440 --> 00:31:24,040
Speaker 1: anywhere near the top of the Lakers radar that sort

618
00:31:24,040 --> 00:31:24,440
Speaker 1: of deal.

619
00:31:25,120 --> 00:31:27,080
Speaker 2: Those are both guys that they've had interest in.

620
00:31:27,280 --> 00:31:30,360
Speaker 3: I reported on you know that they had some extensive

621
00:31:30,400 --> 00:31:32,160
Speaker 3: talks with Utah before the season.

622
00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:34,920
Speaker 2: For Kessler. The biggest hurdle right now is just the

623
00:31:34,960 --> 00:31:35,560
Speaker 2: asking price.

624
00:31:35,720 --> 00:31:38,680
Speaker 3: Utah wants two first round picks for Walker Kessler, and

625
00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:42,640
Speaker 3: that's not factoring in the potential inclusion of Calling Sexton

626
00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:45,720
Speaker 3: in a deal. I will say if the Lakers are

627
00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:49,960
Speaker 3: willing to include Rui in such a deal, which right

628
00:31:49,960 --> 00:31:52,760
Speaker 3: now that they do value Rui a lot and view

629
00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:54,800
Speaker 3: him as a longer term piece. But I think for

630
00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:57,520
Speaker 3: the right deal that they would be willing to include him.

631
00:31:58,080 --> 00:32:02,400
Speaker 3: You could do something like ru Jhs and Christian Wood

632
00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:03,840
Speaker 3: with a first round pick.

633
00:32:04,080 --> 00:32:05,240
Speaker 2: You could remove the protections.

634
00:32:05,240 --> 00:32:07,200
Speaker 3: You could even throw in a pick swap or a

635
00:32:07,240 --> 00:32:10,960
Speaker 3: couple seconds if they really want additional draft assets for

636
00:32:11,160 --> 00:32:14,560
Speaker 3: Walker Kessler and calling Sexton, and on the Laker side,

637
00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:17,680
Speaker 3: obviously you're getting Sexton in Kesler, but you're you're saving

638
00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:19,520
Speaker 3: two million on your tax.

639
00:32:19,280 --> 00:32:21,920
Speaker 2: Sheet this year, so that that's good for.

640
00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:26,000
Speaker 3: Them, but then longer term for Utah, you're actually saving

641
00:32:26,120 --> 00:32:29,479
Speaker 3: some money next year because JHS and christian Wood are

642
00:32:29,480 --> 00:32:34,560
Speaker 3: expiring contracts and ruly makes less than Kessler and Sexton combined,

643
00:32:34,680 --> 00:32:36,480
Speaker 3: so in terms of getting the.

644
00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:38,680
Speaker 2: Draft cap and you gotta pay.

645
00:32:38,920 --> 00:32:42,840
Speaker 3: And yeah, so I think that that, like in theory,

646
00:32:42,920 --> 00:32:44,160
Speaker 3: is something that that makes sense.

647
00:32:44,200 --> 00:32:46,360
Speaker 2: It just kind of comes back to the asking price.

648
00:32:46,480 --> 00:32:49,080
Speaker 3: And I guess I'm more willing to give up both

649
00:32:49,400 --> 00:32:51,640
Speaker 3: first round picks if I'm getting both of those guys,

650
00:32:51,920 --> 00:32:55,000
Speaker 3: like I do. Like what we could talk individual guys,

651
00:32:55,040 --> 00:32:59,200
Speaker 3: But there are some potential packages out there of a Sexton, Kessler,

652
00:32:59,720 --> 00:33:03,800
Speaker 3: a brown Yakup Pardle, and to a much lesser extent,

653
00:33:03,880 --> 00:33:07,760
Speaker 3: at least from my perspective, Malcolm brogged in Jonis Valentiunis

654
00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:12,440
Speaker 3: and all those pairings are realistic. From a salary perspective,

655
00:33:12,960 --> 00:33:16,760
Speaker 3: Lakers can mix a match basically Ruy and Gabe as

656
00:33:16,800 --> 00:33:19,360
Speaker 3: the starting point, and then depending on how many other

657
00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:23,160
Speaker 3: salaries they have to put into the match. But I

658
00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:27,120
Speaker 3: think those are all again brogged in valentunis not as

659
00:33:27,160 --> 00:33:29,760
Speaker 3: sold on on those two guys, but especially the other

660
00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:33,040
Speaker 3: two Purl and Brown or Cussler and Sexton.

661
00:33:33,080 --> 00:33:33,960
Speaker 2: If you can get.

662
00:33:34,200 --> 00:33:37,160
Speaker 3: Those types of guys, you know, those types of duos back,

663
00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:41,000
Speaker 3: I think that checks a couple of boxes, and potentially,

664
00:33:41,000 --> 00:33:43,640
Speaker 3: depending on who you're sending out, this kind of reshuffles

665
00:33:43,960 --> 00:33:48,800
Speaker 3: this group and add some size, add some defensive versatility,

666
00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:52,320
Speaker 3: and I just think makes them a more viable playoff threat.

667
00:33:53,080 --> 00:33:53,280
Speaker 2: Yeah.

668
00:33:53,360 --> 00:33:54,800
Speaker 1: The one thing I would say if they did get

669
00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:57,040
Speaker 1: a call in Sexton is I would I would That's

670
00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:59,160
Speaker 1: where I would turn around and I'd explore looking at

671
00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:01,800
Speaker 1: something that's on the side for a guy like a

672
00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:06,640
Speaker 1: Josh Green, where I would still be concerned about not

673
00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:09,560
Speaker 1: having the perfect two for closing games because I keep

674
00:34:09,560 --> 00:34:12,680
Speaker 1: thinking about the final five. Like my basketball philosophy centers

675
00:34:12,680 --> 00:34:15,120
Speaker 1: around the five first and goes out from there.

676
00:34:15,800 --> 00:34:16,719
Speaker 2: And that's why I.

677
00:34:16,640 --> 00:34:20,200
Speaker 1: Think Ruey has to be included in any deal. That

678
00:34:20,880 --> 00:34:24,720
Speaker 1: if if Ruey is the asking price in a deal

679
00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:28,960
Speaker 1: that brings back a player that is in that five,

680
00:34:29,719 --> 00:34:31,960
Speaker 1: then I think you gotta do it, because to me,

681
00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:36,280
Speaker 1: Ruey is not in that five. He's in that five

682
00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:38,960
Speaker 1: some nights but he's not in that five every night,

683
00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:41,319
Speaker 1: like you know Austin is, you know Lebron is, you

684
00:34:41,360 --> 00:34:44,319
Speaker 1: know a d is Who's who's it gonna be in

685
00:34:44,360 --> 00:34:47,719
Speaker 1: the two three? When the when it's pivotal game two,

686
00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:50,000
Speaker 1: you're down one zero on the road in Okay, see

687
00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:52,640
Speaker 1: it's ninety five ninety five with five minutes left. Who

688
00:34:52,719 --> 00:34:55,239
Speaker 1: do you have out there that That concept, to me

689
00:34:55,400 --> 00:34:58,040
Speaker 1: is like there needs to be a more high floor

690
00:34:58,120 --> 00:35:01,920
Speaker 1: option than what they have on the roster right now.

691
00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:03,480
Speaker 1: And that's why I would look at in that direction

692
00:35:03,560 --> 00:35:06,480
Speaker 1: if they made that sort of deal. But the Sexton,

693
00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:08,759
Speaker 1: Kessler Edwards deal is an interesting deal to me on

694
00:35:08,800 --> 00:35:11,520
Speaker 1: a bunch of levels because I think it's a massive

695
00:35:11,640 --> 00:35:15,480
Speaker 1: regular season floor razer in terms of like your ability

696
00:35:15,480 --> 00:35:17,960
Speaker 1: to sit Anthony Davis for a game, or your ability

697
00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:20,399
Speaker 1: to sit Lebron or Austin for a game. I think

698
00:35:20,400 --> 00:35:22,960
Speaker 1: if I think it's going to be difficult to overcome

699
00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:26,240
Speaker 1: that at this point without that type of deal. Before

700
00:35:26,239 --> 00:35:30,120
Speaker 1: we move on to the role player corp, is there

701
00:35:30,320 --> 00:35:31,840
Speaker 1: a any.

702
00:35:31,920 --> 00:35:33,800
Speaker 2: So is it exactly in completely off the table?

703
00:35:34,800 --> 00:35:37,480
Speaker 3: I wouldn't say completely off the table, but from a

704
00:35:37,560 --> 00:35:40,600
Speaker 3: salary matching perspective, it's it's really hard, like one of

705
00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:43,000
Speaker 3: the only negatives.

706
00:35:42,440 --> 00:35:44,719
Speaker 2: In my opinion of the deal.

707
00:35:44,840 --> 00:35:47,160
Speaker 3: Like, I think there's two clear negatives from the Delo trade,

708
00:35:47,239 --> 00:35:50,840
Speaker 3: and one was obviously the hit in playmaking that they've taken.

709
00:35:51,600 --> 00:35:54,640
Speaker 3: But the second thing is just from a salary matching perspective,

710
00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:58,200
Speaker 3: any bigger trade was likely going to have to require

711
00:35:58,719 --> 00:36:01,680
Speaker 3: d Loo both for or the actual salary number of

712
00:36:01,840 --> 00:36:05,600
Speaker 3: just under nineteen million. But also he's the only double

713
00:36:05,600 --> 00:36:08,759
Speaker 3: digit salary that they have that's expiring. So if you

714
00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:12,080
Speaker 3: are giving up a lot of salary, you don't want

715
00:36:12,120 --> 00:36:15,440
Speaker 3: to necessarily be taking back RUI gave van Do and

716
00:36:15,520 --> 00:36:17,640
Speaker 3: having all those guys on the books next season and

717
00:36:17,680 --> 00:36:20,840
Speaker 3: then in Vando's case, two more years after that. So like,

718
00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:23,040
Speaker 3: because then the asking price kind of changes of some

719
00:36:23,040 --> 00:36:26,279
Speaker 3: of these guys who don't necessarily have value. It's one

720
00:36:26,280 --> 00:36:30,600
Speaker 3: thing if you're giving up expiring contracts or semi valuable contracts,

721
00:36:30,840 --> 00:36:33,160
Speaker 3: but once you start giving up salary that teams don't

722
00:36:33,160 --> 00:36:35,520
Speaker 3: want back in return for salary that they don't want,

723
00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:38,840
Speaker 3: they're going to start asking for stuff that the Lakers

724
00:36:38,840 --> 00:36:41,160
Speaker 3: aren't gonna want to give up. So I wouldn't say

725
00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:44,799
Speaker 3: he's off the table entirely. My reservation with it is

726
00:36:46,400 --> 00:36:49,480
Speaker 3: you talk about the closing five, and like, I just

727
00:36:49,520 --> 00:36:52,759
Speaker 3: have concerns about a zach Lavine. Austin reeves back court

728
00:36:52,760 --> 00:36:55,560
Speaker 3: defensively when it comes down to it, and I think

729
00:36:55,760 --> 00:36:58,360
Speaker 3: if you go the zach Lavine route, I almost wonder

730
00:36:58,520 --> 00:37:02,160
Speaker 3: if you have to consider moving Austin at that point

731
00:37:02,480 --> 00:37:04,920
Speaker 3: either probably not in that deal, maybe in a separate

732
00:37:04,920 --> 00:37:06,440
Speaker 3: deal to get something else back.

733
00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:08,680
Speaker 2: I almost feel like you have to kind of.

734
00:37:08,640 --> 00:37:12,759
Speaker 3: Restructure your entire top of the roster and like the

735
00:37:12,800 --> 00:37:15,840
Speaker 3: hierarchy of it, just because I feel like zach Lavine

736
00:37:16,040 --> 00:37:20,960
Speaker 3: and Austin it's a better version of the Austin Dilo situation.

737
00:37:21,280 --> 00:37:25,160
Speaker 3: But there's still similar concerns of I think Zach like,

738
00:37:25,320 --> 00:37:27,920
Speaker 3: we've never really seen him in high stakes games, so

739
00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:30,160
Speaker 3: that's kind of its own thing, but I think teams

740
00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:34,200
Speaker 3: will target him. He's improved defensively, but he's still a

741
00:37:34,239 --> 00:37:37,320
Speaker 3: glaring minus and I don't know how he fits into

742
00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:41,080
Speaker 3: this roster from like a team defense perspective when we

743
00:37:41,200 --> 00:37:43,840
Speaker 3: just haven't really seen it from him in big moments.

744
00:37:43,880 --> 00:37:46,480
Speaker 3: So that would be my concern with that of just

745
00:37:46,760 --> 00:37:49,239
Speaker 3: what that looks like and what that fit is and

746
00:37:49,280 --> 00:37:52,560
Speaker 3: then potentially having to pivot and go in a different direction.

747
00:37:52,680 --> 00:37:55,719
Speaker 3: So I think between some of the big names out there,

748
00:37:55,760 --> 00:37:59,319
Speaker 3: I like Brandon Ingram more than Zach Lvine. I also

749
00:37:59,400 --> 00:38:02,480
Speaker 3: think Ingram, I know, is not like he profiles as

750
00:38:02,480 --> 00:38:05,720
Speaker 3: a better defender than he actually is, but at least

751
00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:08,319
Speaker 3: like I think he can fit off the ball a

752
00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:11,520
Speaker 3: little bit cleaner. And he also is six point eight

753
00:38:11,560 --> 00:38:13,799
Speaker 3: six foot nine, so like he has a certain level

754
00:38:13,920 --> 00:38:16,719
Speaker 3: of length and athleticism out there that if you can

755
00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:19,120
Speaker 3: find a way to channel it, I think he could

756
00:38:19,120 --> 00:38:21,920
Speaker 3: be I mean this is in a positive way, but

757
00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:24,960
Speaker 3: like a better version of RUI, like a much higher

758
00:38:25,040 --> 00:38:28,360
Speaker 3: version of Rui. And that's something that I think could

759
00:38:28,360 --> 00:38:29,439
Speaker 3: fit in that closing five.

760
00:38:30,440 --> 00:38:32,600
Speaker 1: Yeah, every time I watch dak Lavine play, I have

761
00:38:32,719 --> 00:38:35,640
Speaker 1: my basketball fan in me that gets super excited about

762
00:38:35,640 --> 00:38:37,640
Speaker 1: what it would look like if he was playing alongside

763
00:38:37,719 --> 00:38:40,080
Speaker 1: Lebron and Ad. But then every time I follow it

764
00:38:40,120 --> 00:38:43,640
Speaker 1: through to fruition, I just get immediately off board in

765
00:38:43,719 --> 00:38:45,400
Speaker 1: terms of all the other holes that it opens up.

766
00:38:45,400 --> 00:38:47,320
Speaker 1: And to your point, it just there's a version of

767
00:38:47,360 --> 00:38:49,640
Speaker 1: it where you make several moves and it kind of

768
00:38:49,640 --> 00:38:51,759
Speaker 1: pieces together into a new team. But now you've got

769
00:38:51,760 --> 00:38:54,120
Speaker 1: a brand new team, and it just it just involves

770
00:38:54,160 --> 00:38:56,040
Speaker 1: a great deal of risk. And that's before we even

771
00:38:56,040 --> 00:38:57,600
Speaker 1: get into the injury stuff, which, like I said, is

772
00:38:57,680 --> 00:38:59,680
Speaker 1: I think a little overblown with Levine. But there's just

773
00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:01,480
Speaker 1: been an often the issues over the years that it's

774
00:39:01,480 --> 00:39:04,600
Speaker 1: worth mentioning brandon Ingram was going to be the next

775
00:39:04,640 --> 00:39:08,280
Speaker 1: guy I brought up. He's a more achievable salary point.

776
00:39:09,360 --> 00:39:11,719
Speaker 1: But it opens up the same sort of issue in

777
00:39:11,800 --> 00:39:13,839
Speaker 1: terms of like, okay, but now what are you doing

778
00:39:13,880 --> 00:39:16,319
Speaker 1: at the two? Let me just pitch it to you

779
00:39:16,360 --> 00:39:19,160
Speaker 1: like this, Do you think the Lakers are seriously exploring

780
00:39:19,160 --> 00:39:20,960
Speaker 1: a brandon Ingram trade or do you think that's more

781
00:39:20,960 --> 00:39:22,240
Speaker 1: in the zach Lavine territory.

782
00:39:22,400 --> 00:39:24,520
Speaker 2: I think it's more in the zach Lavine territory.

783
00:39:24,800 --> 00:39:27,960
Speaker 3: But I think he's someone that, depending on the price,

784
00:39:28,040 --> 00:39:29,239
Speaker 3: they would have interest in.

785
00:39:30,520 --> 00:39:31,360
Speaker 2: But it's your point.

786
00:39:31,560 --> 00:39:34,160
Speaker 3: It does like you've already made the move for DFS

787
00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:39,239
Speaker 3: and theoretically you're not trying to shop him or reduces

788
00:39:39,239 --> 00:39:41,879
Speaker 3: like you want a certain role for him as either

789
00:39:42,360 --> 00:39:45,120
Speaker 3: a starting level guy or or closing level guy. A

790
00:39:45,160 --> 00:39:48,600
Speaker 3: big piece of irritation. Can you go brandon Ingram DFS

791
00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:52,760
Speaker 3: on the wings. So Ingram and DFS in theory could work,

792
00:39:53,040 --> 00:39:55,920
Speaker 3: but I think they're going to be tested in terms

793
00:39:56,040 --> 00:40:01,400
Speaker 3: of their primitive quickness, lateral agility, and just ability to

794
00:40:01,440 --> 00:40:05,440
Speaker 3: contain the ball. And I think from a salary perspective,

795
00:40:05,480 --> 00:40:09,480
Speaker 3: like it is much easier to make him work. As

796
00:40:09,560 --> 00:40:11,920
Speaker 3: you mentioned, he's in the mid thirties, so you can

797
00:40:11,960 --> 00:40:17,080
Speaker 3: get there with Ruy and Gabe, you're at about twenty nine,

798
00:40:17,400 --> 00:40:19,120
Speaker 3: and then you know you're throw in a couple of

799
00:40:19,120 --> 00:40:22,160
Speaker 3: minimum guys. Maybe they take on a JHS as like

800
00:40:22,719 --> 00:40:26,399
Speaker 3: a low stake scandal or something, but that one's more

801
00:40:26,600 --> 00:40:29,600
Speaker 3: I think realistic, just from making it work once you

802
00:40:29,600 --> 00:40:32,400
Speaker 3: get into the forties with guys like Zach Lavine, guys

803
00:40:32,400 --> 00:40:35,279
Speaker 3: like Jimmy Butler, I think that's where the Lakers just

804
00:40:35,280 --> 00:40:37,280
Speaker 3: don't really have the matching salary.

805
00:40:38,680 --> 00:40:40,960
Speaker 1: So I agree when it comes to the other big

806
00:40:41,000 --> 00:40:43,920
Speaker 1: salary guys like I'm out on like a Jimmy Butler

807
00:40:43,920 --> 00:40:47,720
Speaker 1: trader Zach Lavine trade. If if you called David Griffin

808
00:40:47,760 --> 00:40:49,359
Speaker 1: and you could get brandon Ingram, I think you do it.

809
00:40:49,440 --> 00:40:51,440
Speaker 1: I think it's I just think it's such a talent

810
00:40:51,760 --> 00:40:55,440
Speaker 1: play for a team that does have a talent deficiency,

811
00:40:56,120 --> 00:40:58,600
Speaker 1: and there's some things you like, like you talked about, like,

812
00:40:58,640 --> 00:41:00,360
Speaker 1: that's not a team that you talking a team that

813
00:41:00,360 --> 00:41:02,160
Speaker 1: would need to switch. That team would need to switch.

814
00:41:02,400 --> 00:41:05,120
Speaker 1: That's a team that would need to switch, contain double

815
00:41:05,160 --> 00:41:07,760
Speaker 1: and rotate and and even then it would be difficult.

816
00:41:08,520 --> 00:41:10,600
Speaker 1: But like, I think there's enough talent there to at

817
00:41:10,680 --> 00:41:12,400
Speaker 1: least consider it as a play. All Right, we only

818
00:41:12,400 --> 00:41:13,520
Speaker 1: have a couple more minutes, so I want to do

819
00:41:13,600 --> 00:41:15,040
Speaker 1: rapid fire style. I'm just going to hit you with

820
00:41:15,080 --> 00:41:17,800
Speaker 1: some names I just want. I just want you to,

821
00:41:17,960 --> 00:41:22,200
Speaker 1: as best as you can just guess a percentage chance

822
00:41:22,360 --> 00:41:25,799
Speaker 1: that this guy is a Laker after the deadline. We'll

823
00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:33,040
Speaker 1: start with Bruce Brown thirty five percent. Let's go Walker

824
00:41:33,120 --> 00:41:43,840
Speaker 1: Kessler twenty five percent, Colin Sexton twenty percent, let's go

825
00:41:44,400 --> 00:41:47,160
Speaker 1: Brandon Ingram.

826
00:41:47,360 --> 00:41:58,920
Speaker 3: We'll say eighteen percent, Lons of ball ooh thirty two percent.

827
00:42:00,080 --> 00:42:07,560
Speaker 2: Okay, let's two more, will go Malcolm Brogden fifteen percent,

828
00:42:09,400 --> 00:42:15,160
Speaker 2: Josh Green thirty Okay.

829
00:42:15,400 --> 00:42:17,120
Speaker 1: I'm trying to think if there's anyone that I'm missing,

830
00:42:17,680 --> 00:42:25,200
Speaker 1: let's try. Let's try like another backup center like Robert Williams,

831
00:42:27,160 --> 00:42:33,680
Speaker 1: we'll say okay, all right, So it sounds to me like.

832
00:42:33,640 --> 00:42:36,120
Speaker 2: They're relatively conservative here, you know.

833
00:42:36,120 --> 00:42:38,600
Speaker 1: Yeah, for sure, No, I got you. So it sounds

834
00:42:38,600 --> 00:42:40,400
Speaker 1: to me like they're still kind of just exploring all

835
00:42:40,440 --> 00:42:42,359
Speaker 1: these options and they're not really committed and they're going

836
00:42:42,400 --> 00:42:43,840
Speaker 1: to make this decision as like a right at the

837
00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:44,719
Speaker 1: deadline kind of thing.

838
00:42:44,880 --> 00:42:47,600
Speaker 2: Yes, that is that makes a lot of sense.

839
00:42:47,840 --> 00:42:49,600
Speaker 1: All right, you havevon tell us about what you got

840
00:42:49,600 --> 00:42:51,400
Speaker 1: going on over at your channel before we get out

841
00:42:51,440 --> 00:42:51,759
Speaker 1: of here.

842
00:42:52,200 --> 00:42:56,880
Speaker 3: Yeah, so please check out Bouha's block and my channel,

843
00:42:56,960 --> 00:43:00,720
Speaker 3: Yovan Bouja on YouTube. Also wherever you at your podcasts,

844
00:43:00,719 --> 00:43:03,600
Speaker 3: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, et cetera. And then also be sure

845
00:43:03,640 --> 00:43:06,279
Speaker 3: to subscribe to The Athletic to read all my work

846
00:43:06,280 --> 00:43:10,240
Speaker 3: and my reporting on the Lakers trade deadline and where

847
00:43:10,239 --> 00:43:12,120
Speaker 3: this team is at at the midseason point.

848
00:43:13,440 --> 00:43:15,120
Speaker 1: Great stuff has always been. It was good to see

849
00:43:15,160 --> 00:43:16,719
Speaker 1: you as well. That's all we have for today. We'll

850
00:43:16,719 --> 00:43:19,239
Speaker 1: be back tomorrow with our usual Friday mailbag. We will

851
00:43:19,239 --> 00:43:24,799
Speaker 1: see you guys then, what's up guys. As always, I

852
00:43:24,840 --> 00:43:27,840
Speaker 1: appreciate you for listening to and supporting OOPS tonight. It

853
00:43:27,880 --> 00:43:29,960
Speaker 1: would actually be really helpful for us if you guys

854
00:43:30,000 --> 00:43:33,040
Speaker 1: would take a second and leave a rating and a review.

855
00:43:33,080 --> 00:43:34,920
Speaker 1: As always, I appreciate you guys supporting us, but if

856
00:43:34,960 --> 00:43:36,960
Speaker 1: you could take a minute to do that, I'd really

857
00:43:37,000 --> 00:43:37,719
Speaker 1: appreciate it.