Locked On Lakers podcast is your daily ticket to stay ahead of the game and the first to know the latest news, analysis, and insider info for the Los Angeles Lakers and the NBA. Hosts Andy and Brian Kamenetzky, who have covered the Purple and Gold since 2005 for media outlets including the LA Times, ESPN and The Athletic, offer traditional journalism, informal commentary, and offbeat humor to provide expert, local analysis. Locked On Lakers takes you beyond the scoreboard for the inside scoops on the biggest stories from within the Lakers locker room and all over the NBA. The Locked On Lakers podcast is part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.
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episode 1323: Anthony Davis Probable vs. Nets: How it Impacts LeBron, the Lakers. Plus, Westbrook for Wall Trade Rumors?
The Lakers, obviously, are at a critical juncture in their season. It's getting awful close to make-or-break time, in terms of understanding just how realistic a deep playoff run is going to be. And fundamentally, that means getting Anthony Davis back on the floor. That could happen Tuesday, as the Lakers star was upgraded to probable after nearly suiting up against the Heat on Sunday.
Not only does Davis make the team better on both sides of the floor based solely on his talent - for all the talk of vaguely disappointing play from him this season, it's in the context of a guy being a top 15 player instead of a top 5 - he also allows:
- some pressure to come off LeBron offensively
- slots Westbrook into a better spot (and gives Russ another large man to pass to at the rim)
- helps the Lakers settle into their small-ball identity for real.
...and more. Really, there's nothing that doesn't improve with Davis available. But perhaps most importantly, with nine games left before the trade deadline (assuming Davis plays Tuesday) it gives the Lakers a decent chunk of time to see what exactly they are, what the needs might be, and whether or not they're good enough to make an aggressive upgrade at the deadline worthwhile.
And if the Lakers do make a move, what kind of move is available? The pieces they have to offer aren't any different - Talen Horton-Tucker, Kendrick Nunn and a first-round pick - but perhaps the return might be? Would the Lakers have a shot at Jerami Grant? Lesser deals for a Terrance Ross-type? Would they actually pull the trigger on a trade sending Westbrook to Houston for John Wall? What if that deal expanded to include Eric Gordon, too?
There's a ton to unpack with those ideas, and the process stars in this episode!
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: What Anthony Davis does for the Lakers when he returns.
SEGMENT 2: Why the next nine games are critical for understanding just what the Lakers have heading into the trade deadline.
SEGMENT 3: Would you trade Westbrook for Wall? What about an enhanced version of that deal?
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