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 1792: How the Damian Lillard Trade Impacts the Lakers and the Western Conference
Well, that turned out a little different than many thought it would!
Wednesday afternoon, the NBA finally got the blockbuster it's been waiting for, as Damian Lillard was traded away from the Blazers. But not to Miami, as Lillard had been pushing for since asking out of Portland. Instead, Lillard ends up in Milwaukee, teamed up with Giannis in a three-team deal that also included the Phoenix Suns, who sent D'Andre Ayton to Portland in exchange for some depth pieces that help fill out the roster both from a personnel and a salary standpoint.
So what does this mean for the Western Conference, and by extension, the Lakers?
Well, Portland wasn't going to contend, so that part doesn't matter. But what Phoenix did certainly does. And while the Suns did add needed depth and they did remove Ayton from the building—even with the new contract, that situation still wasn't healthy—did they get better around their Big Three of Durant, Beal and Booker? If you're the Lakers, would you rather play a Suns team in the postseason with Ayton and less depth, or Nurkic and a little more?
But as big a move as Phoenix made, the biggest shoe in the West is could still drop. Because Jrue Holiday was sent from Milwaukee to Portland, and is not destined to stay there. So while James Harden is still on the market, Holiday becomes an incredibly appealing player and arguably the most appealing one on the market. Say for a team that still wants another guard. Like the one sharing Crypto.com Arena for another year. If you're the Clippers, wouldn't you rather add someone like Holiday, who would be a great, near seamless fit next to Kawhi and Paul George, instead of the (waves arms about) thing that is the James Harden Experience?
Surely Team Harden doesn't like this little wrinkle in the market.
But obviously what impacts the Clippers impacts the Lakers, so this is something to watch, whether now or a few weeks down the road.
Finally, what exactly did Portland owe Lillard through this situation? Did they "do right" by him? It's a huge topic of conversation around the league and across NBA social media. What exactly are they obligated to do for a star who wants out, and wants to go to one team and one team only (until he doesn't, at least...)?
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: Lillard to... Milwaukee?
SEGMENT 2: How it impacts the Lakers, starting with Phoenix. Did the Suns get better? Did they become a tougher or easier matchup?
SEGMENT 3: Could this deal help the Clippers, eventually? What would that mean for the Lakers? Plus, did the Blazers treat Dame as they should have? He's not in Miami, in the end.
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