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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Westbrook For 6th Man of the Year? Could LeBron Enter the MVP Race? Plus, Lakers Trade Targets!
Our friends at Betonline have put out a fresh set of odds for postseason awards, as teams near the halfway point of the NBA season (it's coming quickly, folks). What's interesting about the Lakers in this area is, primarily, that so few Lakers are even mentioned. Guys like Anthony Davis, who had briefly put themselves on the board for MVP and Defensive Player of the Year, are now off it. Only Russell Westbrook remains, and not only is he a betting favorite for Sixth Man of the Year, he's the betting favorite.
Should he be?
It's certainly a strange year for 6MOY, without a ton of obvious candidates on really strong teams. And certainly Westbrook has made a good pitch, and has a compelling narrative (and we can tell you, narrative is a huge factor in media-driven awards). But would someone like Jordan Poole (Golden State) or Malcolm Brogdon (Boston) be more worthy? Will the same media priming Westbrook now for the award grow tired of him, especially if the Lakers slide out of the playoff race completely?
And what about MVP? LeBron James is putting up MVP caliber numbers right now, keeping the Lakers alive while Anthony Davis heals. He's not on the board yet with MVP odds at Betonline, but could he be? What would it take to get James back in the conversation? How high do the Lakers have to get in the Western Conference standings?
That conversation gets at the heart of the word value, for an award that typically starts with the best player on the best team, and then works from there if need be.
Finally, Charlotte's Kelly Oubre is out for the next 4-6 weeks with an injury. Not necessarily big news on its face for Lakers fans, but Oubre is a name that had been linked to LA in one form or another, particularly in the category of players who might be gettable without sacrificing a first round pick. So if he's off the board, are there similar targets out there for LA to chase?
HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky
SEGMENT 1: Westbrook is the odds on favorite right now for 6MOY. Should he be?
SEGMENT 2: Is there a scenario in which James gets himself back in the MVP conversation?
SEGMENT 3: Oubre's out... are there other sneaky-cheap options out there for the Lakers that might make a difference?
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