Gesamtlänge aller Episoden: 90 days 9 hours 27 minutes
The Kamenetzkys discuss the latest development in the Lakers/LeBron/Westbrook soap opera
Friday night saw Russell Westbrook and his longtime agent Thad Foucher part ways in what was described as "irreconcilable differences," featuring the longest, most detailed post-split statement from a rep... ever? In a nutshell, it appears that the Lakers were the source of tension between the men, with Foucher of the belief that Westbrook would be best served by playing out his final season with the purple and gold, rather than getting traded for the fourth time in four seasons, and Westbrook....
Lakers fans don't love the Walker signing, but could it pan out? Jeff Garcia joins.
So, yeah. Here's the deal. Very, very few Lakers fans were excited when the Lakers announced, only a few hours into free agency. an agreement with former San Antonio Spurs guard/forward Lonnie Walker IV. One year, full taxpayer midlevel exception. The Spurs, well known for their talent development chops, decided Walker wasn't worth bringing back, even though he's a recent first round pick, and is only 23. His three-point shooting has tailed off as his volume rises, and Walker is, charitably.....
Over at The Athletic, Seth Portnow has issued his yearly "tiers" ratings, And while we're not yet at the main course (where do LeBron and Anthony Davis end up?) the series has already revealed a couple fairly devastating things about the Lakers, and the level of talent on the roster. Russell Westbrook, who cost the Lakers a first round pick and valuable depth, is near the bottom of Tier 5, ranked outside the top 100 players in the league...
The Lakers have a serious talent deficit relative to other Western Conference contenders. What's the best fix?
The perception of stars and roster building is shifting across the league. Do the Lakers need to adapt?
Another day, another spin in the Wheel of Kyrie Irving Trade Rumors! Today, it's a report in the New York Post from sources close to Irving saying that Brooklyn's PG doesn't want to be traded, even if running mate Kevin Durant gets his wish and is shipped out. Once he opted into his deal, so the source goes, Kyrie was all about playing, and playing specifically for Brooklyn. Now, if they decide they don't want him? That's different. But Kyrie is a Net! A Net, source says. Good lord...
The NBA futures odds are out, and contain some interesting numbers for the Lakers
Kevin Durant still wants out. The Brooklyn Nets are not getting the offers they want for him, and there are increasing signs that they're willing to go into the fall, play some games and see if Durant can't be made happy with winning. The outcome of this saga could play out slowly, and ultimately influences multiple franchises across the NBA, including the Los Angeles Lakers...