Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers have an interesting test Tuesday night against Portland at the Crypt, but for the time being have enjoyed not just success on the court, but success driven in large part by a very cohesive and complementary group. 

Following Sunday's exciting comeback win in Utah, Austin Reaves attributed some of this success to a group playing without ego. 

Now, many interpreted that as a shot at LeBron. It isn't, and we explain why. 

But more importantly, we unpack why the Lakers are able to play with that kind of ethos. It has a l...

The Lakers have started 3-0, and no question, much of that is due to the play of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves,  along with (Sunday notwithstanding) Walker Kessler. But one consistent factor over the first three games has been steady contributions from the supporting cast. Whether the "other" two starters (Ziaire Williams, Matisse Thybulle) or the bench players (Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Jake LaRavia) there has been meaningful, consistent production from the collective every night.

Given how awful the team's bench was productivity wise last year -- by any metric, they had one of the b...

The Lakers are 3-0, with a supporting cast that is providing considerably more dynamic play around its stars than last year's group. But there's a major exception to this broad improvement: The Lakers do not have a playable backup center. Not someone who can play the five, or small ball options, but an actual "this is what I do" backup center behind Walker Kessler. 

Sandro Mamukelashvili is the team's primary option there, and Kevon Looney is technically the next true center on the team (undersized as he might be). But through three games, even the limited minutes w...

How would the Lakers react to a weird 2 pm start time in Salt Lake City against the Jazz? 

Poorly as it turns out. LA didn't really clock in until the top of the second quarter, and at that point were down 47-29. But they were as good in the second quarter as they were bad in the first, outscoring the Jazz 45-24 and actually taking a lead into the half. 

The story of this one was the team's stars, starting with Luka Doncic, who finished with 52 points on a very efficient 17-30, with eight threes, ei...

It wasn't as aesthetically pleasing as Wednesday's Opening Night win against the Warriors, but did get the job done. Despite 21 turnovers as a team—including 11 from Luka Doncic—the lakers picked up a 125-117 win over the Clippers Friday night at Crypto.com.

And there was plenty to like. Walker Kessler was 10-14 from the floor, and had nine stocks (three steals, six blocks). Austin Reaves was 10-3 shooting, and had nine assists. Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams had 27 between them. Quentin Grimes had 13 off the bench and Collin Sexton finally made his debut. 

On the o...

Walker Kessler was historically good in his Lakers debut, making all 12 of his shots, including 10 dunks, and helping lead a second and third quarter push defensively that blew the game open. 

And while he's obviously not going to make every shot in every game as a member of the Lakers, perhaps the best news about Kessler's performance is that nothing about it was particularly fluky. There wasn't a barrage of three pointers unlikely to be replicated, or a bundle of hooks and jumpers that just happened to go down. Everything was by the rim. Which is exactly h...

It seemed like Collin Sexton would make his Lakers debut in the opener on Wednesday, but alas he was given one more game to rest. 

Well, now he's completely off the injury list, so while there could (and likely will) be some restrictions on Sexton, he'll be able to deliver some of what he brings to the rotation. It starts with outside shooting and rim pressure, and extends to the support he brings the Lakers as a ball handler behind Luka and Reaves. 

It will also make a bench unit that provided real scoring punch on...

Wednesday's season opening win over the Warriors was notable for more than just the smack talk between Luka Dončić and Golden State rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. Although that's definitely getting a lot of attention. 

There's also the matter of what Luka did before the game. It started with a full page ad in the LA Times, thanking Lakers fans for their support of the team, and what he says they will work to make a championship effort. Luka also took care of parking at the arena for 150 or so fans, This is on top of donations to wil...

The opening game in the 2026-27 NBA season couldn't have gone any better for the Lakers, who need to get off to a good start with their completely revamped roster. That's exactly what happened, as the purple and gold got rolling after a back and forth first quarter, outscoring the Golden State Warriors 68-35 and breaking the game wide open. 

Final score, 127-105. 

Early returns on the Big Three? Excellent. 

Luka Doncic finished with 28 points in only 30 minutes, along with eight rebounds and seven assists. Austin Reaves had 23/6 with a pair of steals, and...

The Lakers' season kicks off tonight in a classic (if perhaps forced, post-LeBron?) matchup against the (very short-handed) Golden State Warriors. The punditry consensus is much higher on L.A. than Golden State, but both teams have many questions to answer heading into the season. To break it all down, the Kamenetzkys talk with Chuck Walter (Locked On Warriors). Hosts: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky, with guest Chuck Walter! Photo credit: Candice Ward-Imagn Images Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Indeed Listeners of this show get a $75 Sponsored Job Credit to help give your job the premium placement it deserves at...

It's Opening Night for the Lakers, who will be hosting the Warriors at Crypto.com Arena to kick things off. And it's a game they need to win, not just to get things off to a good start, but to take advantage of a shorthanded Warriors squad. 

But beyond that, it's the start of what truly feels like the beginning of the Luka Dončić Era, not the Luka and Era. This is his team, assembled to leverage his skills and preferences. It does, as JJ Redick has liked to say, feel more coherent than squads they've had...

The Lakers did what was widely expected on Monday as the NBA's roster cutdown day arrived. Dalton Knecht was released to get the Lakers down to 15 players. 

That closes the door on a VERY recent #1 pick, and given how promising a start Knecht had, is a pretty shocking end. 

So what went wrong, here? Did the Lakers do the right thing? Should they have released Bronny James instead? What is the lasting damage to the franchise for having two straight top picks wash out (Jalen Hood-Schifino, we hardly knew ya)? There's a lot to unpack, ev...

The Lakers had until this Monday (2 pm PT) to get their roster down from 16 players to 15. Reports persisted throughout the offseason, chronicling a desire to make a consolidation deal, sending out two non-rotation players (and draft assets) for one more playable guy. That was always a long shot for a variety of reasons. The most logical end was them having to eat a contract, with three obvious candidates: Jaden Hardy, Bronny James, and Dalton Knecht.

A case could have been made for James being the player cut, but the more likely conclusion was Dalton as the odd...

Who are the BEST and WORST teams in the NBA heading into the 2026-27 season? With opening night just around the corner, Locked On NBA Daily reveals its official 30-team NBA Power Rankings, organized into S-through-F tiers!

Wes Goldberg, Matt Moore and Haize unveil rankings voted on by hosts from all 30 Locked On NBA team podcasts, debating the biggest surprises, overrated contenders and underrated playoff hopefuls.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs and defending champion New York Knicks headline the exclusive S Tier. But do Victor Wembanyama's Spurs belong alongside the NBA's elite?

Nobody expects the new-look Lakers, with so many moving parts, to be operating like a well-oiled machine at the end of one preseason. 

That said, it's pretty clear that many fans and media types expected the machine to look somewhat oiled. Or ready to be oiled. Or at least assembled so someone can get around to oiling it. 

Wherever you are on that spectrum—the big question of how much progress the Lakers made, what sticks out as good, what pops out as bad, and where the big unknowns still are—is not insignificant. Arguably the ea...

The Lakers finally got the Big Three on the floor together Friday in their preseason finale (a 121-106 loss) against the Nuggets, and the results were... mixed. Particularly early in the game, they were a turnover machine, as the chemistry between Luka, Reaves and Walker Kessler was very much a work in progress. No real surprise there, but still kinda disappointing given the high hopes. 

So lots to work on there. 

Big nights for Ziaire Williams and Sandro Mamukelashvili, and a surprising start for Matisse Thybulle as JJ Redick busted out a starting lineup that mi...

The Lakers are trying to get the roster down to 15 players, and at the least, seem to be exploring ways to do it that don't involve straight-up cutting Dalton Knecht. 

Jake Fischer reports on Marc Stein's Substack that the Lakers are exploring a trade: 

The Lakers, meanwhile, have been engaged in trade talks to try to get their roster down from 16 to 15 standard contracts and perhaps even acquire some additional frontcourt help in the process. League sources say that the Lakers and Bucks have held exploratory trade discussions on a framework that would ship former fi...

The Lakers may finally have the band, or at least the band members that matter the most, on the floor for preseason play Friday night. 

Thursday in El Segundo, Ziaire Williams returned to practice, as did Adou Thiero. Luka Doncic practiced in full. Even Collin Sexton participated in everything except full contact work. Likely won't play Friday, but at least Sexton is on a decent path to play opening night. 

So aside from him and Cam Carr, who is out with an injury JJ Redick didn't describe because he doesn't have to until the regular se...

The Lakers have a little less than a week to get their roster down to 15 players. Rob Pelinka has noted that they have been, and still are, looking to make a 2-for-1 "consolidation" type deal that would allow the Lakers to shrink the roster without cutting a player. 

That feels unlikely, in the sense that anything that might be available to them probably would have presented itself, but there's still the possibility that as teams shuffle players around before the start of the season that some type of opportunity might arise. How big a price should the L...

The Lakers are always in a win-now posture, though win-now doesn't always mean exactly the same thing from year to year. 

ESPN has an interesting story up looking at the level of proverbial win-now desperation each team across the league ought to feel. The Lakers landed at fourth. Why? Because they have a roster that's pretty much set, without much draft capital or salary cap space to make signficant changes should the formula be a little off. 

And if things go wrong, the (broader) theory goes, so does their ability to keep Luka Doncic happy, an...

Luka Doncic sat out of Tuesday's preseason loss to the Warriors in Las Vegas. Not because of any reported injury, even a minor one, but just for what JJ Redick described as a "night off." 

Ziaire Williams, Cam Carr, and Collin Sexton were among the other players not in uniform. 

No question, the Lakers are incredibly conservative when it comes to injuries, and it also makes sense to be very careful in the preseason. Sexton, for example, is clearly dealing with something, given the length of his absence. (Redick expressed optimism that he'd be ready fo...

Lakers fans have been waiting a while to see Walker Kessler in purple and gold following the massive offseason sign and trade that brought the giant center to LA. Tuesday in Vegas against the Golden State Warriors, they finally got their chance. 

And it's fair to say that the first impression was a very good one. 

Kessler had 11 points, nine rebounds, a steal and a block in 16 minutes. He was a team-leading +15. Basically, he looked exactly like you'd hope. Rebounded effectively, was an obvious impediment to the Warriors around the rim, and showed opportunistic scoring of...

The Lakers look like a team that should be pretty good, and have some balance and coherence to the roster construction. But everyone also knows the Lakers are, as currently constructed, a tick or two below the elite squads in the West. 

So what is their biggest need? ESPN says "starting caliber forwards," and explained thusly: 

"Look, there's going to be a little less positional certainty whenever LeBron departs. Rather than target a single replacement for the four-time MVP, the Lakers invested their resources into re-signing guard Austin Reaves, acquiring starting center Walker Kessler and co...

The Lakers entered the preseason with two starting spots theoretically up for grabs. (Though most people think one of those spots was always Quentin Grimes's to lose, and to this point, it doesn't seem that he has.) 

But that leaves one spot available. Who are the most prominent candidates? 

The good news for JJ Redick is that all of these guys have had strong preseasons to this point. Williams has been hurt, but flashed the skill set that made him an early dark horse to win the gig. Thi...

So there seems to be some reasonable optimism that Walker Kessler will be back on the floor soon, where he can make his Lakers debut. 

But what about Collin Sexton? 

The backup guard, expected to play a significant role off the bench as a playmaker, three-point shooter and bucket getter, is still on the sidelines, and has been described by JJ Redick as a little behind Kessler. The diagnosis is a somewhat vague "lower leg injury," so presumably something kneecap or below? On one of his two legs? 

For the Lakers, it's important to...

The Lakers have had some highlights this preseason, but one massive absence—literally and figuratively—has undercut some of the optimism. 

Walker Kessler jammed his left pinkie on the backboard early in the preseason, and has been limited since. He's missed all three of the team's preseason games. But this weekend, he was back on the floor, playing without restrictions (other than some tape on his fingers). Those bullish on Kessler's impact this season (including the hosts of this podcast) and his capacity to elevate the Lakers defense (especially via rebounding and rim protection) are excited to see w...

Luka Dončić is a tough nut to crack. He's not a basketball and global celebrity, but even more than a decade into his professional career is uncomfortable with fame. 

Still, he's the centerpiece of the NBA's crown jewel franchise, which has not been completely turned over to him. 

Doncic knows he needs to let people in a little, and has spent the offseason doing just that, as Chris Mannix reports for Sports Illustrated in a very good, highly insightful profile. Like his Lakers teammates and coach JJ Redick, Mannix went to see Luka in Slov...

The Lakers still are waiting for the preseason debut of Walker Kessler, who sat out a third game with an injured finger. (FWIW, he in a halftime interview said it was fine, they're just being really, really cautious.) 

As for the guys who did play? 

Luka made it to the line nine times, and while he wasn't exactly hyper-efficient from the floor (6-16) he was playing with palpable joy and is very clearly ready to go. Austin Reaves made his preseason debut, and lived in the paint, piling up eight assists and five boards. Sandro Ma...

For Monday's big show, we talked with Lakers sideline reporter (and new Substacker) Mike Trudell about the big questions surrounding the team this year. What will the defense look like? Who is most poised to thrive in the new system? Which newcomers are you most excited about? 

And perhaps most importantly, how does the new architecture support the talents of headliners Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves? 

Well, we're back with more questions, this time looking at where the Lakers stand relative to the competition in the Western Conference. Obviously they've had a lot of turnover, bu...

The Lakers play their third preseason game of the very, very young season Thursday night, but already some signs are shining through, giving glimpses of what this team could look like over the course of the '26-'27 campaign. 

There's a lot to be excited about, and great storylines to follow. It starts with Luka Donćić, a perennial MVP candidate and arguably the league's most elite offensive weapon. There's Austin Reaves, trying to take the next step after being given a massive contract. All the new guys, from Grimes to Mamu to Kessler who form what is...

In Monday's preseason opener, the Lakers were short a few important players, but still managed to put together a top shelf effort to beat Sacramento. 

One night later, they were down even more guys, and found the limits of what the remaining talent on hand could deliver. The Warriors took control early, and never gave it up in a game that was never close. Final score, 124-98.

The Lakers were without Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, Ziaire Williams, Collin Sexton and Matisse Thybulle. That's six of the top eight guys in the rotation. And n...

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

PHOTO CREDIT: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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Well, that went about as well as you could ask. 

Luka Dončić dropped an easy breasy 21 points, the Lakers shot the lights out in the first half especially, and the defense came to play as the Lakers romped in Sacramento, 127-103. As you'd expect, JJ Redick spread the playing time around, and with Austin Reaves, Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton and Arthur Kaluma in street clothes with (non-serious) injuries, but basically everyone who played contributed. It gave a little extra time for some of the newer players to stretch their legs, and for guys like Matisse Thybulle, Zia...

The Lakers have a lot of needs going forward, and not a lot of ways to meet them. Not much draft capital, limited cap flexibility, and so on. 

So it's critical that their young, cost controlled players develop into real, useful NBA players. That starts with Cam Carr and Adou Thiero, both of whom could push for playing time this season if their improvement arc continues. But while those two are the most important part of the young player equation, the development challenge doesn't stop with them. The Lakers also would benefit in a big way from h...

It's been a while in coming, but the new-look Lakers are going to play a game on Monday. Preseason Game 1, up in Sacramento. 

JJ Redick hasn't made it totally clear who is going to play in each game, or who has been held out of practices at different times, and all of that good stuff. So we'll need to see what the lineup looks like once that's announced. And who knows what the lineups will look like throughout the five preseason games. A dress rehearsal or two, likely. But beyond that, people want to know what the p...

The Lakers have talked about using what they believe is increased depth, and people wonder if that means perhaps even expanding the normal 9-10 man rotation into 10-11, or even up to 12 guys? 

There are certainly examples of teams pushing those boundaries in an effort to play at a higher level of intensity. 

Of course, the only way for the Lakers to get to that number, realistically, is for Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero to force JJ Redick's hand and put them in the rotation by outplaying some of the other options. It's certainly possible, ba...

The Lakers have a significantly different roster this season than last. That everyone knows. 

How it'll get used is an open question. 

Plenty of people think the team has a little more usable depth this season, especially if players like Cam Carr and Adou Thiero prove to be capable of handling minutes. The Lakers want to figure out how to use defensive oriented players like Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams. They need to get offensive spark plug Collin Sexton real minutes. Jake LaRavia played all 82 last year, and in the first half of them at le...

At Wednesday's practice, JJ Redick got a little reflective, looking back on his early days as Lakers head coach. He noted that while the confidence he could do the job was always there, at times it felt like cosplay. Not surprising, really, given that it was his first head coaching gig at any level beyond grade school coaching his kids.

That feeling, and an intense desire to try to control EVERYTHING going on around him is likely why Redick was, to say the least, a little tightly wound in that first season.

But last season...

It's early, less than a week in. But listen to JJ Redick and the rest of the Lakers, and it's clear they're working hard to forge a real identify on both sides of the ball. 

Defensively, Redick has already talked about how the days of 1-5 switching are over with the arrival of Walker Kessler. It's going to look more like 1-4, but even then with some caveats. And just that change will make the Lakers look a lot different defensively. Add to that the constant talk of disruption and deflections and intensity, and you start to s...

JJ Redick has some decisions to make, not just with the starting lineup -- while he says that only three of the five spots are settled (if we have to tell you which ones, you're probably at the wrong podcast), most people believe that Quentin Grimes is also very likely to start. So that leaves a fifth guy. Will it be Sandro Mamukelashvili? Ziaire Williams? Jake LaRavia? Matisse Thybulle, for that defensive presence? What about a wild card like Adou Thiero? 

The decision Redick makes there will obviously have a ripple effect on the rest of the r...