Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

• How Luka Dončić Changes the Future for the Lakers (Mark Walter Helps, Too)

  ESPN's annual Future Rankings had been a sad place for Lakers fans over the last few years, even when things were going well for the team. The Lakers may have had potential in the present, but down the road, things were a lot trickier. Building around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, for a variety of reasons, came with ... complexities. Now, however, things are looking bright. Why? Because a team that has Luka Dončić not only gets a top 5 (at worst) talent, they get him ENTERING HIS PRIME. This is critical not just because it means the Lakers have one of those dudes on the team for a while (presumably), but because players looking to join the Lakers can do so knowing they have Luka around for a while, and he's going to be good. So they can attract free agents, they can attract disgruntled stars. And the presence of Luka guarantees a certain level of competitiveness every year. And now they also have big money to go with the appealing market as well. LA has always ranked well as a market in these rankings, but the Lakers lost points because the Buss family was the wrong kind of billionaire -- namely, their fortune was tied up in the franchise. Mark Walter doesn't have that problem, and over time it will allow the Lakers to match market with budget. Oh, and the rankings even have us sticking up for Rob Pelinka. Or sticking down for the Clippers and Warriors, at least.  HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Luka saves the day.  SEGMENT 2: Why Walter's money matters.  SEGMENT 3: Judge the Lakers by the same standards, people!  Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!5-Hour ENERGYEnough with boring, flavorless caffeine, it’s time to give your caffeine a flavor upgrade with 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots. Get the favorites you love or be bold and try something new in-store and online at https://www.5hourENERGY.com or Amazon today. OpenPhoneStreamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/lockedonnba Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNBA at https://monarchmoney.com/lockedonnba for 50% off your first yearFanDuelRight now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting https://FanDuel.comto get startedFANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

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• Luka Doncic now Truly Ready to be a Laker? Plus, his Relationship With LeBron.

  The Summer of Luka continues, this time with a profile in WSJ Magazine, the long form arm of The Wall Street Journal. It's both a player profile -- one confirming again that Luka does, in fact, look awesome, physically -- and a fashion spread. And as the writer Jason Gay notes, the two are related. Most guys aren't all that interested in the modeling (which in this case includes a shot in the cold tub) if they're not feeling good about their appearance. The story was a nice introduction of Dončić to a demographic that might be less familiar with his work. And Rob Pelinka got to describe him as an "illusionist," a word he was likely back-pocketing for use in a well-respected publication like WSJ. Luka, of course, has completely changed the franchise's fortunes, and perhaps nothing illustrates that quite the same way as ESPN's Future Rankings, where without doing much other than swapping Anthony Davis for Luka (and not spending into their cap space), they vaulted from 21st last season to 8th. And let's be honest, most of that is just Luka. So how well set are the Lakers for the future, now that Dončić is under contract?  HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky  SEGMENT 1: More good press for Luka!  SEGMENT 2: Did Luka fix LA's future?  SEGMENT 3: How well set are the Lakers?  Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!5-Hour ENERGYEnough with boring, flavorless caffeine, it’s time to give your caffeine a flavor upgrade with 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots. Get the favorites you love or be bold and try something new in-store and online at https://www.5hourENERGY.com or Amazon today. OpenPhoneStreamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/lockedonnba Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNBA at https://monarchmoney.com/lockedonnba for 50% off your first yearFanDuelRight now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting https://FanDuel.comto get startedFANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

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• Is Deandre Ayton Set Up To Have a Big Year for the Lakers?

  Context is everything in sports. The Lakers have imported Deandre Ayton to be the new starting center, and it's an opportunity for him to change the conversation. Viewed by many as anywhere from a disappointment to a major disappointment to a bust, Ayton arrives in Los Angeles with a totally different set of expectations. Nobody in LA will look at him as a failed top pick, taken ahead of Luka Dončić. None of that matters. With the Lakers, he needs to stay engaged defensively, rebound aggressively and be maybe the fourth or fifth best offensive player on any given night. Sometimes he can pop off for 25, but the Lakers shouldn't need it all that often. And if Ayton stays healthy, he'll certainly be better than what they had at the end of last year, which was Jaxson Hayes. But remember, context matters. Ayton may seem disappointing, but had his best season playing with a great point guard in Chris Paul. Now he has Luka, who has made a career out of boosting the stats of his centers. Meanwhile, if Ayton wants another big NBA payday, it behooves him to stay as dialed in as possible this year. His skill set should match well with Luka. Ayton is good in the pick and roll, has a midrange game, and can get above the rim. There's every reason to believe that Ayton will be a very positive contributor, even if sometimes he falls short of the championship level expectations everyone on the Lakers has to carry.  HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: New environment for Ayton. SEGMENT 2: Why context is king. SEGMENT 3: What does the O look like with him?  Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!5-Hour ENERGYEnough with boring, flavorless caffeine, it’s time to give your caffeine a flavor upgrade with 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots. Get the favorites you love or be bold and try something new in-store and online at https://www.5hourENERGY.com or Amazon today. OpenPhoneStreamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/lockedonnba Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNBA at https://monarchmoney.com/lockedonnba for 50% off your first yearFanDuelRight now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting https://FanDuel.comto get startedFANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

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• Should the Lakers Trade Rui Hachimura for Andrew Wiggins?

  On Friday, we discussed reports that the Lakers might be more inclined to make moves eating into cap space they've made potentially available for next offseason, or the summer following (when a few high profile stars could become available). Is that really a plan they're kicking around? Would they spend some capital, and some flexibility, to get a guy like Andrew Wiggins from Miami? And no question, this is in large part a Wiggins issue, because a) he's seen as at least somewhat available, and b) as a two-way wing (particularly effective defensively) Wiggins fits a clear and obvious roster need for the Lakers. Put Rui into a deal, and the math works pretty easily. Leave him out, and it's a lot more complex. But more than that, is Wiggins worth that kind of move? If it cost Hachimura, Dalton Knecht and perhaps a first rounder? Is he enough of a difference maker? What if you take out the pick? What if you take out Rui (though it gets harder, for sure), but include the other stuff? What if you tried to approximate what Wiggins could deliver, but at a lower price? What exactly does "all in" mean for the Lakers, anyway? Is it the same for them as it might be for another squad? Does the definition matter?  HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Does Wiggins make sense?  SEGMENT 2: What is "all in" for the Lakers, anyway?  SEGMENT 3: Would Wiggins fit better than Rui?  Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!5-Hour ENERGYEnough with boring, flavorless caffeine, it’s time to give your caffeine a flavor upgrade with 5-hour ENERGY®️ shots. Get the favorites you love or be bold and try something new in-store and online at https://www.5hourENERGY.com or Amazon today. OpenPhoneStreamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at https://www.openphone.com/lockedonnba Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNBA at https://monarchmoney.com/lockedonnba for 50% off your first yearFanDuelRight now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting https://FanDuel.comto get startedFANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

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• Luka Dončić Has the Lakers In "Win Now" Mode? Plus... More Ballmer/Kawhi/Clippers Mess!

  Luka Dončić dominated Eurobasket, leading an undermanned Slovenia to the Round of 8. That performance, along with everything else we've seen in the Summer of Luka, might have been enough to get the Lakers to change their long-term plans. Or at least change the way they do PR around their long term plans. Dan Woike of The Athletic writes that the Lakers, who had been reportedly very, very protective of their cap flexibility going forward into next summer and even the summer of 2027, could be tempted by the right deal to acquire a player who would eat into that space. It would be a defensive-minded wing. And right now, the only player who meets that criteria and is seen as available is Miami's Andrew Wiggins. Would Wiggins, who has an option for about $30 mil next season he'll almost certainly exercise, give the Lakers enough of a push to make it worth giving up not just a first rounder and Dalton Knecht, but likely Rui Hachimura, too? From there... woah Nellie, is Steve Ballmer in hot water. Pablo Torre followed up on his initial reporting about a potential cap circumvention involving Kawhi Leonard with another big story, this time linking payments to a Clippers sponsor and payments to Kawhi in ways that seem a lot more tangible (not that the initial volley of news wasn't pretty damning in and of itself). How much evidence does the NBA need in order to feel comfortable dispensing justice? How much more is coming out? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Did Luka get the Lakers to change their plan?  SEGMENT 2: What about Wiggins?  SEGMENT 3: Ballmer is neck deep now...  Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!5-Hour ENERGYTee up that trip! Enter for a chance to win a dream golf trip for two to any golf tournament* in the USA. Visit 5HEWIN.com for full rules and entry. No purchase necessary. Excludes the Master’s tournament. Ends October 31, 2025.Monarch MoneyTake control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNBA at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnba for 50% off your first yearFanDuelRight now, new customers can bet just FIVE dollars and if your bet wins—you’ll get THREE HUNDRED dollars in bonus bets to use across the app. Download the FanDuel app now by visiting FanDuel.comto get startedFANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

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