PART 3: What did we learn from this exercise?

0:00Oh boy, he always seems to get involved. I'm telling you, too many coconuts are hitting him right on top of the skull. I think Anthony will be a great acquisition. You can do it all. Every who shows us. Harrison, you're not factoring in the, you know, how much a player option is worth on the open market in terms of actual price on being able to choose your next destination next September. Yeah, yeah, you, can you imagine how I would have handled that interview if he was a Laker?

1:00Like if Aaron Turner, I hadn't even thought about this. Yeah. We would not be having this show right now. You would not, you would not be being positive. I'll tell you that. Hey, this technically counts as me being positive if I'm talking shit about a player who is not like, you're like, hey, get this loser out of here. Yeah, but like, yeah, could you imagine how I would have handled Aaron Turner going on a different podcast and like saying, could you imagine if he said that on my podcast, like if he came on this show and was like, look, Sacramento is going to have money. Chicago is going to have money. Could you imagine like the face that I would have made in that moment? I would have made them out on the air. He's a fucking Laker now. This is why nobody wants you. Aaron, where'd you go? But, but anyway, like the mom of one, how confident are you in this one living up to?

2:03I don't know if you saw this, but for yesterday's episode, I basically outlined like the various situational lineups that the Lakers are going to have next year. So I started with the starters and then it's bench unit and then the combo units where it's it's some combination of starters and bench. And then I talked about like small lineups and big lineups and stuff like that. The guy who I came to most frequently, like looking for ways just to get return on investment. I was trying to slip. Mom, we went to a lot of these lineups and I was kind of having some difficulty doing it. So like how confident are you in this signing paying dividends? I am very concerned that this could look really bad if he can't play the four as much as it seems like they're betting on him being able to play the four. Some next to Kessler because if that just doesn't work, if it's just not tenable on offense or defense, then like you're sort of in trouble having devoted this contract to him.

3:06And especially while not really having a true backup center beyond him, you know, that that's sort of where I get a little bit nervous about it. And it's like, you know, could you have gotten Kelly Ubrey? Could you have gotten, you know, even Caminga, like with that money and just felt better about okay, our four spot is locked in. Like I like mom. I think he's like a good player. I'm just not sure that like he is the right fit for what this team needs. But the, you know, if I'm going to go positive, it's, you know, the case for this Lakers team is, hey, we are quadrupling down on a strength. We want to be unstoppable on offense and we just want a bunch of guys that can go get a bucket and that can space the floor and that can make quick decisions. And like our, yeah, maybe our defense is only going to be like, okay, but, but we're going to try hard and our offense is going to be unstoppable. And it's like almost like the, it's like the nuggets model from 2022 when they won the title. Yeah. Or 2023. Yeah, 2023.

4:08Yeah, when the nuggets won the title, it's like, okay, their defense is like, all right. And they get by, but it's just like you cannot stop them from scoring. And I think that that is sort of the model that the Lakers are going for is like, we just don't want to have anyone besides Jake that you can play off of. Yeah, I was. But here's any looks like he can shoot. Um, mom also looks like he can shoot about that. Yeah, but, but like, but with, with mom, like, to the guy that look like they can shoot on this roster. We're going to do a little test and then just say like column sex and it's her, everybody off the case. Like. I believe we haven't seen him do it a lot yet, but. The reason we haven't. But like in theory, maybe he could. But so, yeah, so, but like with, with the mom who's saying into your point, like, the Lakers offense is going to be especially during the regular season.

5:19Like we'll see how it fairs in the playoffs when teams have multiple games to get used to defending this many shooters, this much offense and stuff. But the, the thing that like on on a random Wednesday in Milwaukee, this team is going to be able to do to some of these teams is going to be incredible to watch. Right. And then we're going to do a random Wednesday in Milwaukee. They might put up 200. Have you seen the book? Yeah, my break some records. Random Wednesday in Milwaukee. He got, he got coups giving Ted talks during, yeah. It was like guys clear out. I could take these guys down. Do you see, who's say he got a chat every position? Wait, he said that. Yeah, he was like, you remember when, uh, when, uh, when, uh, when people were calling him a bad contract and he's like, oh, I'm a bad contract who's like athletic.

6:20No, it was like a throw in. They were talking about him being like being thrown into the honest trade. He's like, what? Oh, we even get from every position. You just throw in a, throw in denied. It's. We saw that. No, no, no, you're not sneaking him in here. How bummed you think he is that he didn't end up in Miami. That's got to be like, uh, that's a real brutal twist for, for coups. I will say this in fairness to coups, he didn't say how well he can guard every position. Yeah, that's right. That was going to be in my defense. He can guard one through five. I don't know how capable he can. It depends on the one through five. Yeah, as likely to guard any of the positions as any of the other ones, you know, so. Yeah, like when there it just depends on who the other team's best player is, what with that is hunting him on the switch. Yeah, right. Um, but yeah, like I, I think like, Mammu, what I'm really excited for. I don't know if you watched any of his games so far in Fiba play.

7:23But what I'm really excited for with Mammu and, and basically all year we're going to do this and we're not going to be alone and doing this. Everybody's going to be doing this. He's going to be compared to Rui, right? Because I was essentially the choice that the Lakers made was should we bring back Rui and have him finally start at the proper position. You know, we saw how good Rui looked in moments that he was starting, you know, when LeBron or Luca were out. And, and that's a very natural fit. We know what the floor would be there with Rui, even if the ceiling is, is maybe not where we would like to see it. And they basically said, we'll go with a potentially lower floor in Mammu with the thinking being that maybe he can raise the ceiling collectively just by being such a faster decision maker. Being more capable as a facilitator and, and, and somebody who is is just, you know, a, a, an advantage compounder, I think is is one way I would really kind of analyze his games.

8:25He's just so good at when a superstar breaks down the defense, compromises the defense and the ball finds its way to Mammu. He never, ever, ever makes it so like not not only does he not make it so that like the advantage is lost, right? The gears don't stick. Yeah, he almost always makes it so that advantage that the Lakers or would would gain or Georgia gains or Toronto gained last year when he was on Toronto. The advantage that that was created, he always made it, you know, either took advantage of that of that compromise or increased the advantage that his team has with the decision that he made and how quickly he makes it. So like, yeah, the offense is going to be absolutely astounding, like potentially overwhelming to a point. Yeah, to a point where like it could be the best offense in the league and maybe even buy a little bit and and like you said, it has to be and that the game that the Lakers are making here.

9:29We've talked a little bit about how, you know, Luca can make Kessler better and how, you know, like, like, or how Kessler is going to make Luca better by having like the natural screen partner or the natural screening role game, like the exact type of big that Luca likes playing with. But like, I don't know that we've talked enough about like how much better Luca has the potential to make Kessler by how easy he can make his job like we saw Luca turn Jackson Hayes who sucks into a positive offensive weapon. And I just think like, you know, if he can do that with on a much lower scale with Jackson, like, I think we might be underselling the leap that Kessler could take as an offensive weapon just by right. Like he's never played with a ball handler anywhere near Lucas caliber and like a series of ball handlers like it's an entire team of ball handlers, you know, ball handler life. You're often caliber. Yeah, right. And so yeah, like that's and like that's the gamble that the Lakers made with all of these guys is that this situation is going to elevate all of those guys to a point where they are worth as much or exceed their contract value, right, that they'll play at a level higher than they have played to this point in their careers.

10:49And like if I was to, you know, and part of my like, like you said Harrison, they see like there is a vision, there is a world where this all works out, there is a world where they execute this tough golf shot around the green. You know, it's just about my confidence level and them actually pulling them this off and and like, you know, in going through this exercise, I have, you know, you know, there is the it's it's not like nothing that we have said so far today. Anybody would listen to or a non-Lakerpan would listen to him be like they are being homers right that's delusional yeah yeah like we haven't said anything outright delusional today and I think that's kind of the purpose of the season. We said plenty of delusional things just not today. Yeah, yeah, that's true. And the last the last bullet point here before we go into some Q and A or whatever, but the last bullet point here and I think is a really important one to monitor over the course of this season, I think the West collectively is worse this year than it was last year by quite a bit.

12:03Okay, see his worse than they were last year just in terms of raw talent they aren't going to be able to go at teams and waves to the extent that they did last year, maybe they can sell it in the town, but they're they're probably going to have Jalen Williams, well provided Jalen Williams is recovered and like there's no really effect that he he didn't. I think they're going to have him back. We thought that we thought he was going to be recovered last year, but he had one of those weird things where he had to have like he had that surgery and then they kind of like they they fucked it up and they had to go back in and like whenever they have to go back in and fix a surgery it's like almost like you almost have to assume that's going to be a right off season where it's just like that's yeah that doesn't seem ideal to have to come back out. I think you can assume that that part of the body that was that the surgery was worked on is ever going to function at quite the same level again. Maybe not, but I think you okay see I don't disagree actually we're arguing semantics. I don't disagree. Okay see took a little bit of a step back. I just don't know how actually functionally like impactful that is on the rest of the West because they're still going to be really good.

13:10I would say the spurs probably got better you know and they they were always going to get better internally and then they added a couple of pieces as well. So I actually I like the Tobias Harris fit for them a lot. I feel like that's going to be like so much so that they don't need LeBron. I mean not that much but. And then let's see so Phoenix probably got a little bit better I think they'll be better next year than they were last year and they took a step forward last year as as it was Houston will see I'm not positive about Houston. I didn't love that Thompson contract I know everybody was lauding it you know and stuff like that but I it's hard to pay somebody that much money who can't shoot they just cannot shoot that's that's really you know maybe he learns but if he doesn't that becomes a Ben Simmons type contract. The the let's see I mean we know the vibes at least they're going to be great pair okay yeah I mean they're always together no matter what locker room in Houston.

14:19Yeah that's all that ever follows Kevin Durant that's all that like you know that's the only type of locker room he's ever played in. You know it's funny is like you could make the case for Houston it's like well Katie probably won't have another burner scandal right. He hasn't already got to have learned his lesson like at this point you know let's see so the other one the nuggets got worst worst this year the Grizzlies got better but I don't think they're going to factor into the playoff picture the Blazers got better you don't think so no the Blazers got better but like I think they're in kind of that Memphis category as well golden states. Golden State seems like an absolute garbage fire whatever's going on there the Clippers obviously got worse the jazz I think got worse like I I really don't like that roster without Kessler and

15:20they're going to defend no they're going to be better than they were last year though just because they're going to have to start probably yeah that's what I mean like they got a little better even I don't think they're I think they're in that Portland yeah I agree grouping yeah Dallas I think they're still kind of looking their wounds and and they're probably in like the lower lower tier of the West or whatever but my point being that like the West I think isn't the gauntlet that it's not going to be a good thing to do. But I think it isn't the gauntlet that it has been in recent years and and I think with the West taking a slight step back with the East taking a step forward I think that this is a year where the Lakers can kind of gauge how well these gambles are paying off while still remaining you know in in position to have home court in the first round like I think there's a world here where like the Lakers but you know the I think the over under still sits at about 46 and a half 47 I think they hit that number and and and you know finish at the top of their division just by way of of the West not necessarily being where where it typically is and I think that that's really important given all of the variables that we've talked about over the course of this episode.

16:44And I mean the variable that you didn't entirely mention is that the teams they're going to play the most in their division are all like pretty bad the Pacific for a bad division. Yeah except for Phoenix right and even Phoenix like they're they're okay but they're not juggernauts by any means that's an unbeatable team for the Lakers I think they'll probably win like between 45 and 48 wins this year. Maybe maybe like now like 45 ish wins is what I would probably put Phoenix at so they aren't terrible like you're saying they'll be fine-ish. But yeah Sacramento sucks Sacramento. The players are probably going to be horrible the Clippers are probably going to be horrible. Yeah I can't wait to see what the basketball gods do the Clippers and and so. Have they not got enough? No no not to my book no. Um but yeah like I think the point being here that like another bullet point that I have a decent amount of confidence in right the you know the the possibility that the West does take a slight step back this year.

17:57And it's funny because I went on an episode of Wildback and I talked about how Rob Polinka was right in that teams did wind up having to sell off. Pieces because of their apron situations where I think he misstepped pretty drastically was in thinking that those teams would make those decisions and help the Lakers with those decisions. And you know you didn't rock didn't buy a couch for two years because he's like I think my neighbor's going to put that one out on the street and then they gave it to somebody else. Right yeah. And and the but like he was he was right in and yeah like you're saying that that neighbor did get rid of his couch he was just wrong in that that couch all the couches went to the Atlanta Hawks and it's like. Jim Lincoln showed up with a moving van and just took all the couches. It's a real mall in there. Yeah.

18:59But yeah I like just kind of on a macro level of like how how did this help your confidence in the Lakers this season. And being actually trying to be positive. I actually do feel better. Yeah. I already I think I was more optimistic than you I feel like my questions about this team are not in the regular season. I think they're going to be really good. I just you know I have questions about the ceiling. Yeah. I this was fun. I'm going to try being more positive maybe not to the extent where it's like causing me physical pain like it did today. But like I'm going to try Lakers physical pain. We've seen how this goes. It's you start getting positive and all of a sudden someone's leg falls off. It's funny people in my neighborhood. And mom who actually needed an amputation today. On the portion of people in my in my neighborhood will often like ask about my job.

20:00And there are like so many just like ridiculous nuggets that I could just throw out there. And one of them is that I have to be cautious with how optimistic I get about the Lakers because devastation always. People will blame you when something goes wrong. I'm always like a little nice. Whenever the Lakers somebody gets hurt. Do not Google my name. Like yeah. All right. Well, that is going to do it here for this episode of the Lakers Lounge podcast. Harrison, anything that you want to poke for we get you out here. Just two things. Number one, SB Nation app. You can download it. App Store and Android. It's still US only right now. I believe, but it is like, you know, the app has been great. I've been having a lot of fun with the conversations in there and like especially on silver screen. And, you know, I also want to plug a pH lock 666 comments that did someone say Clippers. And it would have been very funny if when we were talking about them.

21:03Pete just popped up again. He just shows up. He has like bloody Mary, but for the Clippers, he just like. Like. It's like, if you stay, if you say Steve Balmer three times, Pete just pops up. Yeah. I really, really. The other day after we recorded our pod, like I felt like I was, I felt like I was levitating a little bit. I was just like, I needed this. It's been a long, it was a long week at work at home and with like family stuff and whatever. And I was like, I just like, my ice coffee tastes better today. The sun feels good on me. You know, I was just like, I was, I was glowing after that. I almost walked down to the Intuit Dome just to like redo the show and up to my biggest haters funeral. Like selfie. Yeah. You should have just like, and like it's, it's pretty sunny out. I don't want to push it. Like I don't want to like, it's like, it blotters. You're just dealing with like outside the Intuit Dome.

22:03You guys are dealing with like my weather, like the weather that I live in. You guys are just paying a lot more for it. I pay too much money to live in Los Angeles for it to feel like this outside. It's unbelievable. Like I moved away and all I'm seeing is like, damn, how are the, how are these poor bastards going to survive this week? And I'm like, that's been the weather for like four weeks where I'm at. You know, we're just not, we're not the toughest Texas. Well, Texans will tell you. All right. That is going to do it though. Thank you everybody for tuning in. Please hit that like button. Please hit that subscribe button. Turn on notifications for the show and for YouTube. So you get to notifications for the show. Subscribe wherever it is. It's your catch of progress. And use that promo code HMA on price picks to get $150 worth of free selections when you sign up. Use the code and win a $5 line up. Until tomorrow when I will be opening up the mail bag.

23:04Have a great rest of your day. Make somebody else's and hey, feel better Miles. He's been. He's seeing my kids sick. It's the worst. Were you too positive about him? You know, I did compliment him the other day. You know, like, oh, my bad. I'm so proud of the child you're becoming and then he just instantly falls ill. Yeah, InstaSick. Just like, oh, there's a fever. Yeah. All right. Well, yeah. Have a good one, everybody. Bye, everyone.