Andy Kamenetzky here, the host of the daily Locked On Lakers podcast, with your daily Locked On Lakers newsletter. Each day we bring you the biggest stories about the Lakers and the NBA, including the hottest links to other stories you need to read. Plus, Josh Lloyd delivers daily fantasy notes to crush your league.
After the loss to the Clippers on Sunday, the Lakers spoke frankly about the reality of their situation.
“We don’t have a huge margin for error. Nor can we create that margin organically,” said JJ Redick.
“That’s how our team is constructed. We don’t have room for error — for much error,” said LeBron James.
From a practical standpoint, both agreed that because they lack any wiggle room, simply can’t afford to have breakdowns in execution. They can’t afford turnovers, or bad shots, or lapses in focus. And as Redick notes, it’s something that’s baked into the roster. “We don’t have a guy on our team that’s going to necessarily always draw two to the ball. We don’t have a guy on our team that’s going to be able to get past his guy one-on-one and get to the paint and spread it out to the perimeter. Like, that’s just not our team. So we have to do it through connectivity, through execution.”
When they do? Redick says they’re really good. Except clearly they don’t do it enough.
Meanwhile, LeBron went as far as to say the Lakers need to play near perfect ball to win, in a game that is “never perfect.”
So what’s going on here?
Are LeBron and Redick putting out a call for more help from Rob Pelinka and the front office? A bit of CYA from both the coach (there’s only so much I can do with what I’ve been given) and star (you can’t expect me to carry these folks in year 22)? A moment of blunt talk at a very challenging moment in the season? Yes to all of it. And while, particularly regarding Redick, the talk will draw more attention to his coaching (if the roster is deficient, scheme becomes that much more important), it’s ultimately going to put the focus on Rob Pelinka, a thing he tends to enjoy much more in good times than bad.
—BK
Overheard In This Episode
“LeBron used to be margin for error. Like, by himself, LeBron was margin. For any team that had LeBron on it had a reasonably significant amount of margin for error just because LeBron could do superhuman things, particularly when he was in the East. So to say that we don’t have, meaning the Lakers, any margin for error is to some degree an admission of, you can’t jump. My presence is no longer enough to elevate a team to something bigger than it ought to be.”
“What’s funny about this though is when you talk about the squishy middle, I think in some ways that’s the space that they prefer because the squishy middle allows them to do the least amount possible with the most possible cover. ... I think there’s a ceiling on their confidence with this group internally, but the problem is there’s an even bigger ceiling on what they’re willing to do about it. Because like I said before, they don’t know what to do with themselves without superstars on hand.”
“I think what they also have is a massive, massive confidence deficit. Like, they just aren’t sure of what they’re doing and what, you know, when things are going poorly, guys don’t, you know, hate the expression. They don’t trust the process.”
Jan 19, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) dunks against the Brooklyn Nets during the second half at Paycom Center. | Alonzo Adams/Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images
Back with the second half of our midseason report specifically focusing on changes with a farther reaching affect than just this season. A midseason report adjusted for inflation, if you will. If you missed the first half, you can find it here.
Shifting hardware
If Shai Gilgeous-Alexander takes home the MVP trophy this season (as predicted in this newsletter back in mid-October), we’re in for a shift. While merit for the award comes down to performance, it also hinges on a slew of other factors, and some of those skew intangible.
The pool of MVP candidates, season-to-season, stays largely the same because athletes who are that good tend to stay good for stable stretches of time and because once someone has gained our attention, we don’t tend to shift it. We’re creatures of habit, and the people tasked with MVP voting are, too.
Thunder fans have been banging the SGA drum for seasons now, but it’s just this year that he’s finally managed to break through into the broader collective consciousness. We give a lot of weight to the concept of “readiness”, as in, when young athletes break through an invisible barrier and are able to handle some combination of the spotlight, leadership responsibilities, consistent high-level competition, and yes, award consideration.
The reality of readiness is that it’s mostly reached through repetition. Occasionally that’s accelerated through a trade — Henry Abbott at TrueHoop wrote a compelling case on how this could be true for Houston’s Jabari Smith Jr.
Household names get that way because we’ve said them so many times, not because some invisible cue or professional marker was met.
Katie Heindl is a credentialed NBA and WNBA writer, her bylines have appeared with The New York Times Magazine, SLAM, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Dime, Rolling Stone, among others. She writes the bestselling Substack, Basketball Feelings and is working on a book of the same name.
Home and Away
Analysis The Sixers and Suns’ struggles won’t end “Big Threes” in the NBA. (Forbes)
Watch Inside the NBA: On MLK Day, a look back at the movement to overcome. (ESPN)
Rumor According to league sources, the Lakers are more likely to make a half-measure trade rather than going all-in this season. This strategic approach suggests a focus on maintaining future flexibility. (Bleacher Report)
Preview The Lakers host the Wizards tonight at 10:30 PM ET. Read the preview.(NBA)
Fantasy Cheat Sheet
NBA Tuesday Fantasy Basketball Preview: Streaming Options and Injury Updates
Jan 11, 2025; Portland, Oregon, USA; Miami Heat center Kel’el Ware (7) dunks the basketball during the second half against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen/Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
As we look ahead to Tuesday’s NBA action, there are several key storylines and player situations to monitor. With five games on the schedule, fantasy managers have some interesting decisions to make regarding lineups and streaming options.
The Brooklyn Nets are dealing with multiple injury concerns. Ben Simmons is probable to return from illness, while D’Angelo Russell is questionable with hamstring tightness. This creates uncertainty around playing time and roles. Nic Claxton’s value is also in question due to inconsistent minutes and performance. For streaming purposes, Noah Clowney could be worth a look if Simmons sits.
One of the biggest spots to watch is what Miami does with rookie big man Kel’el Ware. Ware started the second half last game, next to Bam Adebayo, and is a guy to grab in case he begins a run of being a starter.
In Orlando, the Magic will be without Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and Goga Bitadze. This opens up opportunities for Wendell Carter Jr. and Cole Anthony to see increased usage. Both are solid streaming options in most formats for Tuesday’s matchup against Toronto.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Fantasy Basketball Podcast:
• Schedule analysis for the upcoming week
• Five-game and two-game team outlooks
• Deeper league streaming targets
3peat (ICYMI)
Lakers Acquire Center Mark Williams for Knecht, 1st Round Pick and Pick Swap: All In for Luka and LeBron Shortly after arriving in Los Angeles, new superstar Luka Doncic made it clear the type of center he likes to play with. Active, athletic, and with the ability to get up to be a vertical threat. Ask and you shall receive, Mr. Doncic. Late Wednesday evening, (via ESPN’s Shams Charania) the Lakers agreed to a deal with the Charlotte Hornets to acquire 23-year old 7-footer Mark Williams in exchange for Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, an unprotected first rounder in 2031 and a pick swap in 2030.
This pick is reflective of the new world of options opened up to the franchise by acquiring Doncic.
With Luka Watching, the Lakers Blow Out the Clippers, 122-97 Behind 26/8/9 from LeBron James The Lakers put out quite an effort on the defensive end Saturday, when they beat the Knicks in New York. Tuesday against the Clippers, they did it again, this time without Max Christie, who was with the Mavs making his debut for Dallas. Final score, 122-97. This was a top 3 defense in the league, and the Lakers lit them up, and controlled the game throughout. And obviously this was done without Luka Doncic on the floor. (LA’s new star is targeting Saturday vs. Indiana to make his debut in purple and gold.)
Luka Dončić Says Hello, Anthony Davis Says Goodbye, and NBA Media is Desperate for LeBron Drama The Lakers shifted their organizational focus from LeBron James and Anthony Davis to Luka Dončić with Saturday’s seismic trade. Everything they do going forward will be done from the POV of a roster built around Luka. That much is obvious, because Star A is 25 and Star B is 40.
