A Blog devoted to Lakers News, Commentary, and Analysis
At times this season, the dynamic between Jarred Vanderbilt and Lakers head coach JJ Redick was rocky, in obvious and subtle ways. It was never more apparent than their very vocal argument in a late regular-season loss against the Thunder. Redick called a timeout in the second quarter to take Vando out of the game, […]
LeBron James still hasn’t decided what’s next for him, but he did hint at a timeline for that decision in Thursday’s episode of the “Mind the Game” podcast. “I’m still in the moment of just taking my time,” James said. “I haven’t even really thought about it too much. Obviously, I understand that I’m a […]
Welcome to the conference finals and the last step to see who goes to the NBA Finals. If you’re wondering who to root for in the Conference Finals as we near the end of the playoffs this season, you are in luck. Let’s have a look at the teams in the conference finals and how they […]
The Sparks coast to a 97-88 win over the Phoenix Mercury on Thursday night. They improved to 2-3 on the year. Kelsey Plum was leading the offensive charge early for LA with six points. She started a perfect 2-2- from deep. Natasha Mack had four points for Phoenix. Cameron Brink knocked down a triple for […]
Lakers President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka said that with Mark Walter as the majority owner, the Lakers would spend everywhere possible to improve the franchise. So far, that’s been true. The franchise has hired a new President of Business Operations in Lon Rosen, and will hire two assistant general managers to help Pelinka with […]
It was a pleasant surprise to the Lakers that Austin Reaves was able to return earlier than expected from his oblique strain. Thanks to his efforts to get back, Reaves helped the Lakers eliminate the Rockets and then played in the second round against the Thunder. We don’t have all the details on how hard […]
The Lakers’ transition from a barebones front office to one as robust as the Dodgers is not something that can happen overnight. On top of the sheer volume of hires, ensuring the right people are hired is just as important. It makes sense, then, to involve two of the main figures of that Dodgers front […]
While the Lakers will have plenty of player movement with their roster this summer, there will also likely be a lot of front office movement as well. The arrival of Mark Walter as owner was always going to lead to filling out the front office. President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka acknowledged that the team would […]
When Jake LaRavia had it going for the Lakers, he looked like a genius signing for the franchise. He was knocking down so many threes against the Wolves to start the season that Anthony Edwards was asking who he was. Then the lights got brighter, and LaRavia began to dim. His shooting struggles from the […]
Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals made it abundantly clear that we are clearly in the Victor Wembanyama era in the NBA. Few players have been as impressive at such a young age as he has been. To qualify it as just impressive, though, is underselling what he’s doing. Dominating a playoff game against […]
After a rookie season where Bronny James primarily rode the bench, his sophomore campaign was much more positive. He didn’t have any huge scoring nights, but he continued to develop as an on-ball initiator and a solid defender. Late into the regular season, when the Lakers’ backcourt was depleted with Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves […]
After both the Nuggets and the Celtics were eliminated from the playoffs in the first round, Lakers fans of the more petty variety could rejoice that their most recent and their most longstanding playoff rivals were no longer in contention to win the championship. Add in the Clippers and the Warriors not even escaping the […]
The moments Adou Thiero played for the Lakers were exciting and promising. As a young player with an incredible athletic burst, he had some of the best dunks of the year for the Lakers. The problem was that playing time was rare. Part of the reason for that was health-related. Thiero wasn’t able to play […]
The NBA, like most businesses, is people-based. Yes, having talented players is important, but plenty can hoop. What differentiates teams is their ability to maximize their rosters and bring out the best in their group. Lakers head coach JJ Redick has shown an ability to do that. He’s had back-to-back 50-win seasons, and that’s because […]
For years, the joke amongst Lakers fans has been that good shooters come to LA and immediately forget how to make threes. The list of 3-point marksmen who have donned the purple and gold and became Rajon Rondo-esque shooters is a lengthy one. Fortunately for this year’s Lakers, Luke Kennard bucked that trend. Technically, his […]
The ending of the Lakers season was certainly bittersweet. While they were able to get a playoff victory and go out fighting against the Thunder, it all came under a sense of what could have been after late-season injuries to Austin Reaves and Luka Dončić. While the former returned, the latter didn’t, meaning his incredible […]
In the search for the coaching candidate most willing to work for exposure, the Blazers are still scouring the market for eager suitors to take the reins of their roster. Shockingly, not many clear options are stepping up. As a result of their reluctance to pay livable wages, the Blazers are not looking at marquee […]
After beating the Tempo on Friday, the Sparks couldn’t replicate that result on Sunday. Instead, they lost to Toronto 106-96. Los Angeles is now 1-3 on the season. Kelsey Plum got the offense going for LA early with a floater. Brittney Sykes responded soon after with a triple on the other end. It was Nyara […]
On Sunday evening, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was named the 2025-26 NBA Most Valuable Player, the second consecutive season he’s won the award. It was known prior to the announcement that Luka Dončić was out of the running after not being named one of the finalists. Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama finished second and third, respectively, in […]
Despite being one of the league’s very best at it this season, shooting threes still isn’t really Rui Hachimura’s “thing.” In fact, he downright doesn’t like it. When Rui joined the Lakers, he was known as an efficient mid-range scorer. However, in a league where shots were being pushed to the rim or the 3-point […]
The LeBron James era of the Los Angeles Lakers has featured lots of turnover. Lots and lots of turnover. For years, the constant was LeBron James and Anthony Davis. One player who worked himself into that mix and, eventually, became the new constant was Austin Reaves. No player on the roster has more experience alongside […]
The career Austin Reaves has had so far has been special. Not only has he gone from a college kid at Oklahoma to a superstar in Los Angeles, but his career progression has been a dream. Every year, Reaves’ role has increased and his production has continued to grow alongside it. His minutes played, points […]
When the Lakers traded for Rui Hachimura in 2023, they were acquiring a disgruntled wing, upset that the Wizards were not willing to commit to him long-term. The player who helped them to the second round of the 2026 playoffs years later had changed drastically, embracing his role on a team and franchise that has […]
The Sparks held off the attempted comeback by the expansion Toronto Tempo for a 99-95 win on Friday night. LA began the game with a big-time 10-0 scoring run. Nneka Ogwumike had five of those points, with Rae Burrell and Dearica Hamby scoring three and two, respectively. Brittney Sykes scored first for Toronto on a […]
After years in the LeBron James era under Jeanie Buss’s ownership, the Lakers quickly leapt into a new era last year. Months after acquiring Luka Dončić via trade, the Buss family sold their majority stake in the franchise to Mark Walter. In what seemed like the snap of a finger, the franchise shifted into a […]