Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - Does Rui Hachimura Have a Future In Los Angeles? Can Redick Maximize Luka, LeBron and Reaves?

Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey, everyone, welcome to Locked-on Lakers for Tuesday. Brian Komenetsky, Andy Komenetsky, does Rui Hachem-Mura have a future in Los Angeles? Can J.J. Reddick get his big three producing big numbers? That is next. You are Locked-on Lakers. Your daily Los Angeles Lakers podcast. Part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Thanks to everybody for making Locked on Lakers, your first listen of Every Day,

Starting point is 00:00:34 Monday through Friday, no matter how or where you get your podcasts. This one's always free. It's never behind a paywall. Locked on Lakers on YouTube is where you can go hang out with over 36,000 subscriber to the program, Andy, all of whom are wondering whether or not the big three is going to produce at the level that will be necessary to really support the defense. We'll talk about that. We'll talk about Rui Hachamura in his potential future in the NBA.

Starting point is 00:01:04 and are sorry with the lakers and so on and all of that Andy as soon as we tell people that today's episode is brought to you by Fandul football season is around the corner visit the Fandual app today and start planning for your future bets now so ESPN is an interesting thing that they put out where each team has a number that is kind of a key hidden statistic or whatever it might be and for the Lakers, it was one that was centered around the pick and roll, specifically the pick and roll with Luca Donchich and LeBron James, and the 4.4 pick and rolls per 100, 100 possessions of the two of them, Andy, worked together, which is far lower than I think a lot of people expected when LeBron arrived.

Starting point is 00:01:58 It's a number that bumped up in the playoffs, but overall is one that you would expect to be seen. significantly higher over the course of the year. And it's one of those things that, if not this exact statistic, like how many pick and rolls are the two of their end? It's an example of how the Lakers need to make sure that they are truly calibrating this offense to get the most out of this highly unusual, highly talented pairing of LeBron and Luca,

Starting point is 00:02:30 and then adding, of course, Austin Reeves to that with a skill set that ought to compliment both. Yeah, I'm going to read some of this verbatim because there's a lot of herbage, but I think it's worth it to really illustrate what they're talking about, what the Lakers are ultimately contending with. Quote, with Luca Donchich and LeBron James on the roster, the Lakers have access to a theoretically unguardable play, pick and rolls between, picks between James and a talented guard that don't have forced mismatches and worked wonders. Yet the Lakers didn't run many pick and rolls between their two lead creators after the past season's blockbuster trade. In the regular season, LeBron set 3.8 picks per 100 possessions for Donchitz per genius IQ,

Starting point is 00:03:09 while Donchitz set 0.6 for James, a total 4.4 picks per 100 possessions. For comparison, James and Kyrie Irving set 15.1 picks per 100 possessions for each other across their last two seasons together in Cleveland. James and Austin Reeves have set 11.3 per 100 for their across their shared Lakers tenure. To be fair, the Lakers were adjusting. to a novel situation on the fly this past season, and the stars' duo pick rate rose dramatically in the playoffs from 4.4 to 9.2 per 100 possessions, although that was almost all James setting for Donchich rather than the other way around. It unsurprisingly produced plenty of points as the Lakers averaged better than 1.2 points per play when a Donchich James pick led directly

Starting point is 00:03:56 to a shot, foul, turnover, but they should utilize it a lot more in 25, 26 to get the most out of this unique partnership. And what I find really interesting about this is we've talked a lot. And we have talked about it. Other people covering this team has talked about it. I think it has even been discussed by the team to some degree. The idea of a synergy between Luca, LeBron, and Austin, which seems like the most optimized version of the Lakers.

Starting point is 00:04:27 And it can be a goal. But you have to get the two-man game down before you get the third. dude involved. And what I think is really interesting about it is by any logical measure, that starts with Luca and LeBron, because they're the two best players on the Lakers. They're the two best playmakers, two most dangerous guys, they're going to draw the most attention. So you would look to synergize that duo. And obviously, that's a big part of maximizing the Lakers offense, get it humming better than it often was last season. But this is also a season that's going to be spent, I think, really evaluating and deciding how well Luca and Austin worked together and whether that is

Starting point is 00:05:02 a foundation worth investing in literally and figuratively, we've talked before about Austin, is expected to make 30 plus million annually in his next deal. And then in the meantime, LeBron and Austin already have a really good synergy that can be maximized. But when you think about the team big picture, they're the two least important in terms of potential parings. So it just, it's nothing that I think is insurmountable for the Lakers. I just, I just, think if nothing else, it speaks to the importance of a training camp with all three of them together and AJ Redick's ability to just work through all these different questions because it isn't always easy to get everybody rowing in the same direction and to come up with the intricacies and the

Starting point is 00:05:53 exact timing of everything you want to do. I think for the yes, yes, I understand what you're saying when you say that, you know, Austin and LeBron, it's like the least, like the less important part of it. Like all of it, though, like there's space for all of because while the three of them together is going to be a significant and important chunk of it, you know, you start halves, you end halves, you end, you know, and games with the three of them on the floor together. There's also going to be a lot of time where it's, you know, two of the three are on the floor, even one of the three. God willing, not very many, where none of the three are on the floor, but one of them really should be there all the time. So, I mean, I think all three combinations are important. We can talk after the break about the Austin part of it because I actually don't think that's really much of an obstacle. I think most of the questions you're talking about, is he worth investing in?

Starting point is 00:07:00 I think they've already answered the question. But we'll get to that, maybe the next segment. In terms of the LeBron-Luca thing, I do think it starts with the two of them and the vision that those guys have and the opportunity that you have to put two guys with such unique skill sets together in actions like that. You know, two guys who read the floor better than 90-7,

Starting point is 00:07:32 of the league who have basketball IQs and can see things develop better than just about any player in the league. Certainly, I don't think any team in the league has two guys that have that. When they made the trade for Luca, we said, like, it's not a perfect apples to apples thing. But in terms of, if you'd pick somebody who could replicate LeBron's scoring and passing ability, the court vision, the ability to put the ball anywhere at that size, it's Luca. I'm like, they are very similar in that regard and to have the ability to put them together. I do think that's the sort of the foundational spot. But Reeves is a third guy.

Starting point is 00:08:21 I think you can get pretty creative, especially if you can figure out ways to make all three of them comfortable with the occasional catch and shoot, with maybe touching the ball a little less. And that's going to be more LeBron and AR because we've said this about LeBron throughout his career. It's like you've got to find an awfully good player to get the ball out of LeBron's hands. Like these point guards that the Lakers have tried to get it come in and make it so he doesn't have to carry the load as much. Ultimately, you're taking the ball out of your best player's hands and your best

Starting point is 00:08:58 orchestrators' hands. They finally have somebody who could do that for LeBron and you'd do it better at 26 than he can certainly at 40 going on 41. I am, I think the training camp thing is critical. I think they, if they haven't already started drawing all this stuff up, if they didn't enter the summer doing all these things, I get, they didn't have a chance when, when Luke was traded. Of course. Andy, you got to believe. Like, I, I, I, I, I, I, I am that they are, you know, to use the Mike Brown Parlin's binders deep in sets and things that they want to try. Oh, absolutely. I mean, it's why I said that the training camp is going to be really essential for all of this.

Starting point is 00:09:45 It's a big advantage that they will have heading into this season that they didn't have obviously, you know, in Rob Polinka Parlance building the plane in midair. And, you know, that that was the truth. They were trying to figure this thing out on the fly without a center even close to as good as, you know, as good as Mark Williams, who they wanted to trade for, much less, you know, Anthony Davis, who they did trade out for Luca. So I don't think any of this is insurmountable. I just think it's really interesting.

Starting point is 00:10:22 just in the sense that you have these three different players, all of whom are very offensively talented and in certain respects, duplicative offensively in a way that I don't think is bad. I actually think they play off each other very well. I think the redundancy on defense can be a problem with all three of them, and in particular with Austin and Luca at times. But offensively there, I think, is a lot of untapped potential that they didn't have there. I just think it was interesting the way the article very understandably began this with Luca and LeBron as the foundation of it. And some of this really, I think in a lot of ways, is Luca either being willing to more

Starting point is 00:11:14 often or being asked more often to screen for LeBron because the discrepancy of LeBron screening for Luca was much higher than Luca screening for LeBron. I mean, LeBron did it like six or seven times more per game, even though neither one of them did it a ton. It was certainly more LeBron screening for Luca than the other way around. I just think it's interesting in the sense that Luca and LeBron are the two best players, yet Luca and Austin are on different timelines than Luca and LeBron with a potentially longer future together, that you're still going to be figuring out the maximizing of it,

Starting point is 00:11:53 even if, like you said, and you may be correct, that they've already made up their mind about how much they'll pay Austin up to a point. But all of these things need to be figured out individually as a foundation before you even start thinking about maximizing a three-man version of it. Again, it's nothing insurmountable as a problem. I just think it's a really interesting question. It is. I don't. We'll talk more about this after the break as well. as the question of Rui, because there's one other wrinkle, I think, that makes it easier to make this whole screen and roll thing work and work effectively, and it actually has nothing to do with the three of those guys. We'll get to it next. Lockdown Lakers is brought to you by Fandul.

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Starting point is 00:13:57 with AR and LeBron and all that, our AR and Luca and all that kind of stuff. I don't think they're going to, I don't think they are going to and I don't think they need to make any concessions, Andy, in that regard. For two reasons. First of all, they're going to sign Austin. Assuming Austin either doesn't completely bleep the bed this year and give them, you know, the red flags just start flying out from places that you would not expect them to fly. Assuming that doesn't happen, and I don't think it will, and assuming the number for Reeves doesn't get prohibitively high, like I think most people are talking in that $35 million plus 15% in either direction.

Starting point is 00:14:46 I think that's what most people are kind of estimating for it. Assuming nothing weird happens, they're going to re-sign Austin. And I also think it's, they're not looking at LeBron or Luca and Austin as the future foundation. I think they're looking at Luca, Austin, and Star to be named later. And so whatever chemistry that you're looking at there is going to be altered or upset or changed, by whoever, whoever that third star is going to be. So I don't think they're going to need to or really even try to think that hard about the extra reps

Starting point is 00:15:33 or do we need to hone in on this chemistry question between Reeves and Luca because I don't know if it's going to affect their long-term plans. I think it could to some degree just because unless they are truly going to, I don't want to say sit in neutral, the team they have right now isn't just idling, you know, waiting for something big to happen in terms of competitiveness. It's a good team. But unless they are going to really hold off on doing anything of significance unless it's Janus, Yokic, or pick another star that Laker fans are

Starting point is 00:16:12 photoshopping, you do have to try to maximize what you have. But that's my point is you maximize what you have by maximizing what you have, not by trying to think of, you know, do we have to give extra reps? Are the things that we need to see if I'm understanding correctly? We understand that are future based because we have decisions to make that are future based. I don't think they need to compromise anything this year. I think they maximize it. Fine. Remove the decision piece of this. You still have to try to maximize three different sets of parings. That's what I'm saying. Regardless of whether you think there are decisions involved with it, you still have to try to figure out the way to do that. And that is something that has to be

Starting point is 00:16:57 solved before you figure out the three-man piece of it. If you don't buy into the idea of decisions for the future, fine, whatever. But there still is taking one thing off the table, is all I'm saying. Okay, fine. I, of all the things, yeah, you got to figure it out. But I mean, If you're JJ Reddick, and if you could present, especially an offensive-minded NBA head coach with like something you've got to figure out, like here's your homework assignment, here's your challenge, figure out how to make Luca Dantritch, LeBron, James, and Austin Reeves effective. And it does matter because obviously the more effective they are offensively is more wiggle room for them on the other end and more wiggle room for the Lakers.

Starting point is 00:17:41 but like of all the dream assignments for a head coach who likes to design offense, this has got to be it. Sure. Again, like I said, I don't see this as some insurmountable problem that is brewing for the Lakers. I do think it is a potentially complex question. And just that number got me thinking about how you go about attempting to build foundations for this, again, utopian version of the Lakers at their best offensively,

Starting point is 00:18:19 which is this three-man weave foundation between Luca LeBron and Austin that eventually starts implementing DeAndre Aiton and Rui Hachamora and all these other guys involved with it, which sounds amazing, and I'm not saying it can't be done, I just think they are they are further from it happening based on some of the numbers and frankly a lot of the offense that we saw last season when it was the three of them they are further along from it than I think all of us thought would be more quick to happen just because all of us were so excited at the possibilities of the three talented players put together and just seeing that number I think was a reminder of the work that.

Starting point is 00:19:06 that is still there to make happen that goes beyond just whatever JJ is brewing up in the lab. Again, because it's one thing to draw this stuff up. It's another thing to implement it, get buy-in, get synergy, all that stuff. None of it is, emphasize again, me trying to project doom. I just thought it was an interesting way of looking at where the Lakers are right now. and if nothing else, an illustration of the synergy that wasn't there. Yeah, no, it's a cool number.

Starting point is 00:19:41 I mean, it's a cool number. It's a revealing number, and there's a lot into it. You mentioned Aiton, though, and that was what I was alluding to when we went into the break of the first segment. The fact that they have a more versatile, I understand, like, everybody focuses on the vertical threat

Starting point is 00:19:55 and all that, and look, Jackson Ais can get above the rim and all that. But he is not a player that needs to be accounted for offensively. for anything other than, hey, you know, keep an eye on the guy when he's rolling to the basket because he'll get above the room and they'll throw him a lot. You add Aiton in there as a much more versatile, maybe not as vertical, but a much more versatile offensive player to use in those screen and roll situations as either a screener

Starting point is 00:20:27 and, you know, the direct pairing screen and roll, whatever, a third guy who moves in all. Like there are so many different ways. He has an ability to be a, I was going to say, he has an ability to have a jump shot threat that Jackson Hayes simply doesn't have. Correct. And from mid-range, all these other things. And like, he's just, you have to account for him.

Starting point is 00:20:50 And the two-man game and like what you design for, though, you know, LeBron and Luca, Luca and AR, the three of them together, whatever it is. It doesn't always necessarily have to involve screener, you know, ball handler. It could be that, you know, you're really designing action for LeBron to, you know, come, you know, from the wing or AR to get a spot of, you know, cut from somewhere to create an option to get Austin an easy three-pointer in the corner, whatever might be, using a different screener. And so there's so many combinations of things they can do. and so the offensive versatility of Aiton relative to Jackson Hayes, or even adding a player like Smart, who is not a classic point guard,

Starting point is 00:21:41 but can move the ball, make the right pass, but put it in the right spot. That opens up options. A lot of interesting questions, Andy, being asked about Rui Hachamura and whether or not the Lakers see him as a future piece, and we will get to that next. I don't think this is a surprise to anyone, Andy, but Yovam Buha reporting that the Lakers have no intention to offer an extension to Rui before the offseason.

Starting point is 00:22:20 Given everything that's been said about flexibility and this and that, whatever, I would have been shocked, would remain surprised and I'm not at all surprised to hear that that doesn't appear that it's going to happen. Yeah, this was from a recent episode of Buha, Block, Yovans podcast that everybody should be listening to, obviously after listening to ours, quote, with the current intel I have, I do not expect Rui to be extended by the Lakers in the next six weeks.

Starting point is 00:22:45 It's certainly possible that something happens. But I would say that most of what's been out there is wanting to keep the books clean and wanting to see whether he starts or whether he's their sixth man and how the pieces fit together. And what I found really interesting about this is Rui is the, in a lot of ways, the perfect, like, test case or Rorschach test for what you think of the Lakers plans seemingly for building around Luca moving forward because Rui has played well with Luca. I think the two of them have played well together. I think the two of them in a lot of ways project to play well off each other.

Starting point is 00:23:26 Rui has now turned himself into a very good outside shooter, the type that could feast off Luca feeds for the rest of his career. Honestly, the biggest problem with Rui's three-point shooting is that he doesn't take enough of him. Like he needs to bump up the volume, I would say even double it. But he's also, though, he's not good enough that he would automatically merit an extension. but he is good enough to make you consider whether or not the Lakers should do it, if for no other reason than to have the tradable contracts.

Starting point is 00:24:06 Even if you don't see Rui as a definitive piece for the Lakers future moving forward, although it is worth noting that while Rui is certainly not LeBron in terms of overall ability and career achievements, yada, yada, yada, he's not the worst replacement in the world for a lot of what LeBron brought to the team in terms of athleticism, in terms of size, in terms of starting power forward. Again, he's not. I'm going to fight you on this. You could do worse.

Starting point is 00:24:40 You could do worse than Ruy as a starting power forward, which LeBron plays. You obviously need to replicate different things. In terms of replicating, if you need a starting power forward after LeBron is gone, you could do worse than Rui. That's a different question. You need to be brought by somebody else. That's what I'm getting at. Like, the way you were framing it's like, you know, there, you know, as a couple people on the chat are framing it. Like, you are replicating very few of the skill sets that LeBron has, like very few with Rui.

Starting point is 00:25:17 Right. But a lot of the skill sets are being replicated by. Luca and theoretically awesome. I understand that. But I'm saying like, you know, if you're going to need a, you know, if you're need another power forward next year, I have no problem to bring Rui back. It's just, you know, that is, you know, the idea of Rui as a starting caliber power forward in the NBA, perfectly legitimate conversation.

Starting point is 00:25:46 The idea of Rui as a LeBron replacement or a guy who can replace that. a lot of the things that LeBron does. I don't buy that. And I don't think that's what the Lakers would see it as. When LeBron goes, there is no guy who can. Yes. I mean, LeBron, maybe obvious to you, but I mean, other people on the chat are, you know, are. I'll rephrase it.

Starting point is 00:26:10 LeBron is putting it that way. Okay. I will rephrase it. LeBron is clearly one of one. There is no replicating LeBron. I would like to think that most people watching or listening to this show would recognize that I am not confusing the overall skill sets of LeBron, James, and Rui. But I will phrase it more clearly now. He is clearly not LeBron.

Starting point is 00:26:34 But if you are looking for somebody to take over starting power forward minutes that can fit very well with Luca and provide some of the things that this team needs in terms of physicality and athleticism, and he's within the school. sweet spot age-wise, you could do worse than Rui. Either way, I think he's an interesting test case in terms of who you would theoretically be willing to extend with Luca or how much you are just thinking more about flexibility, flexibility always being in the form of a player that does not exist because we value cap space. I think they've answered, again, I think for next year this offseason, they've already answered the question. Like, if they're not, not going to extend Rui. They're answering that question. They're saying we are valuing our flexibility for next. Especially with the idea that LeBron might be off the books. And I think you're what you said at

Starting point is 00:27:29 the beginning of it was the conversation with. I think 100% correct. You could do worse than Rui is a starting caliber power for solid player has a couple really good skill sets in terms of the athleticism out on the break, has turned into a really good three-point shooter, as you mentioned. has weaknesses that we all know about. You know, he is not a good rebounder for his size. He is not a great defender, although I think he is becoming more attentive defender. He's trying more on that end.

Starting point is 00:28:01 He's improved. He, um, would be help if he was asked to guard fewer shooting guards and point guards. I think that'll make a difference. No, slotting him in the right spot will make a difference. And I also think that, um, he is not a great passer.

Starting point is 00:28:16 You don't look for, to Rui for ball distribution. That has never been a strength of his. But is he a good player? Absolutely. But he's not so good that you feel like you can't replace him or that you need to overpay to do it now that you need to make some sort of future. We talked about in the last segment about the Lakers being sort of committed to Reeves coming back, whatever. And not necessarily, I don't think they're necessarily as.

Starting point is 00:28:47 concerned about seeing really hyper-focused on what it looks like to see Rui, I'm sorry, Luca and AR together. I do think, though, when you start getting out further into the supporting cast, then I do think those chemistry questions, those need questions, wait, we're going to need a player who can do X, Y, and Zil, when LeBron is gone. Does that mean we want Rue or not want Rui? I think you can wait. I think you can absolutely wait.

Starting point is 00:29:13 You can probably bring him back next year if you want to. you might not be able to. He plays his tail off. It obviously could get more expensive to bring him back. But, you know, I think he's probably going to slot again around the amount of money he's making now. I don't think he's going to get $25 million, $30 million or anything like that. So it's it's it's. But if say you could, let's just say as a theoretical, you could.

Starting point is 00:29:46 And I want to make it clear. I have no idea whether this is possible or not. I'm just saying as a theoretical, if you could extend Rui for 3 and 45 now, which is a little bit less than what he makes. 3 and 45? Sure. Like 15 a year.

Starting point is 00:30:03 Like or say 3 and 45, absolutely. Little bit less annually, but longer, whatever. Do you think the Lakers should do that? Yes or no? Because that's what I'm getting it. I think they probably, I think that contract they probably, probably should. I don't think really will sign it.

Starting point is 00:30:22 Well, okay. I don't think Rudy will take three and 25. Remove whether or not he would. Just let's just say in this theoretical, he would do it. Yeah. I think they should because I don't like, I am, yes, I think the Lakers should. If Rui

Starting point is 00:30:36 would take 15 a year, I absolutely would sign him to that. Or even let's, his current salary is like 18. Let's just say. 18. So 3 and 60. You know, give him a slight raise, give him something. Yeah, I probably would. Do you think the Lakers would? No, I don't think they would.

Starting point is 00:30:53 That's what I find interesting about this. They have made it clear. They are not going to sign players into the cap space that they have built up for next season. Like that it is, I don't love the strategy. I've made that abundantly clear on 50 shows. But, you know, it's, it's the Rorschach test or whatever it is has already been done. They are not doing it. They are not pursuing.

Starting point is 00:31:20 payers that are going to cost them, you know, that's bad, that flexibility. I'm talking more Rorschach test for how we feel about it or how fans the people listening to the show would feel about it. That's what I think is the Rorschach. It's not a Rorschach test for the Lakers. They're not taking the test. I'm talking about the people engaging with us. Yeah, I will.

Starting point is 00:31:40 How they feel about it evaluating a strategy. Yeah, I think it's it becomes like, you know, is, do you buy this as a way to go forward and I just I think they're a better ways I think you have you know assuming they're gun shy because they keep signing guys to contracts that nobody wants and so I think the fear if you extend somebody like Rui is that this idea of you can trade a player is true if people want that player and they keep signing guys people don't want so they're gun shy I think in that regard but if you if you sign the right guys rui hachamora at 17 million dollars a season or 18 million a season playing like he did last year is probably more valuable than the cap space in my opinion

Starting point is 00:32:31 but i just work here handy um just a guy with a podcast five days a week and a youtube channel that is 36 000 subscribers strong the people can subscribe to uh they can go to uh out of and subscribe there to the audio or Spotify and all that kind of stuff. We did not get to Dalton Connect, who fell precipitously in the athletic redraft. The summer of concern about Dalton on Locked on Lakers will continue tomorrow. Keep an eye. Let us know what you think about this Ruby question about the chemistry issue, about what you would do with some of these players that the Lakers could extend if they wanted to.

Starting point is 00:33:12 And we will see everyone tomorrow.

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - Does Rui Hachimura Have a Future In Los Angeles? Can Redick Maximize Luka, LeBron and Reaves?

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