Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - How the Luka Dončić Extension Impacts the Lakers Now and in the Future

Starting point is 00:00:00 Hey, everyone, welcome to Lockdown Lakers for Monday, Brian Komenetsky, Andy Kaminetsky. Luca Donchich signs his extension with the Lakers three years, 165 million. What does it mean for the Lakers now and in the future? That's next. You are Locked on Lakers. Your daily Los Angeles Lakers podcast, part of the Locked on Podcasts Network, your team every day. Thanks to everybody for making Locked on Lakers.

Starting point is 00:00:33 First listen to every day, Monday through Friday, Friday, no matter how or where you get your money, your money. I'm looking forward to Luca to Donchich and our reads for the day. No matter how or where you get your podcasts, this one's always free, never buying paywall, lock down liquors on YouTube. It's where you can go hang out with over 36,000 subscribers to the channel, all of whom, Andy, are very excited that the that Luca Donchich put pen to paper over the weekend on Saturday, basically the earliest morning moment possible. Great news for the Lakers. We'll unpack it all here in a minute after, though. I tell you that today's episode is brought to you by Monarch Money. You can take control of your

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Starting point is 00:01:50 Andy, we were actually, we went on 710 ESPN on Saturday morning and did a show in response to this news. I mean, it is technically speaking. not the earliest that it could have happened, I guess, 1201 on Saturday morning would have been faster, but it's damn close. Luca got a workout in, and then around 930 or so, the contract extension was signed.

Starting point is 00:02:17 $165 million over three years. The third year is a player option that he is widely expected to opt out of and then sign another extension with the Lakers. contract worth potentially about $420 million. So things are looking good for Luca, but really, Andy, things are looking good for the Lakers. Yeah, absolutely. When you mentioned before that technically Luca could have done this thing at 1201 Saturday

Starting point is 00:02:46 morning, but waited until, say, 9.30 a.m. And I think that matters. Well, I think that matters because A, 1201 would have been a really stupid time to do this. But B, you wouldn't be able to make it the culmination of a big theatrical, symbolic, hyping buildup to where we are right now. And I think that matters. A, because it's very clearly what Luca wanted. I mean, everything from the week of Luca in New York and in Chicago

Starting point is 00:03:22 and appearing on a Yankees broadcast and appearing on the TV. Today Show and the men's health, like all of this was leading up to this moment of signing the extension before Luca goes back to Slovenia to train for Eurobasket. And it's very clear that he wanted this to be an event. Like this was the cherry on the event flavored Sunday. And it's really awesome because it, I think, speaks to his enthusiasm for this. I think it speaks to him being cognizant of hyping up the fans and making them feel excited about the process of it. And it just feels like, I mean, we're going to get into how there were elements of this plan while he was still in Dallas and planning on still being in Dallas. But it feels very emblematic of one of the things that is very key to the Laker history, which is we do it all big, baby.

Starting point is 00:04:25 like we do these things big and Luca thus far seems to be a part of that lineage. You know, I think about like the the sort of symbolism. He's like, look, Brian Winhorst laid all this out a couple weeks ago and we talked about it on the show. You know, Wendy was like, look, Luca typically does not do NBA business while he is handling other things, you know, and other things in this case being Eurobasket and getting ready to play for Slovenia and represent Slovenia in that tournament.

Starting point is 00:04:59 And Wendy was like, do not panic if it takes two weeks, three weeks, whatever it's going to be because it doesn't mean that Luke is not going to stay in L.A. It just means he typically doesn't mix these things together. We've seen the pictures of him

Starting point is 00:05:14 wearing the Slovenia training stuff and all that. He's obviously been working hard to get in fit both for that tournament and obviously the NBA season. So it's like, okay, don't panic until maybe the training camp rolls around. But so even though, and you made this point Saturday, like, could you have done this on Sunday? Sure.

Starting point is 00:05:37 Monday? Sure. Tuesday? Yeah. Is there any real functional difference between signing it on August 2nd and August 5th? There is not. But there is a symbolism to doing it right away of showing how. you are, you know, excited to be here, committed to the team. Lakers will obviously set this

Starting point is 00:05:59 press conference up for you whenever you want. And they'll do it with whatever terms you want. Like that part, you know, this is the contract he was widely expected to sign. But you put it all together sort of to Luca's understanding of the optics of signing right away. And then, like you say, it kind of fits into how the Lakers, do stuff where you know you have this tour that takes him through new york and then he's in chicago and then he's in l.A. and um you know he's had the cover of men's health magazine and he comes in the lakers for people who didn't see it had this great photo display up of luka um you know a bunch of pictures in his short time in l.a like it was just really well done and so like you say

Starting point is 00:06:48 Luca kind of understands how that plays and what that looks like. Ironically, Mark Stein reported in his newsletter on Substack on Sunday, this was supposed to happen. Like they arranged, you know, the Jordan folks and Luka, team Luka arranged this originally months ago to end on July 6th in Dallas. For him, an extension there. So type of buildup. And let's get it done.

Starting point is 00:07:20 This was going to be Lucas approach, reportedly no matter. And he just transferred that to L.A. So like the Dallas folks, like, you weren't going to hold it over them either. He was going to show that same level of commitment. And now he's parlaying that into a commit with the Lakers. And one, Andy, that he seemed very excited about talking about it on Saturday. Well, there would have been no reason to ever think that he wasn't going to sign that extension with the Lakers because, as we talked about many times, he was building a second home in Dallas. you don't do that. With the Mavs, you mean.

Starting point is 00:07:49 I mean, that's what I'm saying. Excuse me, with the Mavericks. Like, there was no reason to think that this was never going to happen. With the Lakers, though, I would just say that signing this on August 4th would have been great news. Like, it would have been awesome news. People wouldn't have been excited. Signing it on August 2nd, the first day you are eligible, that's let's eff and go. That's what you are messaging to Laker fans. It's what you're messaging to the Laker organization. That's what you're messaging to all of.

Starting point is 00:08:17 your teammates. And then you end up culminating the whole thing with a trip to Vegas to watch the Backstreet Boys, which the Lakers did as a group, which is a sentence I cannot believe that I just said. But they all went on a big trip to go watch the Backstreet Boys. As one does. I'm going to say, if you've never been to the sphere, it's a pretty cool place to watch a show. What I think is funny about all this is how many of these guys were alive?

Starting point is 00:08:47 when the Backstreet Boys were at their height. Like, not all of them, that's for sure. It's just, it is a, this summer has, there they are. If you haven't seen the photos, you can, you can find them. It's, it's the Lakers and the Backstreet Boys all hanging out together. My wife is more of an in-sync person. You know, you have to choose, and she has chosen in sync. So we're not a Backstreet Boys family, but good for the Lakers.

Starting point is 00:09:16 It's just this this is you've not you got I don't know how to upload Certain videos off social on to our On to our feed so I was unable to upload some of the videos of them actually taking in the concert But please I I highly recommend because they're not hard to find seeing Rob Polinka in the crowd Doing a Rob Polinka version of rocking out which is just just adorably awkward and ridiculous. You also see Kurt Rambus attempting to film the concert with his phone. Like, it's just so wonderfully dorky.

Starting point is 00:09:57 It's fantastic. All right. So after the break, we'll talk about, we'll kind of talk about a few other things that were really important. And just this summer has gone on as well as it could for the Lakers and their relationship with Luca. And then Luca said something, Andy, that I think is. particularly critical for the Lakers and gets to the heart of how they're going to improve this year in relation to last. We'll do that next. Locked-on Lakers is brought to you by Monarch Money.

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Starting point is 00:11:47 if you were trying to outline, if you're Rob Polinkin and Jeannie Bus, what is the best summer that we can have? Like the stretch between the end of a disappointing playoff run up until August 2nd when Luca is eligible to sign an extension with the team. What is the best possible outcome here? Well, it starts with Luca and LeBron both getting healthy. Obviously, Luca is not just gotten healthy, Andy, he's sort of transformed his body. So that takes care of that part of it. Not only is Luca, you know, getting healthy.

Starting point is 00:12:25 He's completely buying into and going fully invested in this idea of being in shape, championship caliber conditioning and giving himself, doesn't mean he can't get hurt. Doesn't mean something can't go wrong. He's giving himself the best opportunity to be healthy over the course of this season. And then you see not just that. You see Luca helping to actively recruit free agent players like DeAndre Aiton, after he was bought out, like DeMarcus Smart.

Starting point is 00:12:52 Marcus Smart. We had too many DeAnthneys and DeMarcus's. Marcus Smart, DeAnthony Melton, and then who isn't coming here, and then obviously DeAndre Aiton. But Marcus Smart coming, you know, and helping with that recruiting. Like that's Luca getting involved.

Starting point is 00:13:11 And then sign the extension, day one, you're in the building, get it done, go to Backstreet Boys afterwards. That part might not have been anticipated, but everything else. This is essentially how you would have drawn it up. I also like that so far the relationship between Luca and the Lakers and particular Rob Polinka has seemed really collaborative.

Starting point is 00:13:36 And look, these relationships, if the one that Luca has with the Lakers goes on as the Lakers won it, there will be ups and downs to it because for the most part, there are exceptions, but superstars and teams, there can be ebbs and flows to the relationship. You know, we've talked many times about the relationship between LeBron and the Lakers, and we're going to get into that before the show is over. That has had its highs, that has had its lows, it's had the middles.

Starting point is 00:14:05 Kobe spent 20 years with the Lakers. The highs were really, really high. The lows got really damn ugly. And there were more than one of them. You and I were in the, like, right in the middle of his trade request. and, you know, the circus of the 2007 offseason. And then there's been like middle ground areas where Kobe was openly upset about them trading Lamar Odom for nothing and basically making it clear like guys better have a plan. Like there better be a plan or being upset about hiring Brian Shaw, not hiring Brian Shaw, not hiring Brian Sean going Mike Brown instead despite Kobe openly wanting Shaw.

Starting point is 00:14:49 Like those are some of the middle periods. But at the end of the day, it was a very, very productive, successful relationship. But so far, it just feels like Luca wants to work with the organization and not necessarily pressure them into the things that he wants, but rather just tell them, this is what I want. Like, you know, there's one of the things I kept bringing up leading up to the extension. when people kept framing the idea of, well, they got, Lakers better do X, Y, and Z because they got to get Luca to sign this extension. I'm like, they should know what Luca wants. Like they should be in communication with them.

Starting point is 00:15:28 And it appears that that has been the case. And even when Luca was in Dallas, like there were ups and downs in that relationship too, particularly between Luca and Rick Carlisle for a lot of time there. But even then, Luca had never really been one to necessarily pressure. the organization into the things that he wants. It just seems more like he wants them to know what he wants, and then he will trust them to go get it done. And as long as you're not completely screwing up,

Starting point is 00:15:59 it seems like for the time being, Luca would rather operate in collaboration than sort of through intimidation. And I think that's in the long run, that I think that tends to be more productive. Like they pre, you know, it's, It's important. Like, Luca isn't going to give the Lakers a break.

Starting point is 00:16:21 It's not like he doesn't want to win right away too. Like the 2027 plan, like he's not just going to be happily punt this year and next year and wait for 2027 for the Lakers to aggressively make moves. He's going to expect them to be good over the next couple seasons. He was going to sign this contract with the Lakers, but it doesn't absolve them. He's excited to be here. He's excited to stay. He's excited for the future.

Starting point is 00:16:45 It does not absolve them of the, it's on a lifetime contract. And he will, if the Lakers get lazy, and I don't think they will. I mean, I can't guarantee that every move to be good, but they're not going to get complacent. I don't know. Rob, Rob does not have the luxury of being lazy. Forget the Luca piece of this. He's trying to make sure he keeps his job with the guy that's going to be eventually the full owner officially, Mark Walter.

Starting point is 00:17:11 Like, Rob does not have, I mean, I don't think at least. Rob has the luxury of complacency, even if you remove what Luca wants from the equation entirely. Yeah, I think that's fair. And so you look at it and I just, I think the drama doesn't go. There was drama in Dallas over these things. It's just going to look different. And for the time being, they don't need to engage in it because right now, not only have the Lakers, you know, got Luca to re-up in a way.

Starting point is 00:17:45 that really sends all the right messages, they actually have done a good job of improving the team as much as it really could be done realistically without moving pieces. Like, you know, were there trades out there where maybe they could have picked up a player or two that in the aggregate are better than some of the guys that they got, possibly. But you also have to balance that against rotation players lost. And the Lakers lost one rotation player in Doreen Phiney Smith and have brought on three. That is a really good ratio there. And the three that they brought on,

Starting point is 00:18:23 especially Aitin and Smart, feel huge needs. You know, question marks, some caveats and all that kind of stuff. And we know came with Lucas stamp of approval because he played a role in bringing the beginning. Yeah. So like you're talking about filling two huge gaps without giving up rotation players. And then the third guy, I happen to think Jake La Ravia, has the potential to do a lot of, maybe not all of, but a lot of what Dorian Finney Smith was doing by the end of the season, especially sort of the diminished version, the injured kind of version, the Lakers got in playoffs.

Starting point is 00:18:58 So it has not been a perfect offseason from a personnel standpoint, but in terms of like, you know, if you go to a, you know, if he did the math on it and you had, you know, kind of the median result, are the Lakers above the median result of all the different possibilities are below? I think they're definitely above. This is a top 20% outcome for the Lakers over the course of the offseason. That's something you've got to take. Up next, though, I want to get into this.

Starting point is 00:19:31 Maybe we can kind of set it up here. Luca talked a lot about the commitment, the excitement, and all these other things. but you can make an argument, Andy, that the biggest thing the Lakers have going for them as they go into next year is time and even a little bit of continuity. They're going to be bringing back a similar team with like we just talked about additions

Starting point is 00:19:57 to the group that finished last year so guys know each other. And now they're going to have a full training camp and a full off season for JJ Reddick to scheme to build stuff, the coaching staff to decide what they're going to do for Luca and LeBron to build up better chemistry and have a real plan to utilize two of the smartest players that the game has ever seen. So we'll talk about the importance of training camp

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Starting point is 00:21:52 So let's knock out the LeBron part first. And we'll get the training camp because we're going to always save that part for tomorrow because I think it really is a big deal. There was a lot made out of the fact that many of LeBron's or Lucas teammates were in the building Saturday. You saw Jared Vanderbilt was there and Maxi Claibah. Rui Hachamora. Adi, Adi, Dukh, Jackson Hayes.

Starting point is 00:22:17 Yep. So there were six, seven guys that were there. LeBron, brawny, not among them. And then also Austin Reeves, who's in China, doing some shoe promotion. There was a lot made out of the idea that LeBron wasn't there. Mark Stein reported on Sunday that LeBron did, in fact, reach out to Luca via FaceTime. So they waved to each other and they got to see each other's smiling faces to congratulate him and talk about the contract and all that kind of stuff. So the two of them, them have been in communication. And it just says to me, Andy, that there is certainly a maybe desire among some people for the LaDrama to extend at the very least to something between Luca and LeBron themselves. There is just no credible indication anywhere. Anyone has reported that those two have a problem playing together, that they don't respect each other, if there's anything but great enthusiasm for the on-court pairing, that's what all the report reporting has been. There's not been anything to the contrary, and we can all move along because FaceTime. Well, you can move along in terms of trying to speculate about any tension between

Starting point is 00:23:29 Luca and LeBron. I said before, do I think there are some tension that's lingering between Luca, I mean, between LeBron and the Lakers? The answer is yes. But it does not appear like whatever tension exists between LeBron and the Lakers, and even the degree to which it may relate to Luca, like in terms of how Luca is being prioritized ahead of LeBron, which he should be. He is entering his prime. LeBron is going to turn 41 in December and how maybe the prioritization manifest itself in the way LeBron feels he's treated by the Lakers or prioritized by them. But that's not the same thing as Luca being resented by LeBron.

Starting point is 00:24:14 And it seems, at least to both of us, very clear that however LeBron feels about the Lakers right now, he's not taking it out on Luca or turning that into resentment towards Luca because he has no reason to. Luca has been very open in how much he grew up idolizing LeBron, how much respect he has for LeBron. I don't think Luca wants to give the impression that he is shoving all. arguably the greatest player in NBA history out the door in a way that feels unflattering to a guy of LeBron's stature. And look, when you are somebody like LeBron who does so much public messaging and so much public messaging with a reason and with the intent of having people read into it, then it is fair that when you don't send the public message, in this case, like a public congratulation of Luca, that people will read into it.

Starting point is 00:25:19 Like you can't have this both ways. But just because people are reading into it doesn't mean there is something to read into it. And in this particular case, I don't think there is anything to read into it. I think the other thing to remember here that's really critical is there is a temptation to sort of think of LeBron's demands, you know, And I put demands in air quotes. But LeBron's demands to maximize this opportunity, go all in, to make sure the Lakers are doing everything they can to be as good as possible in the right now

Starting point is 00:25:50 because he doesn't have five years to build something up or three years or whatever. I mean, you know, maybe he's got a couple. I think that's reasonable. He could probably play a little longer than that if he wanted to. But realistically, you're looking at this year, maybe next year, maybe one more after that. It doesn't have a lot of seasons to give away. So, yeah, I want to be in a winning situation. Luca says, you know, has said, like, you know, just, I'm signing here, but I don't want to wait to be competitive.

Starting point is 00:26:17 It will be competitive. Well, you know what? If you're LeBron James, you know what helps you make, be really competitive? Playing with this, especially this version of Luca Donchich, who very well may ascend again into that conversation about the three, two or three or four or five best players in the NBA, which he's slender. which he slipped out of last year. If you're Luca, do you know what helps you win right away and keeps you competitive? Having a guy who's a second team all-NBA player with the vision and the strength and toughness and the incredible basketball IQ, one of the few guys around the league who kind of matches yours in LeBron James.

Starting point is 00:26:59 There's this temptation for some, I think, to put these things at crosshairs all the time. when reality there's a ton of overlap in the Venn diagram of LeBron wants to be competitive, Luca wants to be competitive, especially when you're talking about this season. Beyond this season, maybe those paths diverge. But for this season, those guys have a mutual interest in working together and making the basketball as fun and creative and exciting and successful as it possibly can be. We had a comment on one of the, I don't remember if it was the quick reaction show that I did to Luca signing the extension or the show before that, but from Shaq Kobe Magic, AK, is it not a big red flag that LeBron is not even present on this important event of the Lucas extension? I guess LeBron will not retire as a Laker.

Starting point is 00:27:58 And I responded not really, to be honest, regarding it being a big red flag. There are already questions about whether LeBron will stay with the Lakers beyond next season. think those questions are legit. But I also wouldn't jump to the conclusion that missing Lucas presser means LeBron's already made up his mind. If for no other reason, then, LeBron is smart enough to realize he may not have a better option than the Lakers to check as many of these boxes as possible. A competitive team, much less with a teammate who's actually better than LeBron, high salary, proximity to family and outside business ventures. How many other teams can offer as many or more than the Lakers.

Starting point is 00:28:39 That number ain't high. As such, even if LeBron isn't thrilled about everything with the Lakers right now, and I suspect he's not, there may not be a more preferable situation out there. As such, while I definitely believe LeBron is leaving, I definitely think LeBron leaving in 2006

Starting point is 00:28:57 is a live possibility. I would slow down before declaring it a done deal, especially since there's no indication of tension between LeBron and Luca. I just think that's really important to remember. Do I think it is possible that LeBron is unhappy with certain things about the Lakers? Yes, I've said as much many times.

Starting point is 00:29:18 Do I think LeBron will be weighing his options other places? Yeah, I think he will. But LeBron, this relationship between LeBron and the Lakers has often been a fairly transactional one. That's not to say that I think LeBron has not cared at all about it. being a Laker or has taken no pride in being a part of this franchise because I don't think that's true, particularly in 2020 when LeBron very, I think sincerely and very openly shouldered the burden of trying to carry the franchise through Kobe's death. That was something that he talked very publicly about, I think very emotionally and very

Starting point is 00:29:58 heartfelt. And he led a team that was very openly trying to win a championship in Kobe's memory. But for the most part, I think the relationship has been fairly transactional and kind of like a marriage of convenience, which may not be that inspiring or exciting to fans. But the flip side is, if you need to make it work, it can be easy to put aside certain things or even certain emotions when you know it's just kind of transactional. This is what it is. This is the best situation because of X, Y, and Z. so I'll make it work as opposed to really getting emotionally caught up in it. I look at it this way.

Starting point is 00:30:42 LeBron, to your point, LeBron didn't show, like, he wanted to play in Los Angeles. And like that the Lakers were in Los Angeles made it even better. Like I get to join the Lakers and I get to play in Los Angeles. And I'm going to join the guy's a student of the game. He understands the history. And I think that was exciting. Let's say there were two teams in L.A.

Starting point is 00:31:04 and one of them was the Charlotte Hornets, and now they become the Los Angeles Hornets. You take the Lakers, and they have been and always been the Charlotte Lakers with all of this history. And what a great thing. Like, do I think LeBron would currently be playing for the Charlotte Lakers because he wanted to be a Laker?

Starting point is 00:31:25 No, I do not. I think you would have picked the best of the two L.A. teams, or he'd be playing in San Francisco and, like, commuting. like that's what he would have done. So yeah, there's a certain transactional nature to it. But you made, I think what what Lakers fans get really excited about. And like the LeBron thing, there's always been a section of Lakers fans who have not been all in on LeBron. Even when the team is winning, like LeBron has held up his end of the bargain from a performance standpoint.

Starting point is 00:31:58 There's no question, but it has been some drama. And there have been some ups and downs. And people don't like the resigning. He never has, it was never quite felt, you know, like one of us, so to speak.

Starting point is 00:32:12 And it goes back to the long rivalry between Kobe fans and LeBron fans when both of those guys were active. The Nike puppets. Yes. We were promised to finals that never happened. I think, and you pointed this out on Saturday,

Starting point is 00:32:27 like the Lakers for the first time since Kobe, have a star in his prime who Lakers fans can kind of rally around and feel like, okay, yeah, he was somewhere before he got here. But, you know, he's going to be here for a decade. He's going to be our guy. He is a young guy that we can build around. He's in his prime. We're going to bring more guys.

Starting point is 00:32:51 He is an era that Lakers fans can get excited about. And not just a star that can be theirs in his prime, because to that point, you're describing Anthony Davis when AD got traded over here. Yeah. But the difference between Luca and AD is as great a player as AD was for the Lakers, and you and I, I think, stood up and took up for AD more consistently than a lot of people that cover this team. I would agree.

Starting point is 00:33:18 But Anthony Davis never has shown that he can be the number one guy that a team is built around and get to the finals. Like I think Anthony Davis was the last couple of years with the Lakers, the best player on the team, or certainly over an 82 game basis as a two-way player. Right. It's fantastic, obviously, in the bubble playoffs, particularly in the final. Right, right. But he's never shown that ability. Luca has.

Starting point is 00:33:47 Like, Luca has been the number one guy on a team that went to the finals that, you know, outside of Kyrie Irving, who is obviously fantastic, it was a team filled with role players, Kyrie and him. And he took that team through a tough west through the finals. Like the Lakers have not had anybody like that since Kobe. And he's 26. There's a lot of runway. It's really exciting. I think, and I don't even think there's a guarantee that this core,

Starting point is 00:34:20 this three-person core between LeBron, AR and Luca, obviously, is done after the season. I think there is a chance that it extends beyond. this one. But either way, the Lakers are, I think, quietly putting themselves in a position to be not a favorite in the West, but if guys stay healthy and players stay on the floor, I think a team that is going to be better than at least some of the punditry is expecting. They're just comparing it to how the season ended. It is a totally different team and a different star driving it. Locked on Lakers on YouTube. It's where you can hang out with over 36,000 and subscribers to the channel. We'll be back tomorrow, Andy,

Starting point is 00:35:00 unpack some of these questions about training camp and strategy and what changes going in next year because it should be pretty exciting for people that Luca will be there from the jump as opposed to how they did it on the fly last season. We will see everyone tomorrow.

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - How the Luka Dončić Extension Impacts the Lakers Now and in the Future

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