Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - Is the Lakers Front Office Ready for the Offseason? Who's Doing What?

Starting point is 00:00:00 As the NBA finals keep rolling on, the Lakers are looking towards the draft. Who is actually in charge of that thing anyway? We'll talk about it with special guest, Kobe Price from the California Post. 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 stopping by Locked on Lakers, Brian Komenetsky, Andy Kaminetsky.

Starting point is 00:00:32 Still plenty to talk about when it comes to the finals and free agency. things like that. But the next big event coming up for the Lakers is going to be the NBA draft. And I'm, you know, the big organizational changes, all kinds of stuff going on, Andy. And

Starting point is 00:00:50 I'm excited today to talk to Kobe Price. He is the covers the Lakers for the California Post, new outlet in town. Andy and I, like, we've been watching, you know, some of the, you know, they made the higher in the front office towards analytics. And,

Starting point is 00:01:06 and data and things like that and tons of movement on the business side of things. But one of the things I know we're both curious about Kobe is like as we get closer to the draft, both who they're looking at but also who's doing the stuff. Yeah, they're making a lot of changes and obviously they still have me, at least as of now, they still have another assistant GM tire, at least on the basketball operation side. That's what Rock Lincoln told us after the season ended, someone who would be more involved on the draft side, the more of like the true what people think about basketball side.

Starting point is 00:01:40 You mentioned Rohan, he is more of the analytics and data side of things. But at the end of the day, it's still Rob Polinka. You know, yes, the Lakers brought in the Dodgers advisors back in November. So that's been, they've been around for several months after Mark Walter purchased the franchise and officially did in late October. But it's still Rob Polinka. he is still the lead basketball decision maker. Let's not forget, he did get a promotion around this time last year or I think what,

Starting point is 00:02:11 last April before the playoffs started. He got promoted to president of basketball operations, maintain the title of the general manager. So yes, there are changes. Assistant, excuse you, assistant general manager search right now, but this is still a Rob Polinka operation, at least from the basketball. basketball operation standpoint. There was, yeah,

Starting point is 00:02:35 they made, you know, not a huge deal, but it was certainly publicly known, you know, when earlier in the year, when they,

Starting point is 00:02:41 you know, obviously with the bus, kids, you know, were essentially fired. Your scouting operation goes out with them. You know,

Starting point is 00:02:50 that was part of that. Have they quietly been replacing some of that infrastructure in terms of the college scouting folks and the people who are traveling around internationally and all. that like what what do you know about the the status of that part of the infrastructure yeah the last time i checked in which admittedly has been a minute uh they were still in the process of replacing

Starting point is 00:03:13 uh those people i think rob was directly asked about it too and he said like there's some things they just don't publicly uh touch on but at least last time i checked in they're still in the process of replacing like and also not just replacing but also building out this kind of department because that was the other part of it they didn't even have a extensive scouting department to begin with so i mean it would have helped to have that more in place robb mentioned that they are not going to necessarily announce every hire that they make on the basketball side which um you could argue it doesn't matter as long as the infrastructure is eventually in place but given the credibility that i think it would genuinely lend this franchise and

Starting point is 00:03:58 if people started hearing concrete news and announcements about people being added, it makes me wonder if the reason they're prefacing, we won't announce all this stuff, is because they're having trouble filling out those positions. There's some truth to that. I mean, I think we've seen it more so on like the more public facing positions, like the assistant general manager position,

Starting point is 00:04:19 the one that they haven't filled yet. Like, they've gone after multiple people for that job. And some of those people have stayed put or decided not to move, for and with that role or interview process rather. So there is some truth to that, but at the same time, part of me, again, haven't checked on this while. I wonder how much they want to almost fill in certain spots

Starting point is 00:04:40 and then address that on the back end because you do want a certain level of synergy. Like you want to have an assistant general manager and then before you hire, like fill out your scouting department. Rather than fill the scouting department, then hire the assistant general manager. Sometimes it could be that, at least in, I guess, in terms of the process.

Starting point is 00:04:58 Your scouting infrastructure is also part of your intelligence network for determining who you would want to target and trade or who in the G League is someone that you might be able to pick off from another organization and offer that two-way contract, whatever it might be. Do you feel like they are at a genuine disadvantage at all, just given the sheer importance of this offseason? Yeah, disadvantage, maybe a slight one just because you don't have, I think it's an obvious thing to say it would be more helpful to have the full infrastructure built out than not, right? So from that standpoint, there's a disadvantage. Obviously, we're focused like the drafts in basically two weeks or a week and a half. You have free agency wrath for that. A lot of this process has already started. Like, again, is Rob leading the way, but he does have, he does have for on and Andrew Friedman.

Starting point is 00:05:53 And they are also a part, like, they're, I think, but they're officially advisors, but they're involved. Like, there's an involvement on there in that, I don't want to say it's underdiscussed, because I feel like that is discussed to a good degree. But I think in terms of infrastructure, like, they are part of the infrastructure, even if they are in advisory roles. I was about to ask, do you, are they involved in a way that goes beyond sort of best, practices and helping organizational structure and things like that like are they more involved in what people would consider to be basketball decisions me from my understanding they were involved at least i think i think believe as andrew was involved in the um in the hiring process for

Starting point is 00:06:40 assistant general manager process hiring for rohan and that makes sense yeah he has also been involved in the i think for the other position as well so other assistant general manager position as well. So at least from that standpoint, I don't know how much people would expect that involvement. I think, but that makes sense. Like that's smart people sitting in the room evaluating the resume, evaluating the person experience, like things like that as opposed to, you know, do you think this guy's, you know, ability to come off screens and pop is what we, like that kind of thing. So no, that makes a lot of sense. Yeah. I mean, I think some of that's also like once you built out the rest of infrastructure, like maybe their involvement will look different compared

Starting point is 00:07:24 to how it does now. I mean, based off of what Rob, you know, as at least publicly said, and what I understand to be the case behind the scenes, like, this is a, it is a collaboration. It's a more collaborative process where it's not, yes, like Rob's still the lead decision maker, but it's a little bit more collaborative than maybe it would have been last year or even the year before. Rob has often talked about a collaborative environment in the Lakers, and collaborating with JJ, collaborating with players. But the reality is this has been an extremely small circle of collaboration that at the end of the day,

Starting point is 00:07:59 Rob really just needed to get sign off from Jeannie. What sense do you get for Rob's genuine enthusiasm or more voices, more opinions, not necessarily having as much total unilateral control and influence? Like, I don't sense he's fighting it, because I think he's smart enough recognize he has no choice, but that's not the same thing as necessarily wrapping your arms around it. I mean, the one thing is, like, all the critiques from the fan base around the NBA

Starting point is 00:08:29 circles, like, Rob's a smart man. He's a, he wouldn't have been in this position to be, you know, as agent as long as he has been. And be, I mean, an executive for, I mean, when he's been, NBA executive for close to a decade now, he's smart. So he can see the right in the wall of, like, this outreach is going to grow. Like, it also does hope that he, He did get the promotion he got. It helps that he got the contract extension he got last year, which, you know, there is an element of security when you get an extension like that. Now, obviously, Mark Walter, you know, deep pockets. Like if he wants to find a new lead decision maker, then he can do so.

Starting point is 00:09:07 However, there's an element of when you have the new owner and you think this is also across the board. Everyone's on their best, you know, trying to be at their best. So regardless of, you know, Rob may not like the idea of, you know, losing, I don't call it power. Maybe influences the better word. Like his voice is, you know, he is still lead decision maker. He still is the, you want to say the most influential person on the basketball operation side. But there is a, it's almost like a pie.

Starting point is 00:09:39 It's not something, it's not just super binary of like you are either, this is your decision or not. Like there are going to be more voices. And he has to consider those voices because more. some balances. I think for most people, regardless of the position, that puts, you know, that just puts more pressure on you because you can't slip up in certain ways you may have before.

Starting point is 00:09:56 And coming up more of our conversation with Kobe Price from the California Post. Locked on Lakers is brought to you by game time. There are more live events than ever worth seeing right now talking games, concerts, comedy shows, festival. The hard part isn't actually figuring out what to attend.

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Starting point is 00:12:10 gets you to the season delivered right to your door. DoorDash, in your bag all season long. thing is interesting about the situation too, is that, and this is not typical of most ownership changes in sports when a team is bought. Mark Walter was a minority owner and had right of first refusal in his contract. So my guess is he has been forming opinions and likely has a pretty good idea, positives and negatives with Rob Polinka as opposed to somebody walking in and really learning for the first time what all this is about no a thousand percent i mean there was a familiarity beforehand and whether that helps or that hurts because that it can go it can go either way but there's also an element of you know let's see what he can do he being rob what what he can do

Starting point is 00:13:07 with more resources a more a larger infrastructure where there is what there's going to be they're going to be redeveloping or remodeling rather the training facility so they can have, you know, more medical resources, more training resources. What can that do in terms of, like, who you can be, like, the kind of players you can bring in, keeping them healthier, like, down the line. So I think there is also an element of, to your point, you know, yes, there were prior, I guess, notions about Rob or how he does the job, but what can Rob do with, I'll just say, just better around him? Yeah.

Starting point is 00:13:46 Because then, and then that's how he's going to get judged from. moving forward. And that's the part that I think is just so fascinating about this. In theory, it makes him more competitive and makes the Lakers more competitive. He should be able to do better work. Flipside is it also raises the level of accountability. Everyone has something to prove. You do have a 27-year-old Luca Donchage in the prominent career. This summer is, you know, it may not align them most perfectly. I know Robb's words optionality, but you do have the the resources and ability to build a more competitive roster that can compete with the thunder and the spurs and like all going down the line of teams who have had better

Starting point is 00:14:25 finishes than the Lakers the past couple seasons and that's what's going to be the challenge for them but it also is a challenge where they should be able to they're more they should be able to succeed at a higher level just because they have like they have what they need to when you when you mentioned rob and his love of the word optionality that being the buzzword when I was thinking just about their situation and some of the stuff we wanted to talk about with you, Kobe, it sort of dawned on me that the Lakers may be in a position where they, I think actually they are in a position

Starting point is 00:14:58 where they have more optionality than actual options. That doesn't mean that they can't make some good things happen this offseason because I do think that is possible. But I do think they're actually in a place where the options don't quite match the optionality on paper. It may not be the perfect time to have optionality just because, I mean, the free agent, like I've done it. I've written stories, like published and written stories about the free agent class isn't the best,

Starting point is 00:15:25 at least in terms of unrestricted free agents. The best free agents are restricted free agents and obviously there are complications when it comes to that route. Trade options, like there are there, but obviously trades are, to me trades are, I remember we're talking to an executive, you know, on another team a while, ago and they were basically saying like I don't like if you understood they were saying this to me if you understood how complicated getting trade is done you would be amazed that any trades are done like it's just not like it's not as simple as what most people think in terms of getting the trade done you have to basically I think you basically trying to find a partnership with another team where you guys both leave happy or you're both you know achieving a goal and sometimes that you know not every trades doka coming to the lakers like there are some trades where you don't get what helps you, like, you don't have to pay off for another two or three years. I'm also sure.

Starting point is 00:16:18 I'm not sure that one left everyone happy. I don't know if I would quite categorize it that way. Let's, let's, the next big thing, it's like, it's funny, like, all of these changes and stuff, like, I think most Laker fans are really excited about what is coming with new ownership and the pockets that are there. but you know if this it's almost like they bought like a really huge house and it's going to be beautiful and it's going to take a little time to furnish and all that but like people are coming over in like a couple weeks like there's an event at the house

Starting point is 00:16:54 in a couple weeks notably the draft I know Kobe you've been writing about the draft at the California Post getting ready for that so we'll we'll look at maybe some potential names that you think the Lakers might want to look at I do it on remind people about the everyday air club locked on lakers. supercast.com. You go there, seven day free trial right now. Check it out, see if it's for you. You get the show ad free.

Starting point is 00:17:19 You also are able to get access to the discord channels, both for Lockdown Lakers and then every other NBA show across the network. Talk to us, talk to other fans, smack talk, do whatever you want. Have a good time in there. It's after the trial, it's five bucks a month, 50 bucks a year. Lockdownlakers. com, check it out on the show notes as well, see if it's for you. So I am not a draft expert.

Starting point is 00:17:44 I'm going to ask you a question, Kobe, about players and guys you think the Lakers are both looking at, or maybe guys you would be looking at if you were there. I am counting on you to not just make up names to test me or troll me because I won't know if you just invent people. So with that in mind, who do you think the Lakers, like where, we'll start this, where do you think the Lakers are looking? positionality, best player available. Are they looking to trade this thing more than anything? What are you seeing?

Starting point is 00:18:18 I think, I mean, they're open to trading the pick. They're open to trading the pick. That's part of their off-season process in terms of just figuring out, like, what's out there in terms of trades. Like, they look, they're in the market for a center. Like, I don't think that's a secret. Can they trade for that center? kind of what we were talking about in terms of optionality.

Starting point is 00:18:42 Like what are the options in terms of training for centers? And that's something that they're going through. I think that would be their best route to adding to this roster. But if you don't trade for a center and if, you know, they're also waiting on DeAndre Aden's decision on his player option, Jackson will be a free agent. I would expect Jackson to return. But even then, like we've seen that Jackson probably is better slotted for a backup role playing what 18 to 20 minutes 18 to 22 minutes so you still have let's just say 28-ish minutes of big man

Starting point is 00:19:14 play you can trade for that player but also if it does want to be in a let's just throw in a like daniel gafford rob williams those type of players those guys aren't playing 28 minutes a night they're usually playing somewhere between 1920 21 22 24 minutes somewhere in that range so So they're still looking at Bigman. I know, you know, there are a variety of big men in this, especially like later in the draft. They're a variety of big men. Me and Andy were talking about one of them before the show with Tar 3 Jr. out of Yukon. Like he's just, he's the type of big man to me who could come in and contribute to day one.

Starting point is 00:19:54 Like I think also when it comes to the draft, like it all ties in since a free agency draft. Like if they need, you know, eight to 10 minutes of big men play at night, like we may be looking at a team who has a three-man big-man rotation, right? You have starting center playing low 20s. You have Jackson playing high teens, low 20s. And then you have a guy of rookie who's filling in the gaps playing another eight to 10 minutes a night. And this also aligns with the goal of getting younger, becoming more athletic. I acknowledge that Taras Reed Jr. is not the most athletic or like the biggest, he's not the eye-popping or like elite NBA athlete, but he has decent athleticism. He's just solid, like really, really good finisher, decent playmaker. He's a good room protector.

Starting point is 00:20:44 You know, think he's 22 years old. They need better players and they need fewer dead roster spots if nothing else. Fewer did roster spots and also, you know, another advantage of having, you know, of drafting at 25 like they're right now, less expensive, you know, less expensive contracts. Like that, that in terms of optionality trading, like to have a, I mean, we see with the Spurs. And they're like, the Spurs and Thunder are like some of the most extreme versions in terms of having like young players who outplayed their contracts. But even like Minnesota with Taryn Chanion Jr. a young guy on a. on an inexpensive deal who's, you know, who's important for their team.

Starting point is 00:21:28 The Lakers don't have enough of those guys. Coming up, more of our conversation with Kobe Price from the California Post. You ever watch a game and think, man, I bet these fans are going insane right now. On Reddit, you're plugged into millions of fans who are just as hopeful, dramatic, analytical, and loyal as you are. Reddit is the app for authentic conversation

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Starting point is 00:23:21 Cali trade on anything 18 plus only restrictions and eligibility requirements apply event contract trading involves risks may not be suitable for all investors prices values and available markets may differ from those mentioned from more information see calshy dot com slash regulatory a lot of the times when they get like guys up performing their contracts they are a market smart I even put DeAndre Aiden in that I think even through all the criticisms I would Oh, I forgot about that. That was great. For those of you listening on to the audio.

Starting point is 00:24:08 Oh, my gosh. He just threw up the iconic icon of the half, eight and half lion face, dominating creature. That's when he's full of crunch juice. That's right. That was incredible. I would wear it. that t-shirt, by the way. I totally would.

Starting point is 00:24:30 Someone has to have like a bin of them. That's going to be my next job. Like where, where, where, where, where, where, where, where's the bin of the Deandre Aiden lion's heat up there. I mean, that's just like that is such a walking around town. If you know, you know kind of like the people who give you like that little head nod of like, I see you guy wearing the Aiton lion shirt. That was, more is it. That was in Milwaukee when he, uh, I think when JJ wore pregame and DeAndre had it. in his locker. That was

Starting point is 00:24:57 awesome. They were working hard to get DeAndre like feeling good about it. Yeah. Yeah. That was like mid-November in Milwaukee. I want to, yeah. Like at the end of that long road trip. That was like the first long road trip. That was great. Are there any other players that you're looking at when you've been going for the California Post draft coverage,

Starting point is 00:25:22 stuff like that, that other than Reed that you think the Lakers could be interested in or in particular could be ready to play as a rookie. Yeah. I mean, I'll be honest, some of these names, the last names, I don't want to trip up. So I'll just say their school in the name. Like Jaden out of Kentucky, who's, he played at, he played at, uh, why am I blinking on his first school, played at Arizona State. And then he played at Kentucky this last year. Like, to me, I don't think he's, I don't think he would be ready to be honest to play like day one. But he's to me, would be like a longer term. He could be ready to play day one. But he would be a longer term investment, but he could fill a lot of the holes, like, long-term

Starting point is 00:26:00 centerpiece alongside Luca that, like, lob threat, athletic as can be. Like, he, elite, like, elite, athlete. Um, good shot blocker. Like, he has a lot of polishing to, uh, to do when she gets the league. Obviously, they're concerns about his injuries after the right, uh, the ACL tear in his right knee, only played four games at Kentucky. Um, but he showed at Arizona State as a freshman. He's also only 18.

Starting point is 00:26:24 He doesn't turn 19 until, I think it's late, I forget when his birthday is later this summer. You're talking about Jaden Quentin's. Quaidants, there we go, yes, yes. I didn't want to butcher it. But yes, Jaden Quaidantin's, like he is, I have a feeling that he'll likely be drafted before 25 just because that level of athlete, you, like, in that potential, like, usually, even with injury concerns, unless the medicals are, like, big red flag, I doubt he'll fall to Lakers. but like if there's any chance of that happening or the Lakers moving up, like he's the guy that even with the lack of playing time last year, like they should go after he fit.

Starting point is 00:27:00 Like he fits the archetype of everything we're talking about a center that you want to fit alongside Luka. Like he fits that. And if he's healthy and if he, like if the medicals come back right, maybe he's probably even going to be available for the Lakers. But like he's the kind of guy that like if they drafted him, it would be, I think like a great, like just a great draft for them. It's an interesting thing too. And I think a lot of people too expect them by into the second round, which they've been doing a lot lately.

Starting point is 00:27:27 But I think, you know, there's two, there's like an interesting kind of choice to make. If you can find a guy that is able to give you legitimate minutes in his rookie season, I think that is a very tempting thing with a roster that needs playable players. Flipside is at 25. You often don't get that. And if you reach for playability early, you often can end up. with sort of a 4A player who can technically give you minutes but it doesn't have a whole lot of room for growth and like you know the lakers need players for next year but they also need to be able to have cost-controlled young players who can be good in a couple of years um how would you look at that sort of dilemma between somebody who can help us now versus kind of best player available so to speak I mean, even if that best player is a bit of a project. I think you go for the best player.

Starting point is 00:28:27 Because the other part of it is that we can say that a guy may not be ready to play immediately, but there's also, I mean, we've seen, when we saw it this year, like, sometimes just guys have to play. Like, we saw in certain spurts where a do, like, a do, Diro had to play more minutes than maybe he would have expected to at certain points. Bronny James did. He had, I think was that also in Milwaukee when he started this year? I forget the city.

Starting point is 00:28:57 But you never know what's going to happen with injuries. Guys have to step up. And you also, you know, we're talking about guys who are somewhere between 18 to 22 years old, maybe 23. Like there may be an element of, you know, I know he was a higher draft pick in Dallas. Like Derek lively, like he was a guy who most people thought like, oh, this is going to be a long term. you know, he has the potential kind of the way, you know, different contexts, but he's a long-term piece to play alongside Luca. Well, he wound up being a rookie who contributed to winning and was ready to like, he was like, he could have, like, he was the start or a starter for that team

Starting point is 00:29:30 down the line. So even if we can say like this may be more of a project, like if you have an, you know, an elite tool, whether as, you know, athleticism, quickness, if you have that level of skill in like any of those departments, if they're able to simplify the job and that's part of like coaching like this part of playing alongside elite player like luka and austin um if you're able to simplify that rookie's job like they can play a role for you even if they're not quote unquote ready for uh a regular rotation or being like the seventh or eighth or eighth or a later part of the lakers job also is to build out the rest of the roster where if you do draft a rookie like they don't need to be the eighth or the ninth uh night or the sixth man or the seventh

Starting point is 00:30:13 man. They can be the ninth or tenth man, but they can play regularly. And I think that's one of the things that we saw that kind of burned the Lakers of the past couple seasons. I think last year, like, I know people were saying play a do more. And like, look, I understand. I agree. He was injured quite a bit. And then by the time, the other thing that goes in Lakers' favor, by the time, like, he was healthy and ready to play. Like, it was winning time. They needed to like figure out the whole Austin, LeBron, Lucidynamic and get like their main guys, their main rotation. players ready. Now, obviously, you know, we saw what happened with Luca. He gets injury. He doesn't come back. So like, you know, you can't control that. But that was winning time.

Starting point is 00:30:52 But to me, part of, you know, this off season should be about building out the rest of the roster where, yes, you can slot in a number 25 pick to play. And eight, 10, 12 minutes a night. And they can build those reps. But you also have, you know, veterans ahead of him that you don't, that it's not like a necessity, if that makes sense. No, JJ made it clear. Spots 9 through 12 need to be better. He made that very clear in his exit interview. Yeah, I do love that idea. Yeah, I love that idea, Kobe, you mentioned too, of like, can you find a guy who's really good? It's one thing, you know, two things.

Starting point is 00:31:26 You know, like at 25, you are unlikely to get, you know, a franchise difference. Every once in a while, you know, Josh Hart types, you know, turn into, you know, starting five caliber, long-term starters in the league who are really, really, really value. valuable players. But generally speaking, if you can find a guy who stays with your roster for six, seven years and fills a need as a rotation player, you've won at that spot. And to some degree, this is where I think, you know, we'll let you answer here. Maybe we'll let you go. But this is where I feel like that idea of culture and continuity in understanding what kind of team they want to put around Luca makes a huge difference because you can draft a guy with the idea of like, this is how he'll fit in with Luca. two years from now. Like it's going to take a second or we need the rebounding because of XYZ. We need a guy who can come off screens and do whatever.

Starting point is 00:32:19 Like the spurs were famous for this sort of thing, you know, back in the day of finding things that people would be particularly good at in their system. Lakers need to have that continuity of their system to make this work. No, 100%. I think the other part is that I would say you take the best player available, but that's also within context stuff. like the best player to the Lakers may not be the best player to the Pacers, right? Because I think part of it is also how you, I mean, how you value a player, what you value within a skill set, what you value within a player.

Starting point is 00:32:54 So that's also with the context of like what I mean by best player because like you don't, to your point, you're not really looking for a primary ball handler. Right. Like we've seen in the playoffs, like having the more ball handlers the better, especially like San Antonio. we saw okay c kind of like they had all the ball handlers and then you know one by one they got hurt but like that's not their primary need and that's maybe not even the best player available especially at this point in the draft like to me you see like you said spots nine through 12 like depending on how the roster looks like they could have the options of kind of reinventing that roster what just say one to two or figure it out let's say three through eight are kind of open

Starting point is 00:33:37 in terms of who slots and where, but this team, like, they need to have, like, young, like, a dude needs to be in the, like, I'm not going to say he needs to be in the rotation, but, like, he needs to be, like, a part of the team next year, like a real part of the team. And say, maybe if they draft a rookie, like, they need younger guys who can also contribute to winning,

Starting point is 00:33:58 but also eat innings. Like, this is not to, like, to steal a baseball point, but, like, 82 games is a long season. I don't know how many games. I forget. I thought about it. earlier how many games the spurs have played at this point right because they had seven games it's about 100 yeah yeah it's over 100 yeah it's over 100 yeah it's over 100 yeah it's over 100 because

Starting point is 00:34:16 they play what five five five seven and five seven and now three or five six seven five six seven something like yeah so like it's going to be a hundred plus game season i'm in kind of preseason unique young guys especially in the minor NBA who can you know be quick be athletic and that's even forgetting about the fact that or not even factor in the fact that that's what Luca, like, thrives alongside. And so just as a plug for content this week, it's why Andy and I have been so intrigued by some of these trades that bring in other people's risky deals to clear out, you know,

Starting point is 00:34:55 the Vanderbilt and the connects and guys like that are kind of dead spots on the roster to hopefully find players that would play because you also need depth and players to fill out that time. Kobe Price is the Lakers reporter, beatwriter for the new California Post. Do check out his work. Lots of draft stuff, pre-draft stuff coming out over the course of the next few days. So make sure you check that out. Thanks so much for taking the time.

Starting point is 00:35:22 We really appreciate it. I don't know. I appreciate you guys for having me on. Locked on Lickers on YouTube is where you can go hang out with 38,000 plus subscribers. We'll see everyone next time.

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