Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - Luka Dončić Says Hello, Anthony Davis Says Goodbye, and NBA Media is Desperate for LeBron Drama

Episode Date: February 4, 2025

The Lakers shifted their organizational focus from LeBron James and Anthony Davis to Luka Dončić with Saturday's seismic trade. Everything they do going forward will be done from the POV of a roster built around Luka. That much is obvious, because Star A is 25 and Star B is 40. But Star B happens to be (in the eyes of many) the greatest to ever play. He has been at the center of nearly every NBA conversation for more than two decades, and still has a massive amount of gravity attached to him. And no question, for a long time there was real drama around LeBron. But one of the less talked about realities of his tenure in LA, especially the last couple of seasons, is how little of it there has been. Some passive/aggressive stuff from the old James playbook here and there, but big drama? Meaningful tension? Remember, drama in this city and with this franchise means screaming at the owner to pay you while he sits on the sidelines, or telling every radio and TV station that will hear you that you'll play on Pluto before you wear the purple and gold again. By those standards, and even some looser ones, the LeBron Era has been very, very quiet. And now, it remains so. Less than 24 hours after Luka became a Laker, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported that James won't ask out before the deadline, the only way he can be traded given his no-trade clause. So as much as some voices want to see him play with Steph Curry and the Warriors, or push his way out to some other destination, it's not going to happen. LeBron, it seems, feels like he's got just as good a shot of winning in LA with Dončić than he does anywhere else he might realistically go... and he's right. He surely realizes that Luka's skill set is the one best suited to help him play an extra season or two if he'd like, because that skill set is his skill set. It incentivizes him to help Luka build better habits with his body, as well. The notion LeBron can't give up some responsibility offensively to Luka? He's done it this year already for Austin Reaves. He's spent the last few seasons begging Anthony Davis to take the proverbial torch, and frequently referred to A.D. as the team's best player this year. Look, maybe things don't work out, and this offseason the Lakers and LeBron part ways. But it sure seems like the league is more addicted to the LeBron drama than LeBron is at this point. And in the meantime, maybe we just see how it works first? Because the Lakers blew up their core, but they didn't rebuild. That's one of the things making this trade so unique, but it's warping the way people think about the LeBron/Lakers, LeBron/Luka pairing.   HOSTS: Andy and Brian KamenetzkySEGMENT 1: Luka will meet the media today! SEGMENT 2: Is the NBA still addicted to LeBron Drama?  SEGMENT 3: Anthony Davis says goodbye to LA.  Your favorite podcast now has a newsletter! In One-stop for ultimate team and league coverage delivered right to your in box. Sign up for free now, at lockedondaily.com.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!PrizePicksDownload the app and use code lockedonnfl to win $50 instantly when you play $5. You don't even need to win to receive your $50 bonus, it's guaranteed! Prizepicks. Run Your Game.Click Here: https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/LOCKEDONNBA BetterHelpThis episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Rediscover your curiosity with BetterHelp. Visit BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA today to get 10% off your first month.RobinhoodWith Robinhood Gold, you can now enjoy the VIP treatment. The new Gold Standard is here with Robinhood Gold. To receive 3% boost on annual IRA contributions,  sign up at robinhood.com/gold. GametimeDownload the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime.FanDuelSuper Bowl 59 is here, And there’s no better way to make every play more exciting than with FanDuel Sportsbook. New customers can bet just FIVE DOLLARS, and if you win, you’ll score TWO HUNDRED BUCKS in Bonus Bets. Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of Super Bowl Fifty-Nine. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hey, everyone, welcome to Lock on Lakers for Tuesday. Brian Komeneski, Andy Kaminetsky, the transformation into Luca Donchich's team has begun for the Lakers. What does that mean for LeBron and the trade deadline? 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 Lockdown Lakers.

First listen to every day, Monday through Friday, no matter how it. or where you get your podcast. This one's always going to be free, never behind a paywall. And Locked on Lakers is where over 20, on YouTube is where over 29,000 subscribers. Thank you so much to all the new people who have come and joined and subscribed to the show here on YouTube.

We very much appreciate it. We welcome you, whether you are a Luca fan, a former Mavericks fan, just checking us out, or an excited Laker fan. However you got here, we are excited to have you. And thank you very much for joining us.

Do it to let everybody know that today's episode is brought to you by Fandul. Super Bowl 59 is here. And there's no better way to make every play more exciting than with Fanduals sportsbook. New customers can bet just $5. And if you win, you'll score 200 bucks in bonus bets. Download the app or head to fanduel.com today to get started. So Tuesday morning this morning, this is the, this is the, the official beginning of the Luca Dantzich era.

A lot of people, Andy, noticed just how crazy it was to see him listed on the injury report that came out on Monday. He's not playing, but his name is on it. And that in and of itself is a crazy, crazy thing, the first real tangible evidence that he's officially a Laker. And, of course, the rest of it will come on Tuesday morning when. And Luca is introduced to the LA media. Yes, speaking of introductions, by the way, too.

I've been saying to all our new Slovenian fans, Zadravo, hello, welcome to all of you being here. But it was pointed out to me in the comments section of the YouTube page, which for the newcomers, we really do go through the comments. We often incorporate them into the show. Leave your questions for us. Leave even your criticisms of us. We welcome it. We want to see it.

We want the space to be interactive. but it was pointed out also that we should be saying, Ola to some of the new fans as well, because Luca Ranczich, with his time with Real Madrid, he considers Spain something of a second or third home. He is fluent in Spanish. So hello, Zadravo, Ola. Ola.

We welcome. I knew Ola. Well, either way, we welcome all y'all. We are very excited for this new phase of the Lakers. You mentioned Luca is going to be officially interested. produced along with Maxi Cleba and Marquis Morris who are on the team. It becomes difficult to remember, but they are actually

I mean, it's almost like you have to put them in the press conference. Like, you know, like I am like Maxi Claibah for Lakers fans may not realize like there's been so much excitement around, uh, around Luca obviously. Claiba just had foot surgery may be out for the season. And some, I've read some things that say he might be back, you know, the very tail end, maybe he could help me in the playoffs or deep in the playoffs or somebody. There's a good chance that Maxie Klebba never plays for the Lakers. Sure. And that they use his contract for $11 million next year to try to improve the team.

Marquif Morris, I guess being uniform, also a decent chance. He doesn't play much for the Lakers. No, but I do think Markief Morris will, I do think he will matter in the locker room. Marquif was a part of the Lakers 2020 championship team, particularly as he's entered the veteran stage of his career. He has become known as a guy who is very good in the locker room, somebody that everybody respects. He is somebody that, quite frankly, nobody really wants a piece of

unless absolutely necessary. He's known to have a good relationship with Luca and Nick Angstaff from Locked on Mavs told us a couple days ago that, you know, there was a player's only meeting that I think was initiated by Markief Morris, so he's got some juice. Last year, yeah, really critical meeting for them, for sure. Right. And then in the meantime, we're going to be hearing from Rob Polinka, you know, whatever details he's going to share about how this head spinning deal that

nobody had any idea was on the horizon, much less in the works, much less being discussed, went down. And there's a lot of different implications and questions that come from a deal of this magnitude happening in such secrecy, whether you're talking about the credit Rob Polinka gets as a general manager for, you know, the negotiations, what was given up, what wasn't. LeBron and Rich Paul and Anthony Davis and Clutch all being completely out of the loop. and what that says in terms of power dynamics within the organization, priorities moving forward, you know, for an organization like the Lakers that has always been

first and foremost about superstar catering, and it still is, lest we forget, Luca is the new superstar in town. But there are a lot of really just interesting questions about the organization that are raised just by how this deal, happened. It, it, I there, there, and I, you can start to split hairs over like, well, when did people, did they find out an hour before 20 minutes before 10 minutes for like, was his permission asked for like, by all accounts, it seems like this was not a deal over the time, whatever, however long the TikTok goes between, uh, Nico Harrison and Rob Polinka.

Getting Luca Donchich here was something that was kept very tight to everyone for reasons that are wildly obvious. The Lakers had this opportunity to get, not only trade for Luca, but trade for Luca with no competition around the league. One of the things that I think is making executives everywhere else in the NBA so mad at how this happened is that none of them had a crack. at putting their offer together for Luca, an offer that I can guarantee you they feel would have been significantly stronger

than the one that Nico Harrison and Dallas Mavericks took. Again, no disrespect to Max Christie, Anthony Davis, and whoever they draft in 2029. That's part of this. And if it gets out, if it leaks that the Lakers, Lakers are talking about, I heard a rumor that Lakers are thinking about trading Anthony Davis for Lugust. That's out there for five minutes before this thing is done. And this is a once in a generation opportunity to solve this massive problem the Lakers had of what comes next after this LeBron era.

Is it Anthony Davis? Do we really believe that Anthony Davis is going to be an A-level star? deeper into his 30s. Okay, we need to find... We have enough time to even reconfigure the team to maximize A-B. Okay, but we're going to need to put another guy next and where do we get that other guide? All of that disappears in the most spectacular way possible for a guy who is 25 years old,

25 years old, and for flaws, risks, okay, they're all real. I get up. I'll entertain all of them. Five times he's been in all. all NBA performer. Five times. He's 25 years old. Five times he's been an all NBA performer. I think it would almost be insulting to LeBron and clutch.

If you blew that up, like as business people, they would understand, like, if you blow this up because you feel like this weird fealty to us, like, ooh, we have to ask LeBron first. No, you don't. Go do your deal. It's fine. You know what? I don't know if they would be insulted or not. I don't know if that's a word I would use as business people. No, no, no. I know that. I know that. I take your meaning as business people. I don't know if they would be insulted by it. But what I do think, whether regardless of how they feel about it, and we're still like learning in real time, like how LeBron feels about it. I'm sure LeBron in some ways is processing in real time how he feels about this. but LeBron and Rich Paul, if they cannot intellectually understand why Rob Polinka did it this way

and why it ultimately had to be done this way, A, in some ways, I would lose respect for them as business people. And I feel like if Rob Polinka did not have the stones to do it this way And make no mistake, it requires some stones. Some, although I, I, well, I, some, it requires some stones to do it this way in terms of just ruffling the feathers of LeBron and Rich Paul and clutch, potentially at least is something that no organization wants to do. Sure.

And therefore, you have to be willing to do it. It requires stones on some level. I think those guys, though, would immediately lose receipts. for Rob Polinka and the Lakers as business people if they let that get in the way. If they would lose respect for them as business people, even if as people, they feel offended. Look, you know what I mean? If they do, and I don't, if I had to guess they're not, because I think they understand it. It's not like, it's not like they salary dumped Anthony Davis and side swiped them that way.

Charlotte. No. He's not playing in Washington. AD waived a trade kicker to go to Dallas. Like he couldn't be that upset by it. LeBron can't be that upset about Luca. I want to look. And we,

in two months when really the, like everybody, like the smoke is cleared a little bit and the how did this happen, which they will probably quite literally write books about one day. Well, Tim McMahon has to rewrite a piece of his upcoming Luke Donchich book. It's a man from ESPN. It's just a chapter.

You've got to do a whole book. Like, we could be wrong. Like, the whole thing, like, oh, you know what? He knew and it was signed off and all this. And so maybe. But I do not have any trouble whatsoever buying the current thing, which is for all intents and purposes, LeBron didn't know. But I think there are reasons to do it that way, like very believable reasons, practical

reasons. Why there's a reason as well that. So much of the NBA media wants this to be an issue. And I want to talk about that next because it really gets into the direction the team, I think, is going. And then this sort of desire to see it go in a different way. I'll explain next. Lockdown Lakers is brought to you by Better Help, Better Help sponsoring this show. What are some of your relationship green flags?

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Visit betterhelp.com slash locked on NBA to get 10% off your first month. That's Better help help.com slash locked on NBA. So thank you to everybody who has signed up for the Locked on Lakers newsletter. You see it down there in the bottom corner of the screen if you're watching on YouTube. Go to Lockedond Daily.com and click on Lockedon Lakers when you get there and you can have the show along with analysis from the channel all around the NBA delivered to you every day. It's a great way to keep up with what's going on not just around the network, the great shows of the Locked on NBA channel.

also just the NBA general. It's a, you know, get some good NBA news delivered to you every day. Obviously, we really appreciate you signing up for that newsletter. For people who have followed our show, we've been doing, we've been podcasting indeed long before it was cool. We've never been people who are like start media fights. Like this media guy said X, that media guy said Y or whatever. And, you know, here's why they're stupid. I don't want to do it here either.

but I think anybody who's watched this story has seen a lot of stuff when it comes to what's next for LeBron, whether it's LeBron and Luca can't play together. They got to fix it. There's just not, this is not going to work. Like, you know, get LeBron up to Golden State where he and Steph can do it because that makes more sense,

you know, as if Steph never has the ball in his hands either. But like, you know, it's there, or it's, you know, LeBron can't win a title here. He's going to be angry that the Lakers did this without consulting, whatever it might be. There is a tremendous desire on the part of a certain section, I'll say, of the NBA media, to make LeBron drama out of this for reasons that I just don't think match with any of the reality on the ground. As soon as this happened, everybody's well, what are they going to do next with LeBron? it wasn't 12 hours later,

the Dave McManneman, who was as plugged in with LeBron and his people as anyone around the league, said LeBron isn't going to ask out the trade deadline. Lakers aren't going to trade LeBron James without his demanding it because they can't. And so if LeBron doesn't want to go anywhere, he's not going anywhere.

And the first thing that came out of team LeBron was he's fine. He's not going anywhere right now. I mean, if LeBron wasn't interested in going to Golden State last year, I don't understand why all of a sudden he wants to go to Golden State when you're giving him Luca Donchich, who at the absolute worst, worst and frankly inaccurate, but worst, that's a wash with Anthony Davis. Like as a swap, it's a wash at the absolute worst and frankly inaccurate. Luke is better at this point. Yes, he is. But I'm just saying, if you want to,

to make this as doom casting as possible, the Lakers made a lateral move. Again, it's not a lateral move. I love Anthony Davis. We're going to talk about Anthony Davis before the end of this show and Max Christie. I think you and I, Brian, have been as big of outward Anthony Davis proponent. Anthony Davis appreciate what he brings to the table more than people often do. This is an upgrade. and not just long term. It can be a short term depending on what else. Right. It could be tricky.

Like, I am not here to say that the Lakers are going to have stuff to figure out here, that LeBron and Luca and Austin Reeves, to a less, you know, obviously a lesser extent, but an important extent, a lot of, you know, two of the three of those guys, you would presume are going to be on the floor almost all the time, which is a great thing for Lakers fans. But, again, take some adjustment. Anytime you add somebody who is going to handle the ball to a situation where you've already got people who handle the ball, you're going to have to figure some stuff out.

But like the idea that LeBron would be either so angry about this from a basketball perspective, which doesn't make sense, or I guess so angry that he was not in the loop, that it therefore denotes a level of disrespect that simply cannot be tolerated, that he's therefore going to demand. to trade and create this type of drama over 72 hours to in all likelihood not end up in any better of a situation. Like, where is he going to go? That's going to be a better situation this year or next year. Let's say he's got this year next year and even the year beyond. Let's say where, but where what does, there is no destination out there where and LeBron understands that.

And so I just, this notion too, well, LeBron's not going to give up the ball to Luca. LeBron gave up the ball to a large extent already this year to Austin Reeves. And I'm not saying LeBron isn't often ball dominant and doesn't have the ball on his hands. It doesn't have an ego. Of course he does. But to a large extent, he has given up a lot of that stuff to Reeves. And if he's willing to do it for Austin Reeves and he is sure. shown that, he's sure as hell going to do it for Luca Donchich. I just there, I think LeBron looks

like, LeBron doesn't want the drama anymore. LeBron is happy in Los Angeles. His family likes it here. His other businesses are established here. He's got a great house in Brentwood. He's got all, like there's, he has no interest in leaving Los Angeles without a really good reason. And I think one of the things that makes this so hard for people beyond just, this chronic addiction that people have in the NBA to not just drama in the NBA, but LeBron-related drama for which there really hasn't been very much since he's become a Laker. It's also that this trade is so out of the ordinary. The Lakers didn't blow up their team.

They didn't. Oh, they traded Anthony Davis. It's like, obviously, they're starting over it. No, they didn't. They traded for a player who is better than the guy that they gave up different. They've got holes now to fill, and we'll see what they do between now and Thursday at the deadline. But I think it's another effect of how crazy this trade actually is that people have a hard time not thinking about like the Lakers as rebuilding or starting over or something. They didn't.

They got Luca Donchich. what a top five player in the NBA. That's not rebuilding. Well, I don't think people are seeing it as rebuilding as much as they're seeing a paradigm shift. I mean, beyond the idea of just Lakers exceptionalism and people resenting that or finding it tired, finding it predictable, whatever, there's a paradigm shift that I think is represented by this trade that I think people are wanting to turn into something that it isn't. and I'll explain that coming up next. Locked on Lakers is brought to you by Fandul. Super Bowl 59 is here.

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And if you win, you'll score 200 bucks in bonus bets. That's fandle.com bet with Fandle official partner of Super Bowl 59. We talked about before how it was necessary on a variety of different levels for according to reports and I think just practical logic. Rob Polinka and the very few people involved with this to keep the deal possibility as tight and private as possible. And that it meant keeping LeBron, Rich Paul, Anthony Davis, clutch. How, Luca Donchich and his reps, you know, Bill Duffy, his agent, all out of the loop. And on the Lakers side, you're talking about an organization.

that has been perceived, and I think in some ways accurately, if not necessarily to quite at the level, as clutch being in charge of things, or clutch having an enormous amount of sway within the organization because they represent LeBron James. LeBron James is arguably the most powerful athlete in North American sports, and it has often been seen like the Lakers as an organization are afraid of LeBron, afraid of Rich Paul, afraid to ruffle those feathers.

and by extension of this trade happening with those guys not in the loop, it can be seen as some as either disrespecting LeBron and Rich Paul and Clutch or confrontational towards them or at the very least, it is signaling that LeBron is no longer priority number one in the organization. That is accurate. Priority number one from the minute this deal was even being discussed and seriously worked out, much less agreed upon sending the league offices. Luca's the number one priority moving forward.

And that was demonstrated by the fact that they were willing to do this without LeBron being in the loop because it can get scuttled, the more people hear about it for a variety of different reasons. But here's the thing. LeBron has been saying for a while, and Rich Paul has been saying for a while that priority number one should actually be Anthony Davis. not LeBron James moving forward. And the reason is because at the time Anthony Davis was the younger star

with more years left in his prime, and that's what makes sense. If that made sense for Anthony Davis, it makes even more sense for Luca Donchich. And again, those guys as business people, as people who've been in the NBA, they have to intellectually understand that. And if they are as smart and I think pragmatic as I think they are, they can get it.

Even if there's a little part of it that maybe hurts a little bit or maybe, you know, the bit of a blow to the ego or whatever, they get it. You know why? Because this is what they've been telling the Lakers to do anyway, just with one of their clients as opposed to Luca, but it's the same damn principle. It's, I, I think, I just, I am wildly excited at what this could look like. Just the chance, even if they don't win this year. And I mean, I'm not picking them to suddenly get better than the thunder.

I'm not 100% sure depending on what they do between now and Thursday that they're better than Dallas. I think, you know, that could be, but I don't know. I get to watch probably at least a season and a half's worth of Luca Donchich playing basketball with LeBron James. Like that has the potential. I'm not going to focus just on clunky, could be tough. I'm going to focus on how cool that could look and the quality of basketball that could be produced. especially offensively, by those two guys playing together with, you know, getting on the same page and kind of pulling in the same direction and thinking about what could be with this.

And I think if you're LeBron, there isn't a player in the NBA capable of extending your career more than Luca. If you want to play, if you want like the rush of playing playoff basketball for maybe an extra season or two or something like that, and you know that you got to be able to, you got to have a guy who can help you get through 82. No one is better suited for that than Luca because of the skill set, which is his. He helps. You know how he knows it's the right skill set for that? Because he's the only other guy who's got it. And as much as Anthony Davis, and I want to make sure that we talk before the end of the show. We get to that, you know, in just a second here.

I want to make sure that. AD and Christie saying goodbye to L.A. on Monday. I want to make sure that we get to it. But as much as AD provided legitimate help for LeBron, particularly on the defensive end, but, you know, as much as people talked about, you know, Anthony Davis or sometimes bemoaned his inconsistency as a score. And, you know, it would happen sometimes. he still was putting up 25 points a game or so while playing first team all defense level defense. Like said it many times, he was the best two-way player in the league last year to me,

and I don't think it was even close. But there are, if you really want to take things directly off LeBron's plate without it, losing a level of excellence, there's nobody better to do it than Luca. Like, if this doesn't really take it off LeBron's play to a sufficient level, then you just realize it's not possible to do for somebody this deep into their career with this many miles. It's just the body at some point needs more recuperation than NBA basketball. We'll go to AD here in a second. I do want to point out also, too, there is also this like, you know,

I don't want to say that LeBron needs somebody to carry him in the playoffs. so that he can then just take over and be whatever. And like as if Luca fades away, is sixth all time in playoff triple doubles. And, you know, at 25 years old. I mean, this guy is a money playoff performer and went to the finals last year. Like, he's not, I'm not trying to say that it'd be, you know, LeBron, you know, shoves Luca aside.

All I'm saying is this is the right guy for it. But anyway, Anthony Davis said goodbye to, Los Angeles on Monday. If you didn't get a chance to see it, it's easy to find on Instagram and all that. It said six years ago, I came in with the vision to win a championship and I'll never forget the moment we did. The business of basketball is a business like all other businesses. And I'm grateful for the city where my first ring came from, grew my family and

friendships. And I will always have a home here. My family and I thank everyone who made this place home. And we're still thinking of those that lost their homes and the fires. To my teammates, our friendships go beyond a locker room in a Jersey. LA will always have a special place in my heart. Every great story is an exciting next chapter. Dallas, here we come.

This is great. As far as humans who wear the uniform and the jersey is, you know, the Lakers uniform, I'm talking about, you know, people know what I mean. He's an outstanding guy. And Lakers fans, frustrated as I sometimes get with them, I think to almost to a person are, are deeply appreciative of what he did for the organization while he was here. I hope they are.

I mean, we've talked before about some, well, we've talked before about some of the parallels between Anthony Davis and Powell Gasol as the number two guys, you know, even if A, D. got elevated on the court. And I think in some respects as the number one, you know, LeBron has said all this year, Anthony Davis is the best player on this team. He's still never, I think, in stature and the overall acceptance passed LeBron that way, and Powell certainly never did with Kobe. I think there is a level of appreciation that came for Powell and I think will come for Anthony Davis with distance when you really start to really understand what you had and appreciate it. But I hope people,

and we're not Johnny Come Lately's on this again. We've been, I think, pretty consistent proponents of it. AD was a really, really great player. And I hope people appreciate it. I will miss him. I will miss Max Christie. I think seeing Max Christie develop as a player, particularly this year,

overcoming the early struggles of finally having a role and then it looking like it might be quickly taken away from him, then getting back on the course, and playing at a level that is already making that contract, he's easily producing at that level. And by the end of it, he is pacing himself to look like one of the best contracts in the league. He also, everything you ever see with Max, hear about Max is that he is a really hardworking, very wanting to be the best version of himself.

He's really smart. He's like almost unnervingly mature for his age. And I wanted to see him grow as a Laker and spend many years here. Should have made the deal. I'm not saying you don't hold up that deal for Max Christie. But it sucks to see him go. And I do think the Lakers will miss him this season. Yeah, for sure.

It is now the job of Mavericks fans. And our friend Nick Angstatt at Locked on Maverick. to note the goalpost moving that is pretty much chronic with AD because he is one of the certain guys fall into that category of like where you just marvel at what they do. And now we live in a tear down culture. And so even guys who are, oh, my God, look at what they do, short of Nikola Yokic. And I guess, you know, especially now that he plays some defense and he's won titles and all that stuff. you know, the, the wolves don't have much to chew on with him, but like, they find people at everything, they'll nip at everything.

Anthony Davis has fallen into that group of players where it's, the conversation is almost always centered around what he's not doing and not nearly enough around what he is. And what the final irony of this trade is all of these many of the same voices who are, now, you know, insisting LeBron has to go play with staff and he's got to get out of L.A. and Lakers, you know, or, you know, this is going to, it's going to explode and like all these things. A lot of the same voices that have said for years that Anthony Davis isn't good enough. He doesn't show up consistently. Street clothes.

Street close, this, that way. And day-to-day Davis. Saying that now his presence suddenly turns the Mavericks into like top. contenders, like pick a lane. But I'm hopeful at least that's the beginning of some sort of grace period for AD where people focus on what he is doing rather than those small places like all players have where you wish they could be a little bit better. I don't picture that.

Once the media at large gets bored with trying to figure out the reasons why the Lakers are about to implode because it's always, for a lot of them, more exciting when the Lakers implode, they will eventually getting back to picking apart Anthony Davis because it's, again, part of coming. Sorry, I guess Mavs fans. It's coming. But their goalposts are constantly shifting. Anyway, Lakers do get back on the floor tonight. They play the Clippers, obviously without Luca, who will not play in this one. So it'll be the team that took the floor essentially against the Knicks on Saturday minus Max Christie. So we'll see what they do.

Tall order to play the Clippers, who, to say the least, dismantled them the last time these teams met. See if they can put together a better effort. We'll keep an eye on the press conference Tuesday. If something really big happens, we're going to try to get back up with a quick little show. But we will see either way.

At worst, we will be back after the game on Tuesday. Everyone, have a great day.