Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers - What Luka Doncic Brings to the Lakers (Hint: A LOT): With Nick Angstadt, Locked On Mavs

Episode Date: February 2, 2025

One good measure of how a team has fared in a trade is how the opposing fans react to the news. And if that's the case, Lakers fans should be quite pleased, because hey are NOT happy in Dallas. Here to explain why is Nick Angstadt, host of Locked On Mavs, and believer in the talent of Doncic. He walks us through the thinking of the organization, confronts the potential red flags, and reasonably assesses the risks for the Lakers and comes to a pretty clear conclusion: The Lakers are getting a transcendent player who can do some amazing stuff on the floor, whose flaws are real but overshadowed by the impact he has. And if Luka takes the trade personally and uses it as motivation to get into better shape? Look out. Either way, he's not pleased at what Dallas did, and doesn't buy Nico Harrison's explanations as to why Dallas felt this was necessary. And all of that benefits LA.  HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky, with Guest Nick Angstadt 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 a special bonus episode of Locked-on Lakers, Brian Kaminetsky, Andy Kaminetsky, crossing over with our friend Nick Engstatt from Locked-on Mavs, who's going to explain to us why Mavs fans are so depressed and Lakers fans should be so excited now that we have Luca Dantz. That's next. You are Locked-on Lakers. Your daily Los Angeles Lakers podcast, part of the Locked-on Podcast Network, your team every day. Thanks to everybody for making Lockdown Lakers first listen to every day. Monday through Friday sometimes on weekends, no matter how where you get your podcast. This one's always free, never behind a paywall. And Locked on Lakers on YouTube is where over 28,000 fans.

Now, thank you, Slovenia, are hanging out and talking to the... Zadravo, everyone. That is a pure Slovenia luka bump. We know exactly where this came from. But we're all sitting here talking about exactly what happened here. and why. And to help break it all down for us, Nick Engstatt from Locked on Mavs.

Do you want to let everyone know today's episodes brought to you by GameTime, download the GameTime app, create account, use code locked on NBA for $20 off your first purchase. Nick, both Andy and I, who have like you, talked about this trade all day starting last night. Our first instinct when we've heard this trade was to wonder, but the problem was. Like, what are we missing here?

They just traded Luca Donchich to the Lakers for Anthony Davis, good player, Max Christie, first round pick, whatever. But like, what are we missing? Is there something we were missing that should make Lakers fans concerned? That's the question that we came to, too, and that we started asking about Nico Harrison. So my first initial reaction, I'm sure many Lakers fans went over and saw it on Lockdown Mavs. I said, Nico Harrison's either the dumbest GM alive. He is a double agent for the Lakers,

and eventually he's going to leave and go join his, go join LeBron or he used to work with at Nike. Or he knows something else about Luca Donchich that we don't know. And that's kind of the one that is the only one that actually makes sense because Nico has made good GM moves in the past. But for Luca, the reasons that Nico has said publicly at least are not good enough for the Mavs. But what they are, the ones that he did give are,

he didn't his consistency in conditioning and showing up and he's been dealing with his left leg injury different kinds calf thigh ankle all kinds of weird stuff with his left leg for over a year now and it's been pretty consistent all throughout the playoffs last year you saw videos of him getting wrapped up and all kinds of different things like that he was supposed to be back and he was supposed to have this healthy off season where he didn't play for his national team and then he had a couple months at least a month or so off and he was supposed to come back healthy and he missed all of preseason because he got another injury and so it just kept being a problem.

And so the Mavs looked at it and apparently behind the scenes there was more, he wasn't working out with trainers, he wasn't doing some of the things that they asked, didn't come in in shape, all kinds of things like that. And Nico just decided that that was enough. There's other kind of issues that complaining to the refs has become a problem

all throughout his career where it messes with defensive plays, it messes with the morale of the team, it messes with the team's psyche overall, messes with chemistry sometimes where players are just tired of it. But the thing about all these things and all these issues, they're not good enough because what Luca brings on the other end and just the basketball end

and what he could roll out of bed and do at any given moment in the NBA is good enough to offset all that. So I'm not buying any of Nico's answers and any of his reasons, but those are the ones he gave. How much of a sense did you get? Because like obviously the frustration is real and evident because here we are right now and Luca's in LA. But how much of a sense do you get that behind the scenes they were really trying to reach Luca about this stuff, like on a very frank, even confrontational level. Because I would like to think that if you're going to make a move this drastic, it's because you feel like you've exhausted every possibility before you do it. Yeah, you would hope. You would hope?

But I don't know. That's a thing that I've had a criticism of Jason Kidd for a long time is that if you're supposed to be the coach that speaks to Star Plet. and they can speak like speak directly and frankly to a star player because you were a star player and they look up to you and all that then why are we still having these same issues with Luca and so apparently whatever he was trying it wasn't working and we there was a couple years ago there was Luca was in a press conference and he was asked about complaining to the refs and he said I don't know I'm trying maybe I'm not it's kind of like a kind of like a you know it is what it is what it is kind of thing we'll see what happens and that's kind of what it is with Luca sometimes where he goes he he he he he he I think he knows all of his weaknesses, but whether he's going to address them or not is up to him. And honestly, like, does he have to? He just made the finals, just took a team to the finals,

dealing with the injuries and with all the other stuff too. He, to me, is a little bit like Shaq, where Shaq would ramp up during a season, be playing his best basketball by, like, you know, March or so. And then all of a sudden, you're going into the finals and you're like, oh, man, this guy is so good because he can just roll out of bed and do what he can do. It's funny you say that, Nick, because in our reaction podcast to this,

I said that it felt to me like this is the first time the Lakers are dealing with this specific type of issue, assuming it does surface with the Lakers since Shaq, because it certainly was not the case with Kobe. I would say he was pretty self-motivated. The working was accounted for. Whatever you think about LeBron and the reason that he wanted to be a Laker and how much of this is L.A. and other opportunities or whatever,

Like you don't have to worry about LeBron dedicating himself to the basketball. You don't frankly have to worry about Anthony Davis, dedicating himself to the basketball piece. So it's been a long time since the Lakers have had to at least potentially deal with something like this. Is Luca, do you think he is, forget whether or not he'll take the criticism to heart and do something about it, but how open do you think he is even to just hearing you're not doing it? X correctly. I think if he's going to be open to anybody on the planet possibly, it would be LeBron James. And seeing LeBron up close and doing all that, there were times when the Lakers

would play the Mavs and I was like, man, I just hope that Luca like follows LeBron around for his pregame and for all this stuff and like to whatever cryo chamber he goes in and like whatever vault he locks himself in and whatever he's putting into his body and all the balanced drills that we always see on social and all that stuff. I just hope, I wish that he would. And apparently, not. But if he's going to learn it from anybody, it would be LeBron because Luca has talked so much about how LeBron is a player that he looked up to. Obviously, LeBron has said the same thing about Luca that he's a player that he admires in the league. And so if that really, if there's anybody maybe, like I said, on planet Earth who is going to get through to Luca and say,

hey man, this is what it takes in the NBA to be at this level. And I'm one of the greatest athletes of all time and I'm doing this. Then what do you have to do to get to that level? And so if anyone's going to do it, I think it would be LeBron. And the other, and the other half of that is pettiness and bitterness. The, you know, basically being dumped by your team because they're saying you're not worth

the money, you're not trustworthy and all that stuff. With that in mind, how much does just being dumped by the Mavs motivate him to at the very least in the short term be super pettingly get in shape just to spite them? Because I'm okay with that too.

Could we see his just got dumped body, Nick? to win the breakup. His revenge body is his revenge body coming. I mean, for Lakers fans, I guess I hope. Do I hope that? I don't know if I hope that. But for him, he is one of those players.

He does not forget. He has grudges with so many players across the league. And I don't know if it works with teams because we've only seen him with one team in the NBA and just in just Real Madrid with in Europe too. But he holds on to stuff. Rudy Gobert, there's stuff still with him. There's still stuff with Terrence Mann

from back in the bubble with the clippers. There's stuff with Chris Dunn. He loves when Chris Dunn gets ejected from a game when the Mabs play him, whatever team he's on. Lou Dort, there's no love lost there. There's just Mo Wagner. There's player after player in the NBA. He holds grudges against.

And so if it is going to work that way, and honestly, all the things Nico said would, if I was Luca, I would hold all the grudges in the world against him and I would want to drop 73 against Dallas every time I play him, then I think he would, and you'll see that. I'm going to take a quick break and let you know that Locked on Lakers is brought to you by Game Time. I love going to live events, whether sports, music, theater, or comedy.

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That's right. There's not even a need to win with a $5 lineup to get your bonus. It's guaranteed. Prize picks, run your game. I'm very, very, I believe April 9th. The Lakers are February 25th and an April 9th these two teams play. Very, very. much looking forward to those games. I have a feeling that the thank you Luca video will not be

enough to sway his emotions on this. No. I just want to I mean all of the reactions here because it's funny like Lakers fans are excited. I think they I think they are understanding what the Lakers have acquired here but there is the question of like first of all the why and like what exactly was wrong with him. And then I guess there are some lingering questions about fit. Because LeBron doesn't seem like he's going anywhere. He doesn't want to leave L.A. And, you know, if

that's the case, then you got at least the next couple of seasons, the end of this one and certainly in next, I would suspect, those two guys are going to be playing together. Now, while on the one hand, the idea of putting basically LeBron 1.0 and LeBron 2.0. White LeBron.

Offensively, at least. He's not the same athlete as a little. functionally in an offense they are two guys who kind of accomplish similar things like how does that work in your my like the the raw ball movement and playmaking talent here is staggering but do you see any issues with those two guys playing together oh yeah we talked about those a lot this summer when there was the weird lebron to the mavericks rumors right where that was the thing that got brought up is what if he reunites with kairi and plays with luka he loves playing with Luca and I did not think it would be the opposite way

that Luca would be the one going to the Lakers but here we are in 2025 year of our lord. Luca can defensively Luca can play defense well one on one. He can hold his own. He's statistically one of the best post defenders in the NBA when somebody tries to post him up. Some of the pettiness where

somebody tries to size him up, he's going to hold his own. The off ball stuff, the coming around screens, the anything that involves like movement or paying attention to stuff off ball sometimes if he's not like trying to swipe for a steal, which he is very good at getting deflections. Steele's very smart player cerebral and can find, you know, find passing lanes to do that. If he's not doing that, taking risks, then he can get lost and he can just get completely blown by

and that can mess up a whole quarter, a whole game sometimes. But then Luca gives it back to you on the other end and you can make up for it and get hit a game winning shot and all of a sudden everything is is good and roses and all that. But defensively, that's an issue. Eventually, he can get, you know, pretty trigger happy with his stepback three. and if that's rolling, then it's lights out. There's no way you can cover him. He's the best offensive player in the NBA

when his three-point shot is going like that. When it's not, then what does he turn to? That depends on his conditioning. We saw all through the playoffs he struggled to create separation with his first step to get to certain spots on the floor and he had to settle for a lot of jumpers and a lot of different things.

But if we see Luca back in that condition where we've seen him before, where his first step is great. He can get to any of his spots. he has like messed around the mid-range. Luca, the type of player Luca is, and I wonder how much Lakers fans I've heard about him throughout the years,

probably a lot because he's been one of the great star players in the NBA. The first time Luca took a step back three was in a game, not in practice, in a game of his rookie year against the Rockets where he went on an 11-0 run, where he goes, man, I'm going to try that against James Hardin's team, and just take a step-back three.

He had never taken one before in his life, took one, made it, and goes on an 11-0 run by himself, to beat the Rockets in his rookie year. And it was one of the greatest moments of his rookie year. But it just shows who Luca is, that he can just step out and do whatever he wants. He can see it, you know, kind of like Taskmaster in Marvel,

where he can just scan whatever fighting style that person is doing and then give it back to him in a way. And yeah, so of all the deficiencies, Luca will give it back on offense for sure. But the deficiencies are, they're definitely there. What are you most, I guess, optimistic or excited, I mean, as excited as you can be as a mass, person to see with LeBron and Luca together.

And what do you think is going to be the biggest, if not obstacle, thing that is going to require a minute before it really looks good? Luca has this thing where he tries to adopt players and call them his son. He did this with Jalen Brunson. He did this with a lot of players. And I'm very curious to see what he does with Brani. Does he call him his son?

Does he go there? I'm curious. I'm curious about that. I'm also curious about the passing between the, the two of them because you're talking about two of the greatest passers in NBA history. And the geometry of the court just completely changes when those two guys are together. Luca can make passes that maybe only Yokic can make in the NBA right now. And so to find guys like that, there's just going to be so many wide open shots for Reeves

and connect and so many different guys. Does that make the Lakers better? Is LeBron already creating those looks? And, you know, will Luca just make them while LeBron is off the court? That's a thing that I'm looking for. But obviously the passing of the two is just, it's insane to. have two guys that good on the same team. I don't know, maybe it's never happened. I was going to say Luca is considered a pick and roll maestro, LeBron, a pick and roll maestro. The two of them together

running pick and roll, no matter who's setting the screen, no matter who's got the ball, that feels pretty damn impossible to guard if it's actually going. Yeah, the times they ran it with Kyrie were great. And the times that he's running with PJ, Washington, or other guys that can handle the ball too, it changes a lot. And when Luca sets screens and when he's locked in like that, it just opens up so much because you can't leave, you can't leave Luca to go then take the ball handler, right?

Like if Luca's the guy rolling, you just can't leave him. I'm also interested to see if Luca switches from beer to wine with Jason Kidd and LeBron. And maybe that's something that'll help him in his career. How does he feel about tequila? Because his new teammate is a tequila baron, Nick. The last thing that I'll leave you guys with. As is his new owner for that matter.

She's also a tequila baron. There's two tequila barons inside the Lakers. Do you think he watches the Netflix show, the Waves one? I'll leave you guys with this. I'll never be able to play it on my show again, and I'm very frustrated and upset about it. But I'll leave it for you guys, and I'll send you the file if you want it.

It was a joy to play that after every great. Luke a game. All right, Nick Angstadt, the host of Lockdown Mavs, very sad, very sad Nick Angstadt, who was to redo all of his sound

and everything. I did do that. I don't know if you were one of the people who brought a coffin to the arena today in protest. But the fact that Mavs, fans, and apparently inside the organization,

everybody's so upset, does make me feel a little bit better about any risk the Lakers might be taking here. And because I couldn't figure out what the catch was. What's the, what's the trick here?

Apparently there isn't one. So we appreciate you coming on. Thanks a lot. Yeah.