Lakers Lounge

Hey Anthony — I always appreciate how quickly you get these out and the passion you bring about the Lakers. It’s honestly refreshing to hear someone as frustrated as the fanbase. Three straight losses and 4–5 since the trade deadline. To me, this stretch reflects an organization that has signaled, in every possible way, that this season isn’t the priority. The cap space they keep emphasizing only exists if much of this roster is gone next year. When you have a team already questioned for effort and then repeatedly signal you don’t believe in them long-term, why would their intensity increase? I don’t excuse poor effort — but from a human standpoint, it’s understandable. At any level of sports (or even a 9–5 job), people go harder when they feel trusted and valued. It doesn’t seem like this group feels that. Why would Rui, LeBron, Ayton, or anyone else feel urgency to fight through adversity when the front office is effectively prioritizing future flexibility over present support? Long story short: the organization “aggressively said no” at the deadline — and now the team is responding accordingly when things get tough.

On Lebatard, Andrew Friedman said he values collaboration, ability to seize the moment, and reevaluation of process amongst he and his team. Does Rob possess any of those qualities? What exactly does Rob do well in terms of building a team? They value stars so much but haven’t tried to maximize the primes of the 3 they’ve had. They have to go get Presti.

Hey Anthony! I’m a big fan of the show! Thank you for all of your hard work. If you had to make the choice between keeping Austin and going out and getting a starting caliber center, what choice would you make? And if it’s going out to get a center who would you like to target?

Dear Anthony- thanks for the awesome work and the sizzling great western forum. While you were (rightly) critiquing Keep His Job Rob’s endless focus on the horizon I was reminded of this line from Yoda, spoken to Luke, in Empire Strikes Back: "This one, a long time have I watched. All his life as he looked away, to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmm. Adventure, ha. Excitement, ha. A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless!". Is there any chance his new big boss pokes him with a stick and gets us focused on the present? Thanks for all of your work for us.