On the one hand, the Lakers entered the final minute with a real chance to win in three of the four games they lost in the Western Conference Finals to the Denver Nuggets. On the other... they lost all of them. And while you could argue it means the gap between Denver and LA isn't as big as 4-0 might indicate, there's still definitely a gap. How big? The NBA Finals, which kicked off Thursday, might provide a clue. Both to how the Lakers stack up against the Nuggets, but where they might fit in that next tier of contenders, and how crowded that group might be. One thing that will help close the gap next year? Internal improvement. Assuming the Lakers bring back the expected group of players, a lot of attention will be given to the relative youth of the supporting cast. Generally, young players are talked about as having "upside." Often, teams have a couple prospects that they hope will become franchise cornerstones, and even elite NBA players. The Lakers don't have that level of prospect, but how much better can Austin Reaves get? How about Rui Hachimura? What about Max Christie? For the Lakers, if a guy like Christie can become a reliable, game in/game out rotation player for the regular season next year - even for 10-15 minutes a night - that's like acquiring an extra free agent, or pulling off a trade. The Lakers will certainly look to get better by dangling players like Mo Bamba, Malik Beasley and D'Angelo Russell (in sign-and-trade scenarios). How appealing will those options be, though? So while they've remade their depth, getting significantly better could be tough. Unless, of course, that improvement happens internally. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: What could the Finals teach us about the Lakers? SEGMENT 2: Which young player on the Lakers has the most upside? SEGMENT 3: Why internal improvement could be tremendously valuable for LA... and how context really matters. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! eBay Motors For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBay Motors dot com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In any offseason, the question of payroll and taxes is always a question for the Lakers, who have been known to be far more cost-conscious than teams of their market size and value typically are. It's not that they don't spend a lot on players - they obviously do - but they have limits teams like the Clippers and Warriors might not. So now that the NBA's new CBA has put punitive penalties for high spending teams, measures that go well beyond just demanding more money and causing real pain when it comes to limitations on roster construction, what will the Lakers do? On the one hand, the limitations that come with crossing the highest spending thresholds are real. On the other... when you have LeBron James, you kind of need to do everything you can to maximize the roster, right? So what's the best path to do that? There's no clear blueprint at this point, and it will be a looming factor in all the decisions the Lakers make this offseason. Does Rui Hachimura cost $17 million or $19? Does D'Angelo Russell cost $16 or $20? Even the balloon payments likely coming to Austin Reaves could impact LA's thinking, because a $26 million cap hit in two years could force some really hard choices. The good news? Early signs point to a free agent market that could be more depressed than free spending, thanks to new rules combined with a player pool that is, to say the least, underwhelming. Everything that keeps prices down helps the Lakers, whether by making free agents cheaper to sign, or adding more flexibility to potential trades. Fingers crossed, Lakers fans. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: How much will money impact the way the Lakers approach roster construction this summer? SEGMENT 2: What kinds of trade offs could be coming if the Lakers approach the "second apron?" How do you balance that with maximizing LeBron? SEGMENT 3: Is the market going to help or hurt the Lakers this summer? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! eBay Motors For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBay Motors dot com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It didn't exactly end well, but according to longtime NBA reporter/writer/podcaster Howard Beck (known in these parts as "The Great" Howard Beck), it's hard to call this season anything but a success for the Lakers. Especially, he says, when you consider where things started at the beginning of the year, and where they finished. Yes, as things improved Lakers fans got greedy - it's what fans do - and the team had a legitimate chance to reach the Finals. But from 2-10 to the Western Conference Finals, with a clear blueprint to keep the team competitive next season and beyond, it's hard to get too riled up. Of course, this assumes the Lakers stay the course? We ask Beck what he thinks is the best course of action. Is Kyrie Irving really in play? Would he make sense for the Lakers? What about D'Angelo Russell? Will his market value be in that $25 million per year range he reportedly hoped to get from Minnesota? Or did that bad WCF do the Lakers a favor by significantly driving down his market value? And if it's not Kyrie, what other names are out there that could make sense for the Lakers? Is it about adding a true "third star," or a quasi-third star, or finding the best ways to maximize the supporting cast? What about guys like Fred VanVleet? Maybe Buddy Hield? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky, with Guest Howard Beck! SEGMENT 1: This season was a major success for the Lakers, even if the ending was a disappointment. SEGMENT 2: What is D'Angelo Russell worth on the open market? Do the Lakers and Russell need each other (like the Mavs and Kyrie need each other)? SEGMENT 3: If not Kyrie, where might the Lakers look to improve, leveraging the assets on hand? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! eBay Motors For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBay Motors dot com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It might have been a holiday across the US this weekend, but that doesn't mean it was a holiday for the NBA's rumor mill. To wit: Marc Stein, on his Substack, reports that the Dallas Mavericks have zero interest in building a sign-and-trade around D'Angelo Russell that would result in Kyrie Irving finding his way to Los Angeles. Now, the Mavericks certainly have no incentive to make any interest public (would be horrible for their flexibility/negotiating position), but at the same time, the idea they'd want Russell as a potential replacement for Irving at a time where they're trying to make Luka Doncic as happy as possible? Seems a little far fetched. So if Russell isn't going to Dallas in an S/T, does that mean he's likely to stay in LA, even after a terrible Western Conference Finals? That depends a lot on how much money he's offered on the open market. It won't be a max- nobody's giving him that- and it probably won't be the $25 mil he wanted from Minnesota. Could it be $20 mil? $15? The answer makes a huge difference to LA, who probably need him more than other teams, and can also pay him more, too. Meanwhile, any concern the great playoff run Rui Hachimura had, one that drove up his price this free agency season, might be something the Lakers regret in a couple years? The answer has a lot to do with what kind of ecosystem the Lakers maintain. It's true of Hachimura, and other role players like him. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: Is a Kyrie-for-Russell Sign and Trade already dead? Was it ever alive? SEGMENT 2: If it's not this one, Russell will be added to many, many more sign-and-trade hypotheticals between now and the end of the offseason. Which begs the question... how much money is the guy going to make, anyway? SEGMENT 3: Any worries that Hachimura's sample size isn't big enough to feel totally comfortable giving up big money? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! eBay Motors For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBay Motors dot com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

While a lot of the attention (understandably) around LeBron James following the season ending Game 4 loss to the Nuggets earlier this week was centered on the whole "I might retire" thing, James also had other interesting stuff to say. Notably, he told ESPN's Dave McMenamin that should he decide to come back and play next year (which is where most would put their money, even if some aren't taking the possibility of retirement seriously enough), he believes a full summer of rest and rehab of his injured foot would get him back to the player he's been. Why? "Because I'm still better than 90% of the NBA," he said. "Maybe 95." So is he right? (Spoiler alert: Yes.) But the bigger question for the Lakers is whether that's enough. And even more specifically, how do they construct a team that allows him to be that hyper-elite, top 10+ player in the moments of the season that matter most? This is where questions of roster construction become particularly important. No question, depth means something different in the playoffs, and the Lakers, if they're going to go far, need players who can work in a variety of matchups (whether that's the same players adapting to different circumstances, or different players playing bigger or smaller roles depending on the opponent). But they also need real depth to win games in the regular season, and set themselves up for the easiest path possible, one that includes a rested (or as rested as can be) LeBron. Anthony Davis could use a little protection, too. So how does the larger context around James's statement shape the way the Lakers should approach this summer? We break it down. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: LeBron says he's better than 95% of the league. Is he right? SEGMENT 2: What does it say about the Lakers and how they're constructed that 95% might not be enough? How do the Lakers compensate? SEGMENT 3: Looking at the offseason. What's the best approach to maximize the likelihood that James is at full strength in the postseason? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! eBay Motors For parts that fit, head to eBay Motors and look for the green check. Stay in the game with eBay Guaranteed Fit. eBay Motors dot com. Let’s ride. eBay Guaranteed Fit only available to US customers. Eligible items only. Exclusions apply. Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Last minute tickets. Lowest Price. Guaranteed. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON FanDuel Make Every Moment More. Don’t miss the chance to get your No Sweat First Bet up to ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS in Bonus Bets when you go FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON. Birddogs Go to birddogs.com/lockedonnba and when you enter promo code, LOCKEDONNBA, they’ll throw in a free custom birddogs Yeti-style tumbler with every order. 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) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices