Episode Details

The game the Lakers played Tuesday against the Nets in Brooklyn went exactly as it should have. LA rolled a genuinely ghastly Nets squad, went up by nearly 40 and threw it in cruise control en route to a 125-109 victory that wasn't nearly as close as the final score might indicate. 

Luka Dončić played well. LeBron James played well. Jake LaRavia finally got a few easy buckets to help lift his confidence. Jaxson Hayes was great. 

This game mattered because we saw the return of Austin Reaves, after 19 games on the sidelines. And his impact was clear, despite some rust -- particularly as it relates to the team's offensive attack, getting into the paint and finding ways to reach the free throw line. The Lakers are a bad shooting team. They aren't deep. They don't have a great defense. They need to control the game as much as possible through their offense, which is easier to do if they can draw a lot of fouls. 

Having Reaves back in the lineup will make the defense better, because it allows the offense to play into its strengths, which hopefully results in more time avoiding long rebounds and bad transition opportunities for Lakers opponents. 

Meanwhile, the trade deadline week got going big on Tuesday, with three major deals, two of which potentially impact the Lakers. First, Jaren Jackson Jr. goes to Utah, ostensibly to pair next year with Walker Kessler, which in theory at least takes Utah's young center off the market. James Harden to Cleveland is worth watching for LA, because it's part of a potentially larger set of moves the Cavs could make to save money, which reportedly includes trading center Jarrett Allen, who will enter the first year of a contract extension next fall. 

And there are conflicting reports about whether the Bucks will move Giannis at all... or if he's about to get traded to Minnesota. Reports indicate that the Lakers might just wait until there is clarity. Is this smart? 

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky 

SEGMENT 1: The Lakers get Reaves back. 

SEGMENT 2: Who does Redick start with the Big Three and Ayton? 

SEGMENT 3: Giannis! Allen! Bears, oh my! 

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