 In part 2 of their discussion on 2021 NBA draft prospects who could help the Lakers, Pete, Darius, and Mike Garcia take a look at players who might be less ready to contribute next season but who offer real upside or are hidden gems Lakers fans should be aware of. From playmaking guards to lob-catching bigs to 3-and-D wings, the guys go on a deep dive of players who the team could target at pick #22 or could take later in the draft if they trade down.  Submit your Blue Wire Hustle application here: http://bwhustle.com/join Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Laker Film Room - Dedicated to the Study of Lakers Basketball

Lakers Draft Preview: Hidden Gems

With the 22nd pick in the 2021 NBA Draft the Los Angeles Lakers select....? That is the question we're all trying to answer and to try and sort through all of the potential options, Pete and Darius are joined by Mike Garcia to break down the most rotation ready prospects who could be available when the Lakers are on the clock. From Chris Duarte to Jared Butler to Trey Murphy III and Kessler Edwards, the guys discuss players who have the potential to play a real role on next season's Lakers. Submit your Blue Wire Hustle application here: http://bwhustle.com/join Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lakers Draft Preview: Ready to Contribute

This offseason will give us a lot of insight into how anxious the Lakers are to add a 3rd star to their roster in complement to LeBron and Anthony Davis while also informing us of the organization's willingness to pay and go deep into the luxury tax when building a championship roster. Pete, Mike, and Darius dive into these topics by using some of the free agent and potential trade targets the Lakers have been linked to as a guide to what direction the team might go in.  Submit your Blue Wire Hustle application here: http://bwhustle.com/join Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Lakers Offseason Preview

Many cultures throughout history believed that a collection of gods represented certain principles and governed specific domains accordingly. The God of the Sea, the Goddess of Love, the God of the Sky, etc. Basketball is no different. While some basketball gods are more powerful than others, various players, coaches, and other figures throughout the league’s history act as emissaries who illustrate a fundamental truth about the game. In the first episode of a series on The Basketball Gods, Pete, Mike, and Darius discuss the God of Power: the incomparable Shaquille O’Neal. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Basketball Gods - SHAQ

The Bucks are the NBA champions, beating the Suns in game 6 on the back of a masterful 50 point, 14 rebound, 5 block performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo. Pete, Mike, and Darius celebrate Giannis' performance to lead his team to the title and discuss why they're happy to see him, specifically, succeed in this way. Later, the guys debate what the Bucks title can teach us about roster construction and how it might impact the Lakers approach this off-season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Giannis Leads Bucks to a Title

Last season the Lakers won a championship with a "bigger, faster, stronger" roster grounded in the talents of LeBron and Anthony Davis, but supplemented with role players who carried those same attributes. This season, the Bucks are on the verge of winning a championship using a similar formula. Pete and Darius use this idea to discuss what approach the Lakers should take to building their roster this offseason, specifically looking at whether more size in their backcourt is needed, debating what type of investment the team should make at Center, whether Talen Horton-Tucker can be a solution to the team's needs for more size and skill on the wing, and how seeking out more size comes with the potential of losing other valuable skills that help you win. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Big Guards

After coming back from a 16 point deficit after the 1st quarter and then holding on vs. a late game Suns rally, the Bucks won game 5 and are only a win away from the NBA championship. Pete and Darius break down the game, keying in on Jrue Holiday's monster performance on both ends of the floor and how his "power" game as a guard epitomizes the Bucks' physical advantages taking their toll on the Suns as the series advances.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bucks Win Game 5 Classic

With Kawhi Leonard's partially torn ACL and the anticipated time that Kawhi will be out in rehab after undergoing surgery to repair it, the seeding for the Western Conference is wide open. Pete & Mike discuss what teams they think will be on top of the West next season, as well as what team Pete thinks Lakers should be wary of as a potential contender as a Lakers' fan. They continue their discussion with a discussion of whether the NBA has tilted too far toward preferring skill over size, why Talen Horton-Tucker could prove to be crucial to the Lakers' offseason, a short tribute to how dominant Shaq was (also acting as a preview to an upcoming episode on Shaq), Mike's "update" on Darius's vacation ? & much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Wide Open West

The Bucks tied up the series on Wednesday night with an engaging game where the Suns led for the majority of the game. Pete & Mike talk about Milwaukee's adjustments that they employed in Game 4, Giannis's AMAZING BLOCK, why the Bucks' have a higher offensive floor in this series, and what adjustments Phoenix can make for Game 5. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Bucks Even Up the Series

The Lakers have a long history of prioritizing talent, but that can result in quality players being unhappy with their role, minutes, and touches. In this episode, Pete and Mike discuss the delicate balance between acquiring the best players available with and those who will fully buy in to their roles. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Talent Plays

In the latest LFR Pod mailbag, Pete & MIke answer questions about what the Lakers can do (other than getting shooters) to improve their scoring, structural changes in the NBA that could be made to improve the league, soccer, building the team around AD or LeBron, favorite albums that came out after 2010, unsung heroes within the Lakers organization, and advice for people who are stuck in a rut. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Quick Hitters 7/12

Pete and Mike discuss their different paths toward covering the Lakers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Different Paths

The Phoenix Suns continued their torrid playoff run with a convincing Game 1 victory over Milwaukee. In this episode, Pete and Mike discuss Phoenix targeting Brook Lopez on switches, Phoenix’s adaptability, and the options Milwaukee has to counter their attack in Game 2. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Suns Control Game 1

The NBA Finals bring two not so recent combatants to the field. Pete, Darius & Mike preview the matchup between the Suns and the Bucks, discussing how soon they expect to see Giannis Antetokounmpo playing in the series, the intriguing matchup between Deandre Ayton & Giannis, the Bucks' unique ability to guard Chris Paul & Devin Booker, Paul's & Booker's effectiveness against the drop, Milwaukee's ability to switch 1 through 5, the coaching matchup & the "brains versus the brawn" matchup. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

NBA Finals Preview

Dedicated to the Study of Lakers Basketball. Hosted by Pete Zayas and Darius Soriano. 

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Laker Film Room - Dedicated to the Study of Lakers Basketbal...

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