Hey everyone, I’m Dan Woik and welcome to the latest edition of the Lakers newsletter, where the season is getting closer and closer to those beautiful summer weekends. Am I excited? Do I sound sad? Yes. Yes.
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It’s funny, the last days of the season make me feel different ways. I’m excited for what lies ahead, for the tons of responsibilities, and sad for the time I’ll miss with my family and friends.
It would all be easier to process if it were simple, a single, honest feeling that I could wrap my head around instead of the emotional mess that is the Pixar film itself.
So, dear reader, I’m doing you a favor. Let’s keep things simple. And focus on the FEAR you should feel for the next few days. Because there’s a lot going on against the Lakers getting off to a great start in 2024.
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The starting blocks can actually be walls.
The release of the NBA schedule has become such an event, fans are desperate for anything resembling news to fuel late-summer excitement as people like me retreat to hotel rooms and nannies. It’s a day people look forward to, even though one coach told me, “We’re going to play 41 home games and 41 away games.”
It’s guaranteed (well, sort of, the season run might add some twists, but the gist is true). What’s not so clear? NBA season.
The Lakers took a bit of a tumble shortly after the NBA schedule was announced, and that might be one of the reasons it’s a safe bet when it comes to the Lakers: They’re off to a slow start.
oh six
It really shouldn’t come as a surprise, Crypto.Com Arena is undergoing another round of renovations this summer, ahead of this storm. Plus, it’s generally good business for the Lakers to allow area fans to watch them play close to home.
But the reality is that the Lakers are going through their preseason with six straight road games, with a weekend in Palm Springs followed by a trip to Milwaukee. They return home only to go to Las Vegas before flying to Phoenix and Golden State for a rare back-to-back season.
One school of thought is that these types of trips at the start of the season can help the team bond by forcing them to spend time together on planes, buses and hotels without distractions. But the roster is essentially the same, and one of the new additions is LeBron’s son, so yeah, no mystery there.
This trip will be a factor early in the season, the Lakers are likely to be at least a little tired to start the season.
Golden rules
LeBron James appeared on Lakers social media this week in the team’s weight room, a sign that his post-Olympic recovery is coming to an end. The long summers he and Anthony Davis agreed to spend serving the country overshadowed everything else and changed plans for the season.
Both players are back in the gym, though things will be a little different in the coming weeks. The team, as of now, will not host any of the player-led minicamps it has held in the past.
Perhaps this is a benefit of continuity; perhaps it is a recognition that there is no need to push things now.
In any case, the Lakers’ two most important players put their bodies to work and put some of their available distance into Paris in pursuit of gold. If they’re not careful, that account could end.
Both players are smart when it comes to this sort of thing, though, so you can expect them to take things slowly through the season; it’s not exactly a “hot start.”
Learning curve
Let’s remember something that you’ll be remembering a lot here in the coming weeks. This is the first time JJ Redick has done this and since it is, it may take him a while to really get into a rhythm.
The Lakers have to learn their new system and a bench full of completely new assistants. The coaches, for the most part, need to learn how to coach and work with players they’ve never shared a bench with.
And the team’s schedule (six playoff-bound or non-playoff teams to start) comes immediately after everything else listed here and, yes, it could be a rough start.
Heading into the preseason, the Lakers will play 11 of their first 14 games on the road. Their two best players are out for the Olympics. Their coaching staff is completely new.
And the initial optimism? Perhaps it should be replaced with great caution.
Close it
Last weekend I went to Santa Monica to see Bronny James perform at Rizo Sports as part of Hobby Rip Night Topps and there was probably a lot of talk about Bronny’s dad.
“Who would win the three-point contest, Steph Curry or your dad?” a child shouted.
“Seth (Curry)?” Bronny wondered.
“No!” Steph! the boy shouted.
Bronny, thank you, you did the responsible thing and went against your father.
His attention will surely shine, but he spent his time last Saturday with grace, trading some very valuable cards with ones that the kids from the card store had brought in to buy. He and his father were in the gym this week as the Lakers headed to training camp.
Song of the week
“I Don’t Want to Wait (Live)” by War on Drugs
What a treat, another live record from Drugs just as they prepare to bring their tour with Lucious and Millie to Los Angeles early next month. Like MJ Lenderman’s tune last week, this is very pro-drugs space war, and their live shows are always amazing. The new live recording is a great listen.
let’s talk
Any other questions you might have about this season? Players, wanna dig me? Let me know. Send me an email Daniel Woike, Latimes.com with your questions and we will respond as soon as possible next week.
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