Showtime Forum

Chris and Chaez talk about why Russell Westbrook could be a positive presence for the Lakers, and how he will help both LeBron and Anthony Davis; why Carmelo Anthony is in a better place in his career to be a role player and could be an X-factor; what Frank Vogel's contract extension signifies; who should Rob Pelinka consider adding in those final 3 roster spots?

Chris and Chaez are back to talk about the blockbuster trade the Lakers made to acquire former 2017 league MVP and 9x All-Star Russell Westbrook; what are the pros and cons of adding Russ alongside LeBron and AD; the Lakers lose fan favorite and bench spark-plug Alex Caruso to the Chicago Bulls, will they feel that loss more significantly than we think; LA sign veterans and ex-Lakers Wayne Ellington, Dwight Howard, Kent Bazemore, and Trevor Ariza, what will they bring to the table; what else does GM Rob Pelinka have up his sleeve to round out this Lakers team

Chris Camello and Chaez Pearson are back to break down the offseason expectations for the 2021-2022 Los Angeles Lakers; is DeMar DeRozan willing to take a pay cut to play for his hometown team; are Kyle Kuzma's days in LA numbered and who should the Lakers consider dealing him for; which star is a good fit as a 3rd option behind LeBron and AD; is Dennis Schroder more likely to be sign and traded or will he sign and stay; should Lakers inquire about All-Star guard Zach LaVine; special guest Tyler Rucker from "Backcourt Violation" joins us to discuss who the Lakers could select with the 22nd pick in Thursday's NBA Draft (assuming they keep the pick)

Chris and Chaez talk about the Lakers' unceremonious end to their championship defense after losing to the Phoenix Suns in 6 games in first round playoff series; who's deserves to get the majority of the blame pie; should Anthony Davis have even played in Game 6 after his groin injury suffered in Game 4; what went wrong this entire season for Lakers; what's next for GM Rob Pelinka this summer to get this team on track; which incumbent FA's should they consider bringing back; who will the Lakers target in free agency or through a trade

Chris and Chaez break down Game 1 of the NBA first round playoff series between the Lakers and the number 2 seed Phoenix Suns; what went wrong for the Lakers and is it time to panic?; does Anthony Davis deserve more blame than head coach Frank Vogel for the team's loss; can LeBron James respond despite not looking 100 percent healthy; do the Suns deserve more respect than what they've been given; what do the Lakers need to do to turn this series around and can they come together to do it?

Chris and Chaez talk about the impact of Anthony Davis rounding into form but is that groin injury a concern; Talen Horton-Tucker and Wesley Matthews making a case for more playoff time; is the play-in tournament a good thing or a bad thing for Lakers; Lakers raise their 2019-2020 championship banner, what impact can that have on new players not on last years team; what to expect during Kobe Bryant's enshrinement with 2020 Hall of Fame class this weekend 

Chris and Chaez talk about the Lakers' recent struggles but how they dug out a huge win against the lowly Denver Nuggets; is Anthony Davis back to normal and can he lead this team down the stretch; has Marc Gasol carved out a new role for himself as a "fixer"; why had Andre Drummond struggled since coming to LA; should LeBron James sit the rest of the regular season

Chris and Chaez are back to talk about the Lakers' struggles on this past 4-game road trip; questioning their sense of urgency and desperation; is Anthony Davis back to being AD after a strong performance in Washington; is LeBron James the 'straw that stirs the drink' for this Lakers team and get them on track when he returns; where has this number 1 ranked defense gone recently

Chris and Chaez discuss the Lakers' recent 7-game road trip and how they came home with a winning record; the great coaching of Frank Vogel during this difficult season; what to expect from Andre Drummond moving forward; the positives and negatives of Lakers' play the last 13 games; what to expect on tough 5-game stretch vs Boston, Utah, and Dallas

Chris and Chaez discuss the Lakers' sputtering offense after a tough loss to the LA Clippers on Easter Sunday; who needs to step up on that end to make it flow better; was Marc Gasol out of line with his recent comments; what should we expect from Gasol moving forward; when will Andre Drummond make his return after his toe injury; how far can the Lakers slide after upcoming road trip; should Lakers pursue recently waived guard Ben McLemore for final roster spot

Chris and Chaez break down the Lakers making a huge splash on the buy-out market signing two-time All-Star center Andre Drummond; how does his presence impact the entire squad; why he chose the Lakers over other teams; how will Drummond fit in next to AD and LeBron once they return; will the Lakers target another 3-and-D guard or wing on the buy-out market like ex-Laker Avery Bradley; how they've won the last 2 games after 4 straight losses; have they figured something out; what to expect in the next week as the schedule gets tougher against contenders like Milwaukee, LA Clippers, and others

Chris and Chaez are back to discuss how Kyle Kuzma has continued to grow and mature his game in 2nd half of the season; the value and the fit of Montrezl Harrell and the connection Kuz and Trez have formed; Lakers reporter Nick Hamilton of Nitecast Media joins us to break down the state of the Lakers and who they could get in the buy-out market; LeBron takes a piece of the Red Sox and some of the MVP votes

Chris and Chaez are back to discuss the Lakers restoring order with 2 straight wins after a 4-game losing streak; the impact Dennis Schroder has had since he returned from health and safety protocols; was LeBron's response to Zlatan too dignified and respectful; examining the buy-out market and what can we expect from Damian Jones on the 10-day contract

Chris and Chaez are back to discuss the latest news on Anthony Davis's Achilles diagnosis and what it means for the Lakers moving forward; who needs to step up with AD out for close to a month; what external options could GM Rob Pelinka be looking at to plug the hole in the front court; looking ahead to the next 9 games without AD leading up to the All-Star break and how the Lakers will do 

Chris and Chaez are back to discuss the Lakers' torrid second half run to defeat the red-hot Denver Nuggets in a rematch of last years Western Conference Finals; how this team flipped the switch to win their 3rd straight game; should we be concerned about Anthony Davis' offensive woes; is LeBron James the MVP right now and how has his game remained so sharp; were his comments about the All-Star game justified; how THT has fazed out Wes and Kieff as Vogel tightens rotations

Chris and Chaez examine the life and legacy of Kobe Bryant and the impact he had globally beyond the Lakers or the sport of basketball; how did LeBron James embody the 'Mamba Mentality' in the Lakers' win in his hometown; does the lineup need a shake-up; and should the Lakers pursue another 7-foot center for additional frontcourt depth

Chris and Chaez are back to break down the stunning loss to the Golden State Warriors on MLK Day; what went wrong in the second half against the Dubs; should Frank Vogel consider shuffling the closing lineups depending on matchups and who's hot; why hasn't Staples Center provided more home cookin' to start this season; what to expect on this upcoming  7-game road trip starting in Milwaukee; should Lakers pursue recently cut 7-foot center Alex Len

Chris and Chaez break down how Anthony Davis' comments about the Lakers "sh---t" defense after a recent loss to the Spurs motivated the team defense in their win over the Houston Rockets; has he taken on more of a leadership role on the Lakers' defense; the impact of Alex Caruso and KCP's return to the lineup; Talen Horton-Tucker continues to impress on both ends; how does Vogel get THT more minutes; is the Kyle Kuzma criticism warranted, what needs to change so he can be more consistent for Lakers?; a tribute to recently departed Dodgers legend Tommy Lasorda and Sandy Scully, wife of Dodgers legendary broadcaster Vin Scully

Chris and Chaez are back for the New Year to talk about the Lakers' knack for winning ugly against SA and MEM; how valuable their depth has been through these first 2 weeks of the season; is the defense a concern for the Lakers; what to expect this week vs the Grizz, Spurs, and Bulls

Chris and Chaez break down the Lakers' loss to the Portland Trail Blazers in a rematch of last year's playoffs; special guest Ryan Ward of Lakers Daily joins us to talk the state of the purple and gold and their recent losses; what improvements should the team make; should there be lineup shake-ups; what to expect on upcoming road trip against the Spurs and Grizzlies

Chris and Chaez break down the impact of Kyle Kuzma's contract extension and what it means for Lakers moving forward; Lakers beat writer Harrison Faigen of SB Nation joins the pod to talk Kuz's extension, THT's role, weakness of the Lakers (if any), and more; what to expect from sophomore Talen Horton-Tucker this season; what surprises can we expect on Opening Night aka Ring Night for the Lakers as they face rival Clippers; breaking down the Lakers' first week of the regular season

Chris and Chaez break down the phenomena that is Talen Horton-Tucker through the first 2 preseason games; is he the real deal?' what are the realistic expectations for him during the season with a fully healthy roster; who's minutes does he take; what other Lakers have been impressive thus far; what to expect in the final 2 preseason games against the new-look Phoenix Suns

Chris and Chaez talk about LeBron's recent comments on how he will approach this season with a quick turnaround as well as some digs he takes at the Clippers; how many games will LeBron and/or Anthony Davis actually play in this season; the impact of the new additions like Trez, Schroeder, Matthews, and Marc Gasol; why did AD take a 5-year deal instead of a 2+1; was bringing back Quinn Cook a good thing or a bad thing; how do Lakers address a need for one more big man

Chris and Chaez talk about newest Laker Dennis Schroeder's comments about wanting to start alongside LeBron and AD; how does that muck up the rotation and second unit; is AD waiting on Giannis before signing a new deal; should Lakers consider giving Kuzma an extension now; who else should Lakers sign to round out the roster; is a Pau Gasol return a real possibility; the impact of Jared Dudley

Chris and Chaez discuss the Lakers fantastic start to free agency with some great additions to the roster; how will these new additions impact the team; what are the downside of losing key free agents like Rondo, Dwight, McGee, and Danny Green; 710 ESPN radio host and entertainment reporter Ben Lyons joins us to discuss the Lakers, Knicks, NBA, movies, and more; how will the Lakers round out their roster; who is the biggest threat to them in the West

Chris Camello and Chaez Pearson are back and joined by Lakers beat writer Lauren Jones to break down the Lakers' offseason moves of trading for OKC Thunder guard Dennis Schroeder; his impact on the team; what kind of contract will Anthony Davis sign to stay with Lakeshow; which incumbent free agents will Lakers bring back; who will they sign and/or trade for on the open market; how will the other NBA blockbuster trades shape the league's landscape moving forward

Chris and Chaez return after a one week sabbatical to talk about how the NBA's proposed Dec 22nd start date would impact LeBron and the Lakers; which of their numerous free agents should they consider re-signing besides AD; which free agents/trades should they pursue; and did the Dodgers' overlapping playoff schedule steal some of the Lakers' championship thunder? 

Chris and Chaez break down how the Lakers were able to clinch their 17th championship in franchise history defeating the tough Miami Heat in 6 games; where this championship ranks among other iconic Lakers titles; how LeBron James could be the greatest leader in NBA history; how Jeanie Buss, Rob Pelinka, Frank Vogel, and Anthony Davis finally earned some respect; and what to expect from the Lakers this offseason and next season

Chris and Chaez break down the Lakers being on the brink of winning their 17th championship; how LeBron and AD finally woke up to help the Lakers take a 3-1 series lead; KCP stepping up in a huge game; the depth of the Lakers showing it value against Miami; could Dwight Howards role be marginalized at this point; what to expect in Gam 5 from both Lakers and Heat

Chris and Chaez break down how the Lakers got back into the NBA Finals, the greatness of the LeBron/AD duo; what to expect in the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat; who needs to step up for the Lakers in this series; how does Doc Rivers firing change the NBA landscape 

Chris and Chaez break down Anthony Davis' game-winning, buzzer-beating 3 against the Denver Nuggets in Game 2; how that saved the Lakers in a sloppy second half; where does AD's game-winning 3 rank with another iconic Lakers' game-winning shots; why LeBron James was robbed of MVP and why wasn't it closer; the flaws in how the media votes and the timing of these Awards; what do the Lakers have to do to win the series

Chris and Chaez are back to discuss how the Lakers got back to the Western Conference Finals after 10 long years of futility; why team governor Jeanie Buss, GM Rob Pelinka, and head coach Frank Vogel deserve a ton of credit; why LeBron James proved he's still the best in the league; the depth and versatility of the Lakers coming through at the right time; previewing the WCF vs the Clippers or Nuggets

Chaez and Chris are back to break down the Lakers' first playoff series win since 2012 defeating the determined Blazers in 5 games; the pros and cons of the series; how LeBron and AD got more efficient as the series went on; what to expect in a Lakers/Rockets showdown in 2nd round; how do the Lakers take down the Rockets' potent offense; is OKC really a better matchup; why and how was Anthony Davis robbed of DPOY

Chris Camello and Chaez Pearson do a special playoff edition breaking down the first 2 games of the Lakers/Blazers series; can AD play with that same fire and efficiency we saw in Game 2; how the three-point shooting continues to be a major X-factor for the role players; how does the return of Rajon Rondo impact Frank Vogel's rotation; can the Lakers sustain their defensive effort against the Blazers' guards the rest of the series

Chris and Chaez talk about Kyle Kuzma's game-winning 3 against the Denver Nuggets and what to expect from him in the playoffs; Danny Green appears to have "arrived" in Orlando after struggling through Restart; concerns for the Lakers entering the postseason; what they need from Anthony Davis when the playoffs begin; why the Lakers could have a very tough road to the Finals; what to expect in a series with the red-hot Portland Trail Blazers

Chris and Chaez break down how the Lakers' defeated the Utah Jazz to lock up the number seed in the Western Conference; the dominant performance of Anthony Davis; the lackluster three-point shooting the first 3 games in the Bubble; what other areas need improvement for the Lakers; how the bench has become a strength; what to expect in the next 5 games with the top seed clinched; previewing potential first round opponents 

Chris and Chaez break down the Lakers' three scrimmage games and discuss the biggest takeaways from those games; the contributions of JR Smith aka Swish and Dion Waiters aka Cheese and what to expect when the regular season starts; will we see a more consistent Kyle Kuzma; previewing Thursday nights seeding game against the LA Clippers; and Lou Williams' magical trip

Chris and Chaez are back at it to talk about how integral Kyle Kuzma could be to the success of the LA Lakers when the season is restarted; coach Frank Vogel's comments about LeBron James deserving to win MVP and Anthony Davis winning Defensive Player of the Year Award; how these 8 regular season games wont factor into the voting, what that means for James and Davis; the impact Kobe Bryant's memory and spirit continues to have on the Lakers in their championship pursuit; what to expect from Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as he takes over Avery Bradley's starting spot

Chris Camello and Chaez Pearson break down the impact of the Lakers losing Rajon Rondo to a fractured thumb for next 6-8 weeks; what they lose with him gone and how his absence can be overcome; who will be asked to step up to fill that backup point role; why LeBron James and Anthony Davis chose not to wear a message on the back of their jerseys; a bigger issue with the pre-approved messages on back of NBA uniforms; what life inside the NBA Bubble has been like thus far; breaking down the Woj suspension

Chris and Chaez break down JR Smith officially joining the squad and how he will fit in with the Lakers and maximize this opportunity; what the Lakers would miss if Dwight Howard opted-out of the NBA Restart and potential internal and external candidates to fill the void; the superb shape LeBron James has kept as he tries to will the Lakers to a championship; how important is this postseason for AD and how being 100 percent healthy will help him and the team

Chris Camello and Chaez Pearson break down the Lakers adding veteran guard JR Smith to replace Avery Bradley; what will Smith bring to the team; what will the Lakers' mindset be going into the final 8 regular season games with a tough schedule; predictions on Lakers' record in those regular season games; how CP3, Michelle Roberts and other reps of the NBPA want to alter the backs of jerseys to promote different messages for social change; how safe and healthy will the players be in the Orlando Bubble with COVID cases continuing to spike in Florida

Chris Camello and Chaez Pearson talk about some NBA players will not be apart of the NBA Restart in Orlando and the impact it will have on some teams' playoff chances; how the Lakers organization created a new position hiring Karida Brown as the inaugural director of racial equality and action; how her hiring will impact the team and the NBA; Jeanie Buss creating awareness by sharing a hateful racist letter on Instagram; and why KD crossed the line calling Kendrick Perkins a "sellout" 

Chris Camello and Chaez Pearson break down Kyrie Irving's comments about the NBA season distracting from the BLM movement; how Dwight Howard and Avery Bradley are following Irving's lead; how the NBA will and should respond to concerns of the players; how LeBron James' impact could swing the league in one direction or another; could this issue prove to be divisive for this Lakers squad

Chris Camello and Chaez Pearson talk about the positives that have come out of the recent protests; how several NBA players, including some Lakers are joining others in organized peaceful marches; the criticisms of Drew Brees and Roger Goodell's statements and apologies but how some changes could potentially come out of the NFL; with the NBA resuming next month, how much stock do Lakers put 8-game regular season; who presents the biggest challenge to Lakers in playoff series

Chris Camello and Chaez Pearson break down the tragic death and murder of George Floyd and the impact his murder has had on the rest of the country; how athletes and other sports figures have protested and been helping people during this difficult time; and what the NBA season will look like when it returns in late July

Chris Camello and Chaez Pearson break down when and how the NBA season will resume, whether they will follow the NHL protocol and go straight to the playoffs when the season resumes; the reshuffling of the 16 teams in a modified playoff format; how this restructuring will affect the Lakers; why Paul Pierce shouldn't have dissed LeBron James' legacy; why Michael Jordan lied about wanting to keep Isiah Thomas off the '92 Dream Team and other reactions from former teammates regarding 'The Last Dance'

Chris Camello and Chaez Pearson discuss when and how the NBA season will resume with facilities beginning to re-open and the challenges the players face; break down the final episodes of "The Last Dance"; why the '98 championship is the sweetest one for Michael Jordan and the Bulls; why Jerry Reinsdorf should have done more sooner to keep that core intact; what challenges the Indiana Pacers and Utah Jazz presented to Chicago; why Phil Jackson is the greatest coach of all-time; our favorite moments throughout this docuseries

Chris Camello and Chaez Pearson break down episodes 7 and 8 of 'The Last Dance' breaking down the demanding leadership of Michael Jordan and how he was the true innovator of the Mamba Mentality; did the tragic death of his father really push him into baseball; how MJ imagined conflicts with opponents and coaches to fire himself up before games; was Scottie Pippen's infamous self-benching in 1994 Eastern Conference semis justified or regrettable; could Pau Gasol return to the Lakers to finish his career

Chris Camello and Chaez Pearson break down episodes 5 and 6 of 'The Last Dance' and examine the relationship of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant dating back to that 1998 All-Star Game and their uncanny similarities; who was responsible for keeping Isiah Thomas off the 1992 'Dream Team'; what gave Jordan his internal motivation; how his image and reputation took a hit amidst off-the-court issues and how MJ recovered; can the Disney World idea work to save the NBA season?

Chris Camello and Chaez Pearson talk about how NBA facilities could be opening soon under certain guidelines; we also break down episodes 3 and 4 of "The Last Dance;" why Dennis Rodman was a special talent and how he invented load management with his midseason Vegas trip; the evolution of Phil Jackson and how he became the most revered coach ever; the Bulls' rivalry with the 'Bad Boy' Detroit Pistons still has Jordan and Isiah Thomas beefin'; was Zeke wrong for his infamous walkout in 1991 ECF; why the Lakers fell to the Bulls in '91 NBA Finals