The Lakers are halfway home -- On surprises and what's to come with guest Harrison Faigan

The Land O'Lakers Podcast by the Kamenetzky Brothers

He's the big cheese over at Silver Screen and Roll, and one of our favorite people out in the NBA universe. Harrison Faigen of SilverScreenandRoll.com joins the show to review what we've seen to this point in the Lakers season, and preview what's to come. Plus... we dive into some of the more controversial aspects of the All Star Weekend! No shortage of options, there.

And that's actually where we start. First, what was the reaction to the game? Clearly, investment from players on the floor was lower than normal. LeBron James projected a strong "I'm just here so I don't get fined" vibe, and didn't even play in the second half. The Elam Ending ended fast. Most of the ancillary competitions were underwhelming. But the big stuff came earlier in the weekend, when Commissioner Adam Silver talked vaccinations, noting the league won't mandate them for players, and the NBA Twitterverse freaked out. LeBron himself wouldn't commit to getting one, saying it's a private family thing (at least for now). Is the angst deserved?

We go around the horn talking about big first half takeaways. What stuck out to each of us? Big topics include the success levels of LA's various new parts, especially around Montrezl Harrell and Dennis Schröder, and whether for all the change, the big picture worries around the team look an awful lot like last year's too.

After that, we talk about what's next. How can the Lakers bring consistency to the lineup? Who might be available in the buyout market? Would that caliber player likely even help?

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