June 23, 2025
How the Kevin Durant Trade Makes Life Harder for the Lakers in the Western Conference
Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles LakersAbout this episode
Life didn't get any easier for the Lakers on Sunday. First, the Oklahoma City Thunder won an NBA title, after winning 68 games in the regular season. While they caught a break with Indiana guard Tyrese Haliburton's horrific injury in the first half of Game 7, making it easier to pull ahead in the second half to gain and maintain a lead, it's also very likely that the Thunder are not done improving. That knocking them off will be harder next season, given their assets and a young core that should keep ascending (especially players like Chet Holmgren and Jaylen Williams). And now that Kevin Durant has been sent to Houston in exchange for... nothing that should make the Rockets notably worse, even getting to the Thunder is going to be harder. Houston, a two-seed this year, solved their greatest playoff weakness (scoring) by acquiring Durant and sending out Jalen Green while keeping all of the young players they covet (Amen Thompson, Alperin Segun, Tari Eason, Jabari Smith, Reed Sheppard) and their most valuable draft assets, as well. Meaning they have plenty of stuff available to continue getting better. The day was a reminder that nobody can punt away a season, because opportunities that seem enduring can be fleeting. Just as Boston and now Indiana, both of whom will enter next season with severely dampened championship hopes based on injuries to their stars. On the other hand, a calm and realistic understanding of where you are as a franchise is key, because "all in" moves for a team that's not good enough to make that investment? That can bury a franchise. It's why Miami ultimately never made a credible offer for Durant. So the Lakers remain in a tricky position. Clearly a quality team in a stacked Western Conference, but just as clearly with a gap between them and the best teams in the conference. They have plenty of incentives to improve, but few assets to make it happen. So what's the risk/reward equation? And did the way the Finals squads were coached reinforce the playoff mistakes of JJ Redick? HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: KD to Houston. Life gets harder for the Lakers. SEGMENT 2: Context is key with trades in the NBA. SEGMENT 3: What did we learn? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! OLIPOP Get a free can of OLIPOP! Just buy any two cans in store and they’ll reimburse you for one. Head to drinkolipop.com/LOCKEDONNBA to claim your free can and find OLIPOP near you. SKIMS Shop SKIMS Mens at SKIMS.com/lockedonnba . Let them know we sent you! After you place your order, select "podcast" in the survey and select our show in the dropdown menu that follows. OpenPhone Streamline and scale your customer communications with OpenPhone. Get 20% off your first 6 months at www.openphone.com/lockedonnba WayFair Give your home the refresh it needs with Wayfair. Head to Wayfair.com right now. Wayfair. Every style. Every home. Monarch Money Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONNBA at monarchmoney.com/lockedonnba for 50% off your first year Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONNBA for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime. FanDuel Right now, new customers can get ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER : 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.