The Lakers' Preseason Opens Monday. Is Darvin Ham's Early Starting Lineup the Right One?

Last season, the Lakers approached the preseason with an attitude of a team that believed it was championship caliber, had plenty of veteran experience and could afford to, well, ease into the season. The pretend games? Whatever. Not worth the time and energy to take seriously, or in the case of the Big Three of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, participate in fully so that the three of them could build some chemistry with each other, and a roster that had completely turned over. It... didn't work very well. The Lakers didn't just go 0-6 last preseason, they looked even worse than the record might suggest in the process, and a tone was set for the entire year. The Lakers never caught up. So this season, it looks like everyone from LeBron on down is going to be available, and the intensity of these games is going to look different. They don't mean everything, but they do mean something, and for a team that needs to get off to a good start in a deep Western Conference, it's important for Darvin Ham and crew to build some continuity. So important stuff starts Monday night at the Crypt against the Kings. Meanwhile, Ham has been running with an early starting lineup of the three stars, plus Damian Jones at center and Kendrick Nunn in the second guard spot. What do these guys bring to the table? Are they the best choices Ham has available? Nunn, in particular, could be a critically important member of the rotation for a team that lacked a solid middle class a year ago. He has the potential to inject something the Lakers missed last season, with a skill set the Lakers could have used a year ago, and definitely need today. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The Lakers are taking the preseason seriously this year, thankfully. SEGMENT 2: What exactly do the preseason results mean this year? SEGMENT 3: The importance of Kendrick Nunn, who might be starting this year. Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKEDON15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. BetOnline BetOnline.net has you covered this season with more props, odds and lines than ever before. BetOnline – Where The Game Starts! LinkedIn LinkedIn Jobs helps you find the qualified candidates you want to talk to, faster. Post your job for free at LinkedIn.com/LOCKEDONNBA PrizePicks First time users can receive a 100% instant deposit match up to $100 with promo code LOCKEDON. That’s PrizePicks.com – promo code; LOCKEDON Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices