Why the Schedule Is Favorable for the Lakers This Season... Plus, What Happens if Gasol Is Gone?

The NBA's schedule wizards dropped their magic on the world Friday, and all in all the Lakers did pretty well. It's not just a home-heavy opening—nothing odd there, since the Lakers always have a home-heavy early slate—but one generally featuring non-playoff opponents, and even some of the worst squads the NBA has to offer (four games in the opening 15 against Houston and Oklahoma City, for example. For a team that will be looking to find continuity early, folding in a new star in Russell Westbrook and an almost entirely new supporting cast, having home games with some margin for error is a nice deal. Plus, the Lakers won't see a whole lot of back-to-backs, and quite frankly avoid too many truly brutal stretches. Maybe that's a function of not having tons of genuinely elite teams in the NBA (balanced in part by a pretty good amount of decent-to-good squads, no question). As for the end of the year, the Lakers close with a bunch of potential playoff opponents, which is a fun deal for fans, no question. And then, there are some fun quirks about who comes back to Staples and when. How should the Lakers handle "Thank You!" videos for important alumni? Finally, Marc Stein has some reporting that questions whether Marc Gasol will return, after all. Whether it's because he retires, heads back to Spain, or the Lakers trade him, what would losing Gasol mean for the Lakers, and particularly Anthony Davis? The implications could be significant. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: The schedule looks good for the Lakers. Particularly the opening segment, and a monthlong stretch where they never leave the Pacific time zone. SEGMENT 2: More schedule goodness. Are there any low moments? How good is the rest of the league? How do the Lakers handle "Thank you!" videos for returning players? SEGMENT 3: Marc Stein reports that Gasol returning is not a given. What would that mean for Anthony Davis and the rest of the rotation? Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! SweatBlock Get it today for 20% off at SweatBlock.com with promo code LockedOn, or at Amazon and CVS. Built Bar Built Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15” and you’ll get 15% off your next order. BetOnline AG There is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus. Rock Auto Amazing selection. Reliably low prices. All the parts your car will ever need. Visit RockAuto.com and tell them Locked On sent you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices