Welcome to the Athletic NBA show Monday through Friday on the Athletic Podcast Network.

And welcome back. It's another edition of the Hoops Adjacent part of the Athletic NBA show, David Aldrich here in D.C.

where we're trying to see if John Wall's getting traded. It's all good in L.A. with Waz because everybody loves the moves that the Lakers and the clippers made, right, Wals? I mean, you know what's so crazy. I'm happy we got our guest on today because Nate was a little tepid on the Lakers offseason. I peeped the pot and I was like, hmm, that's interesting. Nate, not feeling the Lakers. I want to talk to him about that because I think I know what he was saying, but I think it all depends on what you think of Marcusal. I think that's what it comes down to, frankly. I mean, all due respect to Montresoreral. I think it's about Marcusal.

If you like Marcusal, you think this is a pretty good off-season for them.

Anyway, let's bring in Nate Duncan.

The long-time dunked-on podcast, which is much must-listening for any NBA fan once real insight info.

If you're serious about being an NBA fan, DA. Exactly. Because you can be a good fan. You know what I mean? I think Nate's podcast is one for good fans. Because I don't mind you making an argument as long as you have some facts behind you. And Nate provides the facts, Nate. Welcome to the show, man. Appreciate you coming.

Awesome.

Great to be on here, guys.

Let's get right into the Lakers thing, though.

What did you not like?

What did you think was okay?

So I think they ultimately did improve themselves and they salvaged it with Gassol.

And that's one of the beauties of being the LA Lakers is you, even when you've

hardcapped yourself by signing Mantras Harrell, a player who probably doesn't really help you

that much, who's probably not closing games for you, even when you've traded a first round

pick for Dennis Trude or another guy that they were really buying high on and has some defensive questions, may or may not be in their closing lineup himself.

You've used up your two biggest bullets on those guys.

Oh, because you're in L.A. and you're the Lakers.

You can just get Marcus Oll for the minimum and you can salvage everything. That's kind of how I viewed their offseason.

Yeah, I think for me, Nate, I looked at the center rotation of last year, which was Dwight Howard, Javelle McGee, and obviously AD when it was time to get serious. I think unquestionably that Montrez is better than Javelle McGee.

And I think the difference between Howard and Mark Gasol is negligible.

...