What do you think about the Laker team now?

You follow the box scores of the games every day?

Just the Lakers.

You're kidding.

That is really a compliment.

I was pleased to see you smile at the top bar show because once the game starts, you have a game face.

You don't smile much out there.

I don't think you have to do things for money anymore. Correct. What's up, Laker fans? Welcome to the Laker Film Room podcast, brought to you by the Blue Wire Podcast Network. I'm Pete, joined by Darius and Mike. And today we're going to discuss the offseason. We're going to have a little preview for the off season. Got the draft on Thursday and free agency coming up in about a

week. And I think this is a huge off season that's going to be very revealing of the Lakers approach,

specifically with respect to two things. How big of an appetite they have for a third star and how

willing ownership is to pay the luxury tax and to what extent. Now, for a bit of context, a couple of summers ago, the Lakers made a run at Kauai Leonard and free agency, and they struck out, but they had what I believe was a very well-conceived and executed plan B that ended up surrounding LeBron and AD with role players, and we all know how that ended with the championship. But then the next offseason, they trade Danny Green for Dennis Schrooter, signed Montres-Herald.

And while I wouldn't call Dennis a star necessarily, that move is more in that direction toward that type of player.

And now we're hearing a lot of rumors about the Lakers being interested in players who would definitely come closer to qualifying as a third star, not only in caliber of player, but also in

their salary, right? A couple of those guys are making really big bucks, and that begs the

question, how much are the Lakers willing to spend this offseason and how much are they willing

to go into the luxury tax? And for context on that, you've got LeBron and AD combined to make

$76.5 million next year. KCP and Coos are

at 13 flat, market 2.7. Darius, that's only five players, 105 million between the five of them,

105.2. Those are the only five players under contract right now, is those guys. Treds has a player

option. Then you

throw in THT, who's in an interesting place is the second round pick who's developed and will be

coveted on the free agent market. The biggest deal he can sign would be four years and 82 million.

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