The journey of 1,000 miles, otherwise known as "Operation Get Back to .500" begins with one step. That's tonight, as the Lakers play a promising-but-not-yet-good Detroit Pistons team at the Crypt. They'll have reinforcements, with Dennis Schroder and Thomas Bryant likely joining the lineup, and more importantly, with LeBron James a real possibility to suit up. He was a full participant in Thursday's practice for the Lakers - albeit a non-contact practice for all involved - and Darvin Ham said James was running and jumping, looking "great." So if LeBron can play, the Lakers really have no excuse to drop a game to the lowly Pistons, right? And they really should beat a San Antonio squad rapidly coming back to earth after a quick start, right? They can't get back to .500 in a day or a week or even a month, likely. This is a project. And while technically, it doesn't matter which teams they beat en route to a return to contention, it sure is easier if you beat the bad teams. Plus, vibes. They are very bad after losing to Detroit. Meanwhile, he's not winning the race right now, but where does Russell Westbrook rank in the Sixth Man of the Year competition? What would it take for him to have a real shot at taking home the hardware? Certainly the storyline is compelling, but what else has to happen? Finally, our friend Darius Soriano wrote a great story for SilverScreenandRoll about the Lakers draft capital, how people tend to describe it inaccurately, and why that matters. It led to a fun Twitter conversation, which leads to a fun podcast conversation. HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky SEGMENT 1: LeBron is back, maybe! Either way, the Lakers need to win tonight. SEGMENT 2: Could Westbrook become a legit Sixth Man candidate? SEGMENT 3: What the Lakers really have going forward in the Draft. 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 SweatBlock If you or someone you love is experiencing embarrassing sweat or odor try SweatBlock. Save20% with promo code Locked On at sweatblock.com. Also available on Amazon. RocketMoney Cancel unnecessary subscriptions with Rocket Money today. Go to RocketMoney.com/LockedOn BetterHelp This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. As the world’s largest therapy service, BetterHelp has matched 3 million people with professionally licensed and vetted therapists available 100% online. Learn more and save 10% off your first month at BetterHelp.com/LOCKEDONNBA MasterClass With MasterClass, you can learn from the world’s best minds - anytime, anywhere, and at your own pace. his holiday, give one annual membership and get one free! Go to MASTERCLASS.com/LOCKEDON today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices