NBA Free Agency Preview for the Lakers, and Another Jalen Hood-Schifino Scouting Report!

NBA free agency kicks off Friday at 3 pm PT, and while the Lakers aren't likely to be first out of the gate—that tends to be the teams with real dollars to spend—they'll most certainly be paying close attention to where the first wave of players land, and who might be left over.

A big (or bigger than the Lakers can make, at least) offer to someone like Dennis Schröder could change the landscape a little, too, because it might mean the taxpayer mid-level exception people expect the Lakers to use (and currently, in theory, earmarked for Schröder) would go somewhere else.

It's a thin year for free agents, so who is out there that might make sense?

And what about Jalen Hood-Schifino? There's still plenty to learn about LA's first round pick from last week's draft.

There's nobody better to handle the intersection of these stories than Jacob Rude, who covers the Lakers for Silver Screen and Roll, and Indiana hoops for Locked On Hoosiers. In a fabulous moment of serendipity, his worlds have collided in a major way. He joins the show to break down what he saw from Hood-Schifino last year at Indiana, and continue deliver insight into the first rounder. How does he fit with the backcourt the Lakers seem likely to bring back? What about his mental game? His approach to the craft?

Rude, who watched every game the kid played last year, breaks it all down.

From there, it's back to the Lakers and free agency looming. Before they get there, the Lakers have to make decisions about Mo Bamba and Malik Beasley. Do they pick up those team options? Why would it make sense to bring both back? And what about potential free agents? Would a veteran like Kevin Love make sense, if he'd take the midlevel? Jeff Green? And why does nobody ever mention Troy Brown in those "run it back" conversations?

Should he be? What about Lonnie Walker IV?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky, with guest Jacob Rude!

SEGMENT 1: More deep dive into Jalen Hood-Schifino.

SEGMENT 2: Can JHS play enough D to stay on the court? How should the Lakers handle Beasley and Bamba?

SEGMENT 3: Potential free agents... Kevin Love? Jeff Green? What about Walker and Brown?

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