After the Russell Westbrook trade backfired, will LeBron James, Anthony Davis have less say in personnel decisions?

To say this Lakers season has blown up in everyone who designed this rosters’ face is quite the understatement. Hell, Michael Bay probably thinks some of these explosive leaks are a bit gratuitous. All that behind us, though, one thing I haven’t quite been able to figure out is what it actually means moving forward.

So, this week we hosted a special Triangle edition of “The Hook,” in which Harrison Faigen and Aaron Larsuel joined me at the same time to try to dig further into what this season will mean for the Lakers moving forward. Jokes were made. Hennessy was enjoyed.

Look, if the Lakers were even pretty good this season, fans wouldn’t care who made which decisions, who held how much power, or even how much sway the Rambii have. Sports are a results-based business and sometimes talent can overcome bad processes. But a team looking as mediocre-to-bad as the Lakers did even when LeBron James and Anthony Davis were available will lead to some tough — but altogether fair — questions from the fan base.

As it was James and Davis who, according to multiple reports, pushed hardest for acquiring Russell Westbrook while Rob Pelinka had a Buddy Hield trade all but finalized, it’s fair to wonder whether some of their personnel power might diminish. No, I’m not saying they should be ignored as the Lakers figure out the roster around them, but at the very least, fans should not have to hope that Klutch Sports signs some three-and-D wings in order for the Lakers to employ one (1) next season.

We discussed that, whether the Lakers, given their asset situation and absolutely necessary roster overhaul, are capable of climbing back into title contention next year, how bad Aaron and Harrison (two people with exactly zero children between them) think I am at fatherhood, and a whole lot more.

You can listen to the full episode below, and to make sure you never miss a show, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts.

And for a short-form recap pod, check out Lakers Lowdown, in which Anthony Irwin recaps the previous day’s news and gets you ready for the day ahead in LakerLand, every weekday morning on the Silver Screen & Roll Podcast feed.