Mark Medina has been the Los Angeles Lakers beat writer for the LA Daily News for close to 5 years, covering the team during all the ups and downs during that time period. He recently did a Q&A with Lake Show Life.
Lake Show Life recently conducted a Q&A with Los Angeles Daily News sportswriter Mark Medina, who has covered the Los Angeles Lakers for the newspaper for almost five years.
Q. What made you choose this career path, and was becoming a Los Angeles Lakers beat writer always the goal?
A. It would be presumptuous to consider being a Lakers beat writer as a goal. That’s a pretty competitive position in a field that has faced challenges with downsizing. But I grew up a sports fan and loved to read and write, so this became a natural fit.
I then grabbed at any opportunity I could with with the student newspaper in middle school and high school, attending Syracuse University and interning/freelancing for various papers.
Q. As we both know, Lonzo Ball appears to be on a path towards playing for the Lakers next year. Do you think all the Lonzo talk is just a decoy to draft someone else?
A. I wouldn’t say it’s a decoy. The Lakers like Lonzo’s game, but they also are keeping their options open. Lonzo seems the natural fit because of his talent and L.A. connections, but workouts and interviews will factor into the final decision.
Q. The Lakers also have the 28th pick, to go along with No. 2. Who do you think the team should target with the late pick, should they be available?
A. Hard to say for any team to target a specific player for two reasons. It’s hard to predict who would be available by then. No late first-round pick is ever expected to be a star player. So at that point, it’s about fulfilling needs.
The Lakers need as many good defenders as they can, so that should be the No. 1 priority.
Q. If the Lakers do happen to draft Lonzo, will his dad be a hindrance for the team from a PR standpoint?
A. It depends on how the Lakers handle it. It could be a PR dream if Lonzo plays well and they have another player that wants to take advantage of the marketing/media exposure that the Lakers provide.
It could be a nightmare if Lonzo struggles and his dad publicly questions the organization, coaching staff or players.
Q. There has been all sorts of talk about whether or not the Lakers should trade a few of the young guys for Paul George. Should they go ahead and trade for him, or should they wait until next summer to try to sign him?
A. With the disclaimer that every deal hinges on the fine details, the Lakers should only make the trade if it involves trading any combination of two members of their young core.
If it’s anything more, the Lakers are running the risk of getting rid of their long-term depth for a player that might be available next summer anyway.
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Q. Is there a funny story about the Lakers that the majority of fans have never heard of?
A. Lakers fans are very aware how funny Metta World Peace is. But some might not be aware that he nearly bulldozed me one time after practice. He wanted to demonstrate that even a reporter, such as myself, could avoid flopping when a player charges at them.
Metta went easy on me, but my life flashed before my eyes as he knocked into me.
Q. Finally, let’s go to free agency. Magic Johnson has said that they don’t plan to be big players this season. Are there any mid-level free agents you have heard about the Lakers targeting?
A. I haven’t heard anything yet. I think the Lakers main priorities entail adding to their young core through the draft and trying to find trade deals where they can somehow rid themselves of the Timofey Mozgov/Luol Deng contracts.
Next: Too Soon To Trade D'Angelo Russell
The Lakers have arguably the most important offseason coming up in team history. Will they get it right with free agency and/or possibly trades? Or will the team waste a great opportunity to become relevant in the NBA again? Let us know about the Q & A session in the comments below.