The Lakers and Suns Have Many Similarities. Which Team is Closer to a Title? (With Brendon Kleen)

Locked On Lakers - Daily Podcast On The Los Angeles Lakers

One good way to learn about your team is to compare it to others, especially a franchise that shares many common points. For the Lakers, that team (in a lot of ways at least) is the Phoenix Suns.

Phoenix, like the Lakers, is basically all-in on their roster, one dominated by top end stars and lacking in reliable depth. Both teams are up against the cap (though Phoenix, as a second apron team, has issues the Lakers don't). Both teams are using a model for success that feels like the rest of the league doesn't use anymore. Both teams lack a cupboard full of resources to make significant improvements. And both teams are simultaneously too good to tear it down and not quite good enough to be title favorites.

Most pundits put the Suns above the Lakers in terms of preseason odds/projections, but the gap isn't huge.

So the similarities aren't perfectly aligned. It's not totally apples to apples. But it's definitely not apples to chicken wings, either.

How does ownership compare? Philosophy? Coaching?

Where do these teams stack up in a crowded Western Conference?

HOSTS: Brian Kamenetzky with Brendon Kleen

SEGMENT 1: How the Suns and Lakers are similar...

SEGMENT 2: Which team is better equipped to win a title?

SEGMENT 3: How the teams stack up in the West.

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