With free agency approaching, and the Lakers negotiating several salary cap obstacles while trying to make roster upgrades, there's nobody better to break down the "how" of it all than NBA salary cap expert Eric Pincus (Bleacher Report, Basketball Insiders, Sports Business Classroom). The conversation begins with Pincus explaining exactly what the Lakers are up against while trying to make deals, particularly sign-and-trade swaps, which could potentially trigger a hard cap and create new sets of limitations. From there, what are the complications for their individual free agents, when it comes to retaining them?

What is Montrezl Harrell going to do, opt in or become a free agent? Which is a better result for the Lakers? What about Dennis Schröder? Is he good as gone? What exactly does his market look like, anyway? One important thing to remember -- all of the NBA is one big Butterfly Effect. One move impacts another which impacts another.

Then, it's another Westbrook debate. Pincus believes it's not as problematic an idea as the Kamenetzky brothers (and others) think, and explains why. One big thing - he explains why a hard cap creating deal (like a sign-and-trade to the Lakers) may not be as bad a thing for LA it might look on the surface.... depending at least on how they shuffle the deck chairs.

And all of this is fueled by listener/viewer-supplied emails and Q's.

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: Where the Lakers stand heading into what could be a big week in the NBA. Where are the challenges? Where are the opportunities?

SEGMENT 2: Looking at the market for Harrell and Schroder, and the pros/cons of a Westbrook trade,

SEGMENT 3: So is a hard cap the worst thing in the world? Plus, more of your questions for Eric, including one thing he'd change in the CBA.

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