The Lakers are coming off a pretty good effort Saturday in San Francisco against the Warriors, and have one more game before the All Star break tonight against the Jazz. Would another solid performance give them, and Lakers fans, reason to be optimistic about what's coming when games resume? To feel good, even? Good-ish? Good adjacent? Is the break coming at a good time? On the one hand, the Lakers are physically and emotionally beat down. On the other, they've have virtually no connectivity this year, and now just as guys are back on the floor... they get to go away for almost 10 days.

Frank Vogel says it's nonetheless a welcome pause, and he's probably right. Plus, it'll give the Lakers a couple more badly needed practices before February 25, when the games begin again.

Meanwhile, more post-deadline news is coming out. Did the Lakers pass on a potential Russell Westbrook-to-Houston deal that included young center Christian Wood? If so, was it because of basketball reasons, or because they didn't want to absorb more salary than they'd send out, increasing their luxury tax bill?

And about that bill, what does it say about the team now and going forward that Jeanie Buss seems dead set against adding any more to their existing (and unquestionably large) tax bill? Was it responsible for the Lakers to believe they could make the Westbrook trade but not actually then pay big -- like really, really big -- into the tax?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: What has to happen Wednesday to feel good about the Lakers heading into the break?

SEGMENT 2: Did the Lakers kill a potential deal sending Westbrook to Houston? If so, was it about basketball or money?

SEGMENT 3: Did the Lakers choose a strategy where they knew they'd have three stars pushing them into the luxury tax, but then simultaneously look to save as much money as possible?

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