Team USA suffered some real embarrassment in the World Cup, finishing without a medal of any color following the loss to Canada in the bronze medal game over the weekend.

And when Team USA loses with less than its best, typically that's the bat signal for the Avengers to assemble and start getting ready for the next big tournament. In this case, it's the biggest tourney of all - the 2024 Paris Olympics, and the Avengers, led by LeBron James, have reportedly responded. That's LeBron, Steph, KD, AD, Draymond... even CP3 was noted in the report (as if he has any business playing on a team like that at this point in his career). Fortunately, other players like Devin Booker, De'Aaron Fox and Jayson Tatum are also included in the group, keeping it from going full into a hoops version of The Expendables, but it's still an older group.

But more importantly for Lakers fans, do you want LeBron playing in this tournament, following what everyone hopes will be a long season with a deep playoff run, leading into an option year (we all assume) he'll pick up? Pushing 40? Or are we thinking of this wrong? Does his enthusiasm for playing in the Olympics signal that maybe he's ready to go out with a bang? That maybe he won't be hanging on as long, especially now that it looks like Bronny, while on the road to recovery, might not be ready to enter the Draft next year?

Meanwhile, in related news, the NBA is cracking down on rest. Load management, specifically, discussing rules that will seriously raise the bar on the threshold for allowing players - or the stars, at least - to miss games just to have a breather. They would push players to avoid doing it on national TV games and during the in-season tourney, preferably not on the road, and only one "star" player can sit at a time. And if you're a team that's trying to sit guys to lose games at the end of the year? Better come up with a better justification than has happened in the past.

Now, that could mean a lot more players coming down with sudden bouts of back spasms or tendinitis or flu or whatever, but at the least, the NBA is going to require they do some work.

The Lakers have two stars. That get hurt a lot. That need rest. How might these rules impact them this season?

HOSTS: Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

SEGMENT 1: LeBron says he's going to play in the Olympics. Does this signal something about how much longer he's planning to play?

SEGMENT 2: Do you want LeBron to play? Or AD for that matter?

SEGMENT 3: New rules on load management, and how they impact the Lakers.

Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!

Jase Medical

Save more than $360 by getting these lifesaving antibiotics with Jase Medical plus an additional $20 off by using code LOCKEDON at checkout on jasemedical.com. 

Ibotta

Right now, Ibotta is offering our listeners $5 just for trying Ibotta by using the code locked when you register. Just go to the App Store or Google Play store and download the FREE Ibotta app and use code LOCKED.

FanDuel

This episode is brought to you by FanDuel Sportsbook, Official Sportsbook of Locked On. Right now, NEW customers can bet FIVE DOLLARS and get TWO HUNDRED in BONUS BETS - GUARANTEED. Visit FanDuel.com/LOCKEDON to get started.

FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN)

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices