Lakers newsletter: Take part in our live in-game chat

Hi, this is Dan Woike, Lakers beat writer for the Los Angeles Times and welcome back to the Lakers newsletter, where we’re going to unpack some quick thoughts about the Anthony Davis trade, my bad plan for the Lakers and the always-popular song of the week.

But first…

Chat-it-up

For the first time this season, we’ll be doing an in-game live chat during Thursday’s Lakers-Nets game with a great cast of characters including former Lakers guard Andre Ingram (remember THAT moment?!?), a couple of fans and Times staffers.

The way it’ll work is like this: We’ll be chatting with one another but if you have questions/comments you want to bring to the table, use the Full-Court Text number (SIGN UP HERE) and just text any questions. I’ll be sure to be on the look out. You can sign up for Full Court Text by clicking here.

Between stories, watch-a-longs (stay tuned for another one), live chats, newsletters, texting etc., we’re trying to get everyone as much content as many different ways as possible. This should be fun – come check it out.

Old friends and current anxiety

Anthony Davis stretches on the court before a game this season.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Julius Randle might be an All-Star, an exciting combination of force, skill and quickness helping the Knicks be something that they haven’t been in a decade – watchable. Jordan Clarkson is probably the favorite to win Sixth Man of the Year, super-charging the Jazz bench and helping Utah pile up win after win.

Brandon Ingram is already an All-Star (and could be again), the silky, skilled playmaking and shooting showing why he’s a worth centerpiece for New Orleans’ future. And then there’s Lonzo Ball, one of the hottest names on the trade market, teams recognizing the value of a selfless guard who can hit threes and defend.

But just because your ex is looking pretty good in those periodic IG posts, you shouldn’t spend too much time swooning about the past – because the present is still way better.

Even with Anthony Davis hurt now – and even with the likelihood that someday in the future that he’ll be hurt again – the Lakers are in much better shape with him than without him. Want proof – there’s a banner waiting to be hung in Staples Center.

We’ll know more about the severity of Davis’ calf/Achilles injuries in the coming days – he’s set for re-evaluation now that the team is back in Los Angeles – but the general sense from sources is that Davis should be fine with rest that will almost certainly extend through the All-Star break.

If, for some reason, Davis is unable to play or to return to the heights he’s shown, it would derail the Lakers’ titles hopes, everything crumbling because of one bad step during a relatively meaningless regular season game.

That’s how fragile championship foundations are – and that reminder should tell you why teams would give everything to have the Lakers’ situation (an injured superstar and a banner) instead of a bunch of future possibilities and no title.

And even with Davis on the shelf, it’s good to remember that.

More of this, please

One of the upsides of doing interviews via video is being able to see the reactions on other reporters’ faces when a player delivers a spectacularly awesome quote.

That happened Tuesday night when Montrezl Harrell unleashed this gem when asked about his size in regards to the Lakers defending bigger centers like Karl-Anthony Towns.

“I don’t really believe in that smaller stuff, man,” he said. “Because at the end of the day, if you believed in that, the elephant would be the king of the jungle. And that ain’t happening.

“I come out here and put my hard hat on like anybody else on this team, everybody in this league know I ain’t nobody to back down from nobody. I don’t care what your size is, I don’t care what you do.”

Just pure gold.

Song of the Week

“Regret” by New Order

Don’t spend a second thinking the Lakers have any.

If you missed it…

Anthony Davis’ injury will give other Lakers minutes that could help in long run

Leg injury could keep Lakers’ Anthony Davis sidelined until after the All-Star break

Kyle Kuzma isn’t trying to be a star for the Lakers — and he’s thriving