What happened: On Gils Arena, host Gilbert Arenas praised Luka Doncic for embracing a franchise leadership role with the Los Angeles Lakers against the Golden State Warriors by taking out a Los Angeles Times letter to fans and paying for arena parking and local Metro rides. On the Gils Arena broadcast, Gilbert Arenas called Doncic's outreach smart superstar marketing and said marquee home dates require stars to create memorable fan moments. Arenas and his Gils Arena co-hosts also credited the Lakers' trade with the Utah Jazz for Walker Kessler, noting the center delivered lob finishes and interior presence alongside Doncic and Austin Reaves while giving a nod to Bronny James.

Why it matters: On Gils Arena, Arenas pointed to the Lakers leadership role Luka Doncic stepped into during training camp following LeBron James' departure as the foundation for connecting with the home crowd. The Gils Arena hosts noted that acquiring a rim-running center from the Utah Jazz finally supplied the lob partner that Anthony Davis and James had sought in previous seasons. Arenas added on the show that seeing how Kessler and the newcomers fit alongside Doncic and Reaves will determine which rotation pieces stay with Los Angeles long term.

What to watch: Arenas said on Gils Arena that he is watching how the Lakers utilize Kessler's skill set and which new guards remain in the rotation as the regular season progresses.