Matthew Valento

Matthew Valento graduated from Boise State University with a major in integrated media and strategic communications and a minor in journalism. He grew up in Santa Clarita, California and played basketball at Saugus High School. Along with writing for LakersNation.com, Matthew also hosts a basketball podcast called, "The Basketball Maestros." Contact: MattV@MediumLargeLA.com Twitter: @matthewvalento Instagram: matthew.valento
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702 Articles

Can All 3 Lakers Two-Way Players Jordan Goodwin, Trey Jemison & Christian Koloko Be Converted To Standard Contracts?

After deciding to trade Anthony Davis and Max Christie to the Dallas Mavericks for Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles Lakers guard and center depth took a hit. This means they have had to rely on two-way players like Jordan Goodwin,…

Matthew Valento

Nuggets’ Michael Malone: JJ Redick Has Fingerprints All Over Lakers’ Success

When JJ Redick was hired to coach the Los Angeles Lakers, the move was met with skepticism given his lack of experience in the coaching ranks. The Lakers found themselves in a similar position when hiring Darvin Ham after deciding…

Matthew Valento

Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb: Mavericks ‘Killed The City’ With Luka Doncic Trade

The city of Dallas remains grieving after the Mavericks surprisingly trading away their franchise star in Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. It does not help that Anthony Davis, who the Mavericks acquired, got hurt in his debut game.…

Matthew Valento

Recap: Luka Doncic & Lakers Snap Losing Streak With Win Over Suns

The Los Angeles Lakers returned home from an unsuccessful road trip in which they lost all four games while being undermanned. They looked to snap their four-game losing streak against the Phoenix Suns, who are trying to climb into the…

Matthew Valento

Lakers News: Jason Sudeikis Shares Story Of Scoring On LeBron James

There are no other players like Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James, in part because he is still able to play All-NBA basketball in his 22nd season at 40 years old. With the newest star, Luka Doncic, in town, it…

Matthew Valento

Lakers News: Dalton Knecht Appreciates Encouragement From Austin Reaves

This four-game road trip was not kind to the Los Angeles Lakers as they played playoff-level competition while also dealing with a variety of injuries. The final game of the trip against the Denver Nuggets was highlighted by Austin Reaves…

Matthew Valento

Lakers News: JJ Redick’s Confidence In Christian Koloko Growing

Friday night was the conclusion of an underwhelming road trip as Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick was left without six rotation players against the Denver Nuggets. To be that undermanned against a team like Denver is a recipe…

Matthew Valento

Lakers News: Sotheby’s Auctioning First Game-Worn Kobe Bryant & Michael Jordan NBA Jerseys

Sotheby's announced they will be auctioning game-worn jerseys from the NBA debuts of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan. Both of their first game-worn jerseys will be offered in standalone sales and are expected to fetch $20…

Matthew Valento

Lakers News: Celtics’ Jaylen Brown Shares High Praise For Luka Doncic

Saturday night was Luka Doncic's introduction to the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics rivalry. However, Doncic is familiar with Boston given he faced off against them in last year's NBA Finals. The 26-year-old All-NBA guard experienced struggles against the…

Matthew Valento

Austin Reaves Expects Lakers To Step Up In LeBron James’ Absence

The Los Angeles Lakers' eight-game winning streak was snapped on Saturday night to their historic rivals the Boston Celtics. Adding insult to injury, LeBron James exited late in the fourth quarter with a groin strain. Unfortunately, this came at a…

Matthew Valento