- Aug 6, 2012
- 57,849
- 61,579
Wish we could’ve kept DS. Felt like he was really becoming a laker last season.
**LA LAKERS THREAD** Sitting on 17! 2023-2024 offseason begins
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by licensed to ball,
- Start date
- Feb 5, 2013
- 39,357
- 40,807
MJ / bird “**** you, you ***** “ moment haha
- Sep 5, 2010
- 92,734
- 128,977
- Sep 5, 2010
- 92,734
- 128,977
- Feb 17, 2019
- 16,712
- 17,709
When you look at the numbers there's not much difference at all between AD's offensive production between playing the 4 or 5. Yet experts love to say he had so much more success as a center than a PF.
Really? That's not what some numbers suggest when comparing AD at PF in 2020 versus AD at C in 2023.
AD as a PF in 2020 when Lakers won the chip:
Regular season:
26.1 ppg, 9.3 reb, 3.2 asts, 1.5 stls, 2.3 blks, .503 FG, .330 3FG, .846 FT
2020 Playoffs:
27.7 ppg, 9.7 rebs, 3.5 asts, 1.2 stls, 1.4 blks, .571 FG, .383 3FG, .832 FT
**** AD's offense, his shooting, and his rebounding numbers get even better in the playoffs en route to winning the championship, largely in part because he had 2 BIGS playing alongside him who helped keep him ULTRA FRESH for the postseason to play ANY POSITION, 4 OR 5. Point is that AD is stronger when he plays next to another legit big man cause he is able to play inside-out or outside-in a lot more knowing there's another big in the lineup to do the cleanup in the paint and on the boards.
AD's blks dipped in the playoffs but when you have impact bigs like Dwight and Javale to provide rebounding and rim protection, it's clear AD thrives and plays a more balanced game all the way around. This is AD at peak efficiency.
AD as a C in 2023 when Lakers fail to reach Finals:
Regular season:
25.9 ppg, 12.5 reb, 2.6 asts, 1.1 stls, 2.0 blks, .563 FG, .257 3FG, .784 FT
2023 Playoffs:
22.6 ppg, 14.1 reb, 2.6 asts, 1.4 stls, 3.1 blks, .520 FG, .333 3FG, .852 FT
***** AD's scoring decreases considerably in the postseason although his rebounding and defensive stats improve. However, his offense suffers and he is not as impactful offensively as his shooting percentage goes down as well due to AD having to place ALL FOCUS in protecting the paint and securing the rebounds. In other words, NO HELP.
As a result Lakers don't reach the final round
There is no doubt the Lakers will start a lot more 2-Big lineups next season. AD can easily be successful and dominant playing the 4 or 5 on offense. The EYE Test shows us that.
But there's a reason AD always been preferred to play the 4 and it has to do more with the defensive end than anything, because when AD has to play the 5 on the defensive end 100% of the time in a 1-Big 4-wing lineup, his offensive output decreases due to all the energy and focus he has to place on the defensive end. There is less balance in his game when he has to play center 99% of the time.
Now it's up to Ham to utilize his lineup amd know how to use his pieces to maximize and balance out the offensive and defnsive output of his #1 option so this team can get back to the mountaintop
Last edited:
- Sep 19, 2012
- 7,723
- 10,699
Too bad no one’s going to read all that bro.
Give it to us in 140 characters or less.
Give it to us in 140 characters or less.
- Oct 8, 2017
- 1,556
- 1,210
I read it. He wants us to sign Hassan Whiteside too.
- Feb 17, 2019
- 16,712
- 17,709
You can go back this time next year and read it when i re-post the receipt, then tell yourself that yours truly told you so
- Sep 19, 2012
- 7,723
- 10,699
Lebron has been extremely vocal that he wants playmakers on the roster so he doesn’t have to be the only one creating offense on the floor…
Lakers just went through what, a season and a half it feels like with either no backup center or one that wasn’t healthy. That’s a real disservice to AD and the team, he should have a quality backup (and it would be nice if that player was versatile enough to play next to AD at times).
I think that’s a fair and reasonable take… anything else like for example playing Hayes 25 minutes a night is just crazy talk.
Lakers just went through what, a season and a half it feels like with either no backup center or one that wasn’t healthy. That’s a real disservice to AD and the team, he should have a quality backup (and it would be nice if that player was versatile enough to play next to AD at times).
I think that’s a fair and reasonable take… anything else like for example playing Hayes 25 minutes a night is just crazy talk.
- Feb 17, 2019
- 16,712
- 17,709
Whether Hayes plays a "crazy" 25 plus min or the estimated 16-24 I expect him to play, the bottom line remains....Lakers and AD ain't winning jack xxxx unless they go back to implememting the 2-Big lineup during games at least 60% of the time, minimum. Period.
- Sep 19, 2012
- 7,723
- 10,699
Okay man.
- Feb 16, 2011
- 8,386
- 8,122
We so stacked
Can’t wait till October.
When camp usually start?
Can’t wait till October.
When camp usually start?
- Sep 5, 2010
- 92,734
- 128,977
- Apr 24, 2006
- 18,752
- 13,102
That shirt is so 
- Mar 20, 2017
- 24,014
- 31,477
In about 2 weeks
- Sep 5, 2010
- 92,734
- 128,977
Lakers depth chart predictions: How Christian Wood’s signing changes the rotation
After signing Christian Wood, the Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason is officially complete, just a few weeks away from the starting of training camp in early October.
Despite signing a veteran’s minimum contract, Wood is expected to have a considerable role for the Lakers off the bench, flanking Anthony Davis in two-big lineups and helping hold down the paint when Davis rests. The Lakers’ crowded rotation is even more cramped now.
How does the Lakers’ depth chart and rotation change?
Let’s take a look. First, the depth chart.
Lakers' depth chart 2.0
And then the updated rotation.
Reminder: Projections are bound to change with new intel during training camp and the preseason. Playing time and roles inevitably will fluctuate. Injuries, matchups, performance swings and game script will shift circumstances. This is an approximation of where things stand currently.
Let’s examine each position, noting the presumed starter, backups, alternative options and rotational adjustments.
Point guard
Starter: D’Angelo Russell
Backup: Gabe Vincent
Alternatives: Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Jalen Hood-Schifino
Point guard is one of two positions that aren’t altered by the Wood signing (the other being shooting guard). The starting spot remains an open competition, but Russell is the early favorite based on his pedigree, contract and the team’s success with him in that role last season. It also benefits the Lakers to uphold Russell’s trade value in the potential, if not likely, scenario they shop him for a rotational upgrade at the 2024 trade deadline.
Vincent, whose theoretical role should be similar to the departed Dennis Schröder, is a legitimate threat to at least steal closing minutes. Remember: After the trade deadline last season, Russell (30.9 minutes) played slightly more than Schröder (28.6) overall but averaged fewer minutes in the fourth quarter (8.0 minutes for Russell compared to 8.5 for Schröder). The bet here is Russell starts and plays slightly more, but Vincent replaces Schröder as a Darvin Ham favorite and closes games more often than not.
In many ways, this position comes down to a mix of 3-point shooting (where Russell has the edge) and defense (where Vincent has the edge). Despite the two players serving as nominal point guards, the ball is going to run through James and Reaves plenty, especially in the more important moments. Reaves has stated he wants to play more point guard next season, which is in line with the team’s plans.
Therefore, this position is ultimately about high-level secondary ballhandling and playmaking, spotting up off the ball and not being picked on defensively.
Hood-Schifino projects as a casualty of the team’s depth, with at least 12 players ahead of him in the rotation. He will probably play most of his minutes in the G League.
Shooting guard
Starter: Austin Reaves
Backup: Max Christie
Alternatives: Cam Reddish, Vincent, Russell
Since the last projection, Reaves impressed in the FIBA World Cup as one of the team’s better players and consistent closers. He should carry that momentum into a pivotal third season in which he has external expectations for arguably the first time in his career. Reaves is pegged to play 33 minutes per game, one more than the previous forecast. He’s continually proving he’s more than capable of running an offense at the highest levels.
This is the most straightforward position on the roster. Christie is the early backup after his remarkable summer league play and the way his 3-and-D skill set fits seamlessly into bench units. Reddish will get a shot to fill backup two and three minutes, but he must shoot and defend better than he has over his first four seasons. Vincent and Russell can also both scale up to shooting guard and play alongside each other in smaller backcourt configurations, a Ham staple if there ever was one.
Small forward
Starter: Rui Hachimura
Backup: Taurean Prince
Alternatives: Christie, James, Reddish, Reaves, Vanderbilt
In previous iterations of this exercise, there was a dearth of wing options. Now, there are almost too many. A good problem to have, to be sure, but a problem nonetheless.
One of the strengths of the Lakers’ frontcourt is the players’ interchangeability. They can all play together, forming different types of lineups — big, small, fast, shooter-centric, etc. James, Hachimura, Vanderbilt and Prince can play at either forward spot, while Davis, Wood and Jaxson Hayes are primarily fours or fives.
Having said all that, Hachimura is the team’s starting small forward. He’s coming off a stellar playoff run in which he established himself as part of the Lakers’ future core, averaging 12.2 points per game on a 66.8 true shooting percentage while making 48.7 percent of his 3s. With the Lakers paying him about $17 million annually, and Hachimura providing the best blend of offense and defense among the non-James/Davis frontcourt options, he’s the player tasked with handling the primary wing assignments. Recent pictures of Hachimura at the Lakers’ training facility indicate he’s slimmed down in preparation for spending more time as a wing on next season’s roster.
Prince is the backup three, but he can slide up to four when the Lakers need more shooting and speed. Reddish also will be in the mix for minutes, although it’s difficult to find a rotation spot for him unless it comes at the expense of Prince and/or Christie, who are both superior spot-up shooters and on-ball defenders.
Power forward
Starter: LeBron James
Backup: Jarred Vanderbilt
Alternatives: Hachimura, Davis, Prince, Wood
Over the past two seasons, James has played a majority of his minutes at power forward, which makes sense considering his age, mileage and recent injury history. James no longer has the capacity or lateral quickness to check elite perimeter scorers for 30-plus minutes each game. He can do so in spurts and ramp up his efforts in the playoffs, but it’s too much to ask a soon-to-be-39-year-old entering Year 21 to do it every night.
One of the significant issues with the Lakers’ projected two-big lineups next season is that it would force James to play down at small forward, at least during starting and closing portions of the game. It’d be one thing if the Lakers had guards capable of defending bigger wings, like they did on the 2019-20 team with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Danny Green and Alex Caruso. But they don’t have those players this season, at least not in the starting lineup. Christie could grow into the role, but there’s presumably a cap to how large his role can get this season. (A lineup of, say, Wood, Davis, James, Reaves and Christie could make sense, for example.)
Vanderbilt is the greatest casualty of the Wood signing. There are only 144 minutes available across the three frontcourt spots and just 96 at power forward and center, the natural offensive positions for Vanderbilt considering his shooting limitations. Unless Vanderbilt can take a giant leap as a shooter, or the Lakers’ perimeter defense is so porous that they need him regardless of how teams increasingly ignore him, he appears to be on the outskirts of the rotation.
That’s especially likely because, in an unsurprising development, Davis wants to play more power forward next season, according to multiple team sources. Both Davis and the Lakers believe there are clear benefits to him enduring less of a physical burden in the regular season. Davis played 99 percent of his minutes at center last season and 76 percent at center the season before, according to Cleaning the Glass.
Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka considers the team’s superstars as stakeholders in the organization and routinely consults James and Davis on notable personnel moves and the direction of the roster. Davis is still expected to start and close games at center, but his percentage of time he spends there should be more akin to the 2021-22 season. ESPN was first to report Davis’ preference.
Center
Starter: Anthony Davis
Backup: Christian Wood
Alternatives: Jaxson Hayes, James, Hachimura, Colin Castleton (two-way)
Wood immediately slots in as the backup center behind Davis. The two centers will likely play most, if not all, of the 48 available minutes at the five, with a smaller player (James, Hachimura) or Hayes occasionally playing in certain matchups and blowouts. (He’ll also get minutes when Davis inevitably misses time due to injury).
Perhaps this projection is too pessimistic with Hayes’ role. But aside from when Davis is out, where exactly are the minutes? Is he going to replace Vanderbilt? Is Hachimura going to have his minutes slashed? Maybe Prince?
I just don’t see a realistic scenario for Hayes to get rotation minutes with a full roster. He’s clearly behind Davis, James, Hachimura, Wood, Prince and Vanderbilt in the frontcourt pecking order. Wood basically assumes all of Hayes’ minutes (10 in the previous forecast) and half of Vanderbilt’s minutes. Finding minutes for Hayes would come at the expense of Hachimura, Prince and/or Vanderbilt — a cost that, when factoring in the team’s basic needs of shooting and perimeter defense around James and Davis, doesn’t make sense.
The Lakers will use more two-big lineups next season, but that seems more likely to happen against bench units. The challenge for the Lakers’ coaching staff is figuring out the best ways to use Wood and possibly Hayes defensively. They aren’t the same plug-and-play options that JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard were during the championship season (or even Marc Gasol and Andre Drummond, to a lesser extent, during the 2020-21 season).
There are legitimate questions about how Wood and Hayes will fit in the Lakers’ defensive scheme and next to Davis. Both are better at defending on the perimeter and in switching schemes than banging in the post and acting as the last line of defense. If the Lakers continue to just have Davis do those things, then the double-center approach will be somewhat moot. This is one of the bigger storylines to monitor in training camp and the preseason.
After signing Christian Wood, the Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason is officially complete, just a few weeks away from the starting of training camp in early October.
Despite signing a veteran’s minimum contract, Wood is expected to have a considerable role for the Lakers off the bench, flanking Anthony Davis in two-big lineups and helping hold down the paint when Davis rests. The Lakers’ crowded rotation is even more cramped now.
How does the Lakers’ depth chart and rotation change?
Let’s take a look. First, the depth chart.
Lakers' depth chart 2.0
And then the updated rotation.
Reminder: Projections are bound to change with new intel during training camp and the preseason. Playing time and roles inevitably will fluctuate. Injuries, matchups, performance swings and game script will shift circumstances. This is an approximation of where things stand currently.
Let’s examine each position, noting the presumed starter, backups, alternative options and rotational adjustments.
Point guard
Starter: D’Angelo Russell
Backup: Gabe Vincent
Alternatives: Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Jalen Hood-Schifino
Point guard is one of two positions that aren’t altered by the Wood signing (the other being shooting guard). The starting spot remains an open competition, but Russell is the early favorite based on his pedigree, contract and the team’s success with him in that role last season. It also benefits the Lakers to uphold Russell’s trade value in the potential, if not likely, scenario they shop him for a rotational upgrade at the 2024 trade deadline.
Vincent, whose theoretical role should be similar to the departed Dennis Schröder, is a legitimate threat to at least steal closing minutes. Remember: After the trade deadline last season, Russell (30.9 minutes) played slightly more than Schröder (28.6) overall but averaged fewer minutes in the fourth quarter (8.0 minutes for Russell compared to 8.5 for Schröder). The bet here is Russell starts and plays slightly more, but Vincent replaces Schröder as a Darvin Ham favorite and closes games more often than not.
In many ways, this position comes down to a mix of 3-point shooting (where Russell has the edge) and defense (where Vincent has the edge). Despite the two players serving as nominal point guards, the ball is going to run through James and Reaves plenty, especially in the more important moments. Reaves has stated he wants to play more point guard next season, which is in line with the team’s plans.
Therefore, this position is ultimately about high-level secondary ballhandling and playmaking, spotting up off the ball and not being picked on defensively.
Hood-Schifino projects as a casualty of the team’s depth, with at least 12 players ahead of him in the rotation. He will probably play most of his minutes in the G League.
Shooting guard
Starter: Austin Reaves
Backup: Max Christie
Alternatives: Cam Reddish, Vincent, Russell
Since the last projection, Reaves impressed in the FIBA World Cup as one of the team’s better players and consistent closers. He should carry that momentum into a pivotal third season in which he has external expectations for arguably the first time in his career. Reaves is pegged to play 33 minutes per game, one more than the previous forecast. He’s continually proving he’s more than capable of running an offense at the highest levels.
This is the most straightforward position on the roster. Christie is the early backup after his remarkable summer league play and the way his 3-and-D skill set fits seamlessly into bench units. Reddish will get a shot to fill backup two and three minutes, but he must shoot and defend better than he has over his first four seasons. Vincent and Russell can also both scale up to shooting guard and play alongside each other in smaller backcourt configurations, a Ham staple if there ever was one.
Small forward
Starter: Rui Hachimura
Backup: Taurean Prince
Alternatives: Christie, James, Reddish, Reaves, Vanderbilt
In previous iterations of this exercise, there was a dearth of wing options. Now, there are almost too many. A good problem to have, to be sure, but a problem nonetheless.
One of the strengths of the Lakers’ frontcourt is the players’ interchangeability. They can all play together, forming different types of lineups — big, small, fast, shooter-centric, etc. James, Hachimura, Vanderbilt and Prince can play at either forward spot, while Davis, Wood and Jaxson Hayes are primarily fours or fives.
Having said all that, Hachimura is the team’s starting small forward. He’s coming off a stellar playoff run in which he established himself as part of the Lakers’ future core, averaging 12.2 points per game on a 66.8 true shooting percentage while making 48.7 percent of his 3s. With the Lakers paying him about $17 million annually, and Hachimura providing the best blend of offense and defense among the non-James/Davis frontcourt options, he’s the player tasked with handling the primary wing assignments. Recent pictures of Hachimura at the Lakers’ training facility indicate he’s slimmed down in preparation for spending more time as a wing on next season’s roster.
Prince is the backup three, but he can slide up to four when the Lakers need more shooting and speed. Reddish also will be in the mix for minutes, although it’s difficult to find a rotation spot for him unless it comes at the expense of Prince and/or Christie, who are both superior spot-up shooters and on-ball defenders.
Power forward
Starter: LeBron James
Backup: Jarred Vanderbilt
Alternatives: Hachimura, Davis, Prince, Wood
Over the past two seasons, James has played a majority of his minutes at power forward, which makes sense considering his age, mileage and recent injury history. James no longer has the capacity or lateral quickness to check elite perimeter scorers for 30-plus minutes each game. He can do so in spurts and ramp up his efforts in the playoffs, but it’s too much to ask a soon-to-be-39-year-old entering Year 21 to do it every night.
One of the significant issues with the Lakers’ projected two-big lineups next season is that it would force James to play down at small forward, at least during starting and closing portions of the game. It’d be one thing if the Lakers had guards capable of defending bigger wings, like they did on the 2019-20 team with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Danny Green and Alex Caruso. But they don’t have those players this season, at least not in the starting lineup. Christie could grow into the role, but there’s presumably a cap to how large his role can get this season. (A lineup of, say, Wood, Davis, James, Reaves and Christie could make sense, for example.)
Vanderbilt is the greatest casualty of the Wood signing. There are only 144 minutes available across the three frontcourt spots and just 96 at power forward and center, the natural offensive positions for Vanderbilt considering his shooting limitations. Unless Vanderbilt can take a giant leap as a shooter, or the Lakers’ perimeter defense is so porous that they need him regardless of how teams increasingly ignore him, he appears to be on the outskirts of the rotation.
That’s especially likely because, in an unsurprising development, Davis wants to play more power forward next season, according to multiple team sources. Both Davis and the Lakers believe there are clear benefits to him enduring less of a physical burden in the regular season. Davis played 99 percent of his minutes at center last season and 76 percent at center the season before, according to Cleaning the Glass.
Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka considers the team’s superstars as stakeholders in the organization and routinely consults James and Davis on notable personnel moves and the direction of the roster. Davis is still expected to start and close games at center, but his percentage of time he spends there should be more akin to the 2021-22 season. ESPN was first to report Davis’ preference.
Center
Starter: Anthony Davis
Backup: Christian Wood
Alternatives: Jaxson Hayes, James, Hachimura, Colin Castleton (two-way)
Wood immediately slots in as the backup center behind Davis. The two centers will likely play most, if not all, of the 48 available minutes at the five, with a smaller player (James, Hachimura) or Hayes occasionally playing in certain matchups and blowouts. (He’ll also get minutes when Davis inevitably misses time due to injury).
Perhaps this projection is too pessimistic with Hayes’ role. But aside from when Davis is out, where exactly are the minutes? Is he going to replace Vanderbilt? Is Hachimura going to have his minutes slashed? Maybe Prince?
I just don’t see a realistic scenario for Hayes to get rotation minutes with a full roster. He’s clearly behind Davis, James, Hachimura, Wood, Prince and Vanderbilt in the frontcourt pecking order. Wood basically assumes all of Hayes’ minutes (10 in the previous forecast) and half of Vanderbilt’s minutes. Finding minutes for Hayes would come at the expense of Hachimura, Prince and/or Vanderbilt — a cost that, when factoring in the team’s basic needs of shooting and perimeter defense around James and Davis, doesn’t make sense.
The Lakers will use more two-big lineups next season, but that seems more likely to happen against bench units. The challenge for the Lakers’ coaching staff is figuring out the best ways to use Wood and possibly Hayes defensively. They aren’t the same plug-and-play options that JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard were during the championship season (or even Marc Gasol and Andre Drummond, to a lesser extent, during the 2020-21 season).
There are legitimate questions about how Wood and Hayes will fit in the Lakers’ defensive scheme and next to Davis. Both are better at defending on the perimeter and in switching schemes than banging in the post and acting as the last line of defense. If the Lakers continue to just have Davis do those things, then the double-center approach will be somewhat moot. This is one of the bigger storylines to monitor in training camp and the preseason.
- Sep 19, 2012
- 7,723
- 10,699
Vando - 8 minutes…
Jovan is an NTer, confirmed.
Jovan is an NTer, confirmed.
- Sep 5, 2010
- 92,734
- 128,977
Sucks for Vando, but until he gets a jump shot he's closer to 8 minutes than 20 minutes with how deep the roster is.
I voiced he should be a starter, but he might be better for the second unit if Bron and Wood are there with Vincent and Christie.
I voiced he should be a starter, but he might be better for the second unit if Bron and Wood are there with Vincent and Christie.
Mister Meaner
formerly super producer j
- Mar 24, 2007
- 20,530
- 10,988
Not looking good for Cam.
Was curious to that decision on his part w/ his shaky standing in the league. Maybe go somewhere w/ less lofty expectations for more pt.?
At least pt. early in the szn before they realize it’s not going as planned and do some shuffling.
Was curious to that decision on his part w/ his shaky standing in the league. Maybe go somewhere w/ less lofty expectations for more pt.?
At least pt. early in the szn before they realize it’s not going as planned and do some shuffling.
- Mar 24, 2001
- 44,833
- 66,536
Vando is the best defender on the team. Ham will find minutes for him
- Jul 16, 2017
- 22,582
- 16,313
- Feb 17, 2019
- 16,712
- 17,709
Lakers depth chart predictions: How Christian Wood’s signing changes the rotation
After signing Christian Wood, the Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason is officially complete, just a few weeks away from the starting of training camp in early October.
Despite signing a veteran’s minimum contract, Wood is expected to have a considerable role for the Lakers off the bench, flanking Anthony Davis in two-big lineups and helping hold down the paint when Davis rests. The Lakers’ crowded rotation is even more cramped now.
How does the Lakers’ depth chart and rotation change?
Let’s take a look. First, the depth chart.
Lakers' depth chart 2.0
And then the updated rotation.
Reminder: Projections are bound to change with new intel during training camp and the preseason. Playing time and roles inevitably will fluctuate. Injuries, matchups, performance swings and game script will shift circumstances. This is an approximation of where things stand currently.
Let’s examine each position, noting the presumed starter, backups, alternative options and rotational adjustments.
Point guard
Starter: D’Angelo Russell
Backup: Gabe Vincent
Alternatives: Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Jalen Hood-Schifino
Point guard is one of two positions that aren’t altered by the Wood signing (the other being shooting guard). The starting spot remains an open competition, but Russell is the early favorite based on his pedigree, contract and the team’s success with him in that role last season. It also benefits the Lakers to uphold Russell’s trade value in the potential, if not likely, scenario they shop him for a rotational upgrade at the 2024 trade deadline.
Vincent, whose theoretical role should be similar to the departed Dennis Schröder, is a legitimate threat to at least steal closing minutes. Remember: After the trade deadline last season, Russell (30.9 minutes) played slightly more than Schröder (28.6) overall but averaged fewer minutes in the fourth quarter (8.0 minutes for Russell compared to 8.5 for Schröder). The bet here is Russell starts and plays slightly more, but Vincent replaces Schröder as a Darvin Ham favorite and closes games more often than not.
In many ways, this position comes down to a mix of 3-point shooting (where Russell has the edge) and defense (where Vincent has the edge). Despite the two players serving as nominal point guards, the ball is going to run through James and Reaves plenty, especially in the more important moments. Reaves has stated he wants to play more point guard next season, which is in line with the team’s plans.
Therefore, this position is ultimately about high-level secondary ballhandling and playmaking, spotting up off the ball and not being picked on defensively.
Hood-Schifino projects as a casualty of the team’s depth, with at least 12 players ahead of him in the rotation. He will probably play most of his minutes in the G League.
Shooting guard
Starter: Austin Reaves
Backup: Max Christie
Alternatives: Cam Reddish, Vincent, Russell
Since the last projection, Reaves impressed in the FIBA World Cup as one of the team’s better players and consistent closers. He should carry that momentum into a pivotal third season in which he has external expectations for arguably the first time in his career. Reaves is pegged to play 33 minutes per game, one more than the previous forecast. He’s continually proving he’s more than capable of running an offense at the highest levels.
This is the most straightforward position on the roster. Christie is the early backup after his remarkable summer league play and the way his 3-and-D skill set fits seamlessly into bench units. Reddish will get a shot to fill backup two and three minutes, but he must shoot and defend better than he has over his first four seasons. Vincent and Russell can also both scale up to shooting guard and play alongside each other in smaller backcourt configurations, a Ham staple if there ever was one.
Small forward
Starter: Rui Hachimura
Backup: Taurean Prince
Alternatives: Christie, James, Reddish, Reaves, Vanderbilt
In previous iterations of this exercise, there was a dearth of wing options. Now, there are almost too many. A good problem to have, to be sure, but a problem nonetheless.
One of the strengths of the Lakers’ frontcourt is the players’ interchangeability. They can all play together, forming different types of lineups — big, small, fast, shooter-centric, etc. James, Hachimura, Vanderbilt and Prince can play at either forward spot, while Davis, Wood and Jaxson Hayes are primarily fours or fives.
Having said all that, Hachimura is the team’s starting small forward. He’s coming off a stellar playoff run in which he established himself as part of the Lakers’ future core, averaging 12.2 points per game on a 66.8 true shooting percentage while making 48.7 percent of his 3s. With the Lakers paying him about $17 million annually, and Hachimura providing the best blend of offense and defense among the non-James/Davis frontcourt options, he’s the player tasked with handling the primary wing assignments. Recent pictures of Hachimura at the Lakers’ training facility indicate he’s slimmed down in preparation for spending more time as a wing on next season’s roster.
Prince is the backup three, but he can slide up to four when the Lakers need more shooting and speed. Reddish also will be in the mix for minutes, although it’s difficult to find a rotation spot for him unless it comes at the expense of Prince and/or Christie, who are both superior spot-up shooters and on-ball defenders.
Power forward
Starter: LeBron James
Backup: Jarred Vanderbilt
Alternatives: Hachimura, Davis, Prince, Wood
Over the past two seasons, James has played a majority of his minutes at power forward, which makes sense considering his age, mileage and recent injury history. James no longer has the capacity or lateral quickness to check elite perimeter scorers for 30-plus minutes each game. He can do so in spurts and ramp up his efforts in the playoffs, but it’s too much to ask a soon-to-be-39-year-old entering Year 21 to do it every night.
One of the significant issues with the Lakers’ projected two-big lineups next season is that it would force James to play down at small forward, at least during starting and closing portions of the game. It’d be one thing if the Lakers had guards capable of defending bigger wings, like they did on the 2019-20 team with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Danny Green and Alex Caruso. But they don’t have those players this season, at least not in the starting lineup. Christie could grow into the role, but there’s presumably a cap to how large his role can get this season. (A lineup of, say, Wood, Davis, James, Reaves and Christie could make sense, for example.)
Vanderbilt is the greatest casualty of the Wood signing. There are only 144 minutes available across the three frontcourt spots and just 96 at power forward and center, the natural offensive positions for Vanderbilt considering his shooting limitations. Unless Vanderbilt can take a giant leap as a shooter, or the Lakers’ perimeter defense is so porous that they need him regardless of how teams increasingly ignore him, he appears to be on the outskirts of the rotation.
That’s especially likely because, in an unsurprising development, Davis wants to play more power forward next season, according to multiple team sources. Both Davis and the Lakers believe there are clear benefits to him enduring less of a physical burden in the regular season. Davis played 99 percent of his minutes at center last season and 76 percent at center the season before, according to Cleaning the Glass.
Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka considers the team’s superstars as stakeholders in the organization and routinely consults James and Davis on notable personnel moves and the direction of the roster. Davis is still expected to start and close games at center, but his percentage of time he spends there should be more akin to the 2021-22 season. ESPN was first to report Davis’ preference.
Center
Starter: Anthony Davis
Backup: Christian Wood
Alternatives: Jaxson Hayes, James, Hachimura, Colin Castleton (two-way)
Wood immediately slots in as the backup center behind Davis. The two centers will likely play most, if not all, of the 48 available minutes at the five, with a smaller player (James, Hachimura) or Hayes occasionally playing in certain matchups and blowouts. (He’ll also get minutes when Davis inevitably misses time due to injury).
Perhaps this projection is too pessimistic with Hayes’ role. But aside from when Davis is out, where exactly are the minutes? Is he going to replace Vanderbilt? Is Hachimura going to have his minutes slashed? Maybe Prince?
I just don’t see a realistic scenario for Hayes to get rotation minutes with a full roster. He’s clearly behind Davis, James, Hachimura, Wood, Prince and Vanderbilt in the frontcourt pecking order. Wood basically assumes all of Hayes’ minutes (10 in the previous forecast) and half of Vanderbilt’s minutes. Finding minutes for Hayes would come at the expense of Hachimura, Prince and/or Vanderbilt — a cost that, when factoring in the team’s basic needs of shooting and perimeter defense around James and Davis, doesn’t make sense.
The Lakers will use more two-big lineups next season, but that seems more likely to happen against bench units. The challenge for the Lakers’ coaching staff is figuring out the best ways to use Wood and possibly Hayes defensively. They aren’t the same plug-and-play options that JaVale McGee and Dwight Howard were during the championship season (or even Marc Gasol and Andre Drummond, to a lesser extent, during the 2020-21 season).
There are legitimate questions about how Wood and Hayes will fit in the Lakers’ defensive scheme and next to Davis. Both are better at defending on the perimeter and in switching schemes than banging in the post and acting as the last line of defense. If the Lakers continue to just have Davis do those things, then the double-center approach will be somewhat moot. This is one of the bigger storylines to monitor in training camp and the preseason.
It's almost as if Buha is responding directly to NT when he talks about his opinion of Hayes and his upcoming nonexistent DJones-type role on the Lakers
Buha on NT confirmed.
- Sep 19, 2012
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Maybe in year 21 he’ll be able to turn back the clock. Lakers have always won with two bigs, Bron will just have to figure it out.
- Sep 5, 2010
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Some Christian Wood/Lakers talk on the Lowe Post today.
