With a new “Big 3” of LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook, the Los Angeles Lakers are set up to bounce back during the 2021-22 season.
The star trio will look to raise banner No. 18 in Staples Center, but there are questions about their collective fit. James and Davis are already a dominant duo, but adding Westbrook could get complicated because he needs the basketball to be at his best.
However, that does not seem like much of a concern for head coach Frank Vogel. Vogel, who is fresh off a contract extension, believes his three stars can work well together because of their versatile skillsets.
“I think anytime you have three great players like this there is an element of sacrifice required and we’ve all talked about that and are all-in on that,” Vogel said. “But these three guys can do it all and what I love about our group, Bron, AD and Russ, is they’re all make-the-right-play players, you know what I mean. It’s not just about scoring or being a one-dimensional player. They can all do it all, so I’m most excited about seeing what the three of them on the court at the same time looks like.
“I think we’re gonna be an extremely dynamic fast-breaking team and one that they can play off of all three guys in many different ways. So I think with the speed, athleticism of those guys, plus the complementary parts we put together, the shooters and the defenders, I think we got a real chance this year to do something special and it’s on us now to put in the work and to get these type of talented guys to buy in and put in the work so we can achieve something special.”
Vogel is a defense-first coach so that end of the floor should not be an issue even after the perceived drain in defensive talent. The real challenge will be optimizing James, Davis and Westbrook on offense and finding ways to score on a consistent basis.
It’s early, and while there are questions, fans should be optimistic that the three talented Lakers stars will figure it out over the course of the regular season.
Frank Vogel not concerned about Lakers roster age
The collective age of the L.A. roster might be seen as a weakness to some, but Vogel looks at it in a positive view. “Age does equal experience,” Vogel said.
“IQ and intelligence help you win, and in terms of motivation, the motivation for us is that trophy, not what people are saying. This group is highly driven to get back on top and I don’t really think about anything about what anybody’s saying about our age. But I do agree that the experience will be necessary and help us win.”
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