The Los Angeles Lakers came into the offseason with the plan of maintaining continuity and they accomplished that goal. The team retained its key free agents in Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell while also adding some solid pieces to the rotation with the likes of Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince and Jaxson Hayes.
Instead of eyeing stars and big names, the Lakers went the route of adding more depth and versatility to the roster, something that served them well down the stretch of last year. Now the team is looking to build upon that finish to the season and Russell believes they have a great opportunity to do so as long as everyone is on the same page.
Russell appeared on the Pat Bev Podcast with Rone and noted that the Lakers have a lot of very good players, and as long as they are all focused on doing whatever is necessary for the team to succeed, the sky is the limit:
“I have no idea. I know we got a lot of bodies though, what you said, we got a lot of bodies. So trying to give the team what it needs every night to win, I think that’s gotta be our focus. Whatever or however it gets done, if everybody is locked in to just giving the team what it needs that night. That night might be scoring, the next night might be eight assists, the next night might be all passes becayse they ran you off and you made the one more to Austin Reaves in the corner, he’s hitting. It’s gotta be the right play, right mentality type of energy for our group because anybody can do it. He can throw any five out there and get it done. But if we’re all committed to that I think sky is the limit for the group honestly.”
The key to success is very often the entire team buying into their roles and team success above all else. The Lakers have a number of players who could be viable rotation options, but there are only so many minutes to go around and as Russell said, they will be able to throw out any number of lineups that could deliver what the team needs.
But it will all be about the team all being locked in on the same goal, which is to win a championship and doing everything necessary to accomplish that goal. That will require sacrifice from some, but a ring can’t be won without it.
Lakers hopeful Jaxson Hayes plays ‘prominent role’ starting next to Anthony Davis
One of those key rotation pieces for the Lakers is center Jaxson Hayes. Anthony Davis does not want to play center all the time and the team is hopeful someone like Hayes can help lessen the load on their star big man.
But the Lakers are apparently hoping for Hayes to have even more of an impact as they are reportedly hopeful that Hayes will be able to start next to Davis and play a ‘prominent role’ on the team this season.
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