Since 2020, the Los Angeles Lakers have been walking a tightrope. Led by arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, the oldest player in the league, and an oft-injured big man, the Lakers have struggled to find support for LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Before last season’s trade deadline, the team looked dead to rights before general manager Rob Pelinka overhauled the roster with players like Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura joining Davis as LeBron’s most capable support.
The regular season results have been far better than last year, but Los Angeles is still at the bottom of the postseason bracket. After saving fuel for the playoffs last season and reaching the Western Conference Finals, another such trip could be in store this year, mainly resting on Davis, Reaves, and Hachimura’s shoulders. Let’s examine the difference these three players can make for the Lakers.
Anthony Davis
When LeBron left Cleveland to join the Lakers, it was with the understanding that Rob Pelinka and the Los Angeles front office would bring in another superstar to pair with James. After LeBron struggled to elevate a flawed young core in his first season with the Lakers, Pelinka traded Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Josh Hart for Davis, an MVP candidate for the New Orleans Pelicans. The results were immediate. COVID-19 shortened his first year in Los Angeles, but the league went on with a postseason in The Bubble, which benefited the Lakers.
Los Angeles thrived with an aging LeBron and injury-prone Davis not having to deal with the travel burden that ordinarily comes with the postseason. Davis got hot from beyond the three-point line for the first time in his career, and the Lakers won the NBA Championship.
However, Davis struggled with injuries across the next several seasons and was inconsistent on the court. Viewed as an MVP candidate in New Orleans, Davis has yet to have an MVP ceiling in Los Angeles. This Lakers team, though, needs him much more in 2024 than they did in 2020.
James is not as effective as he once was, and when both have been healthy, Davis has been the better player. They need him to be the true #1. However, as other contenders have, Los Angeles needed help without a top-5 player. We expect upcoming odds to have the Lakers as a fringe contender.
The Emergence of Reaves and Hachimura
Entering the trade deadline in February of 2023, Los Angeles was five games below .500 with a struggling roster. Pelinka made significant changes, trading Russell Westbrook for D’Angelo Russell and acquiring Hachimura from the Wizards. Head coach Darvin Ham also made rotational changes, giving Reaves more minutes. Los Angeles responded by going 18-9 after the deadline and making a surprise run to the Western Conference Finals.
Reaves and Hachimura played vital roles, with Reaves averaging 16.5 points per game during that stretch. Reaves stepped it up a notch in the postseason, averaging 17 points per game, including seven 20-point games.
The trip to the Western Conference Finals rejuvenated fans, with the 2024 team looking better positioned than last year’s team. Still, the question remains: will we see similar results going forward?
Built for the Playoffs
The regular season has been streaky at best for a Lakers team whose primary objective has been keeping James and Davis healthy come the postseason.
Ham has restricted both players’ minutes, even at the cost of wins, to ensure both can take on a whole load of minutes in the playoffs. Due to this, Los Angeles must play in the play-in tournament. However, the Lakers have already shown their ability to win in a tournament-style atmosphere, winning the in-season tournament earlier in the year.
Los Angeles has not been impressive in the regular season but could pose a problem for the #1 or #2 seed in the postseason. The Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets are currently slated in those seeds, two young teams that could be vulnerable to an experienced and healthy Lakers team. Ultimately, their ability to win in the playoffs will come down to Davis’ ability to be the best player on the Lakers. At the same time, players like Reaves and Hachimura continue playing well within their rotations.
Everybody knows that LeBron is the alpha player in the locker room, but Davis is closer to his prime and the more effective player at this point in their careers. If they can both play at a high level, they can be a threat in the Western Conference.
How Far Can the Lakers Go?
As we saw last season, this team can play in the Western Conference Finals. In a short sample, Lebron can still be one of the best players in the league. However, they are limited in a tough Western Conference. The difference between the #1 seed and #10 seed in the West is smaller than that between the #1 seeded Boston Celtics and the #2 seeded Milwaukee Bucks in the East. There are five 50-win teams in the West as this is being written, compared to just one in the East. Los Angeles has a tough hill to climb, but if Davis, Reaves, and Hachimura can peak at the right time, they could make a deep run.