By most accounts, the Los Angeles Lakers had an extremely successful offseason. LeBron James chose to return for another year while Anthony Davis agreed to a new contract extension. The team retained D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura and, of course, Austin Reaves, who looks set to take another step in his development following an impressive showing as part of Team USA at the 2023 FIBA World Cup.
The Lakers front office also made some solid moves to bring in new players in free agency who should help fill in the holes on this roster. Gabe Vincent started at point guard for the Miami Heat’s run to the NBA Finals and brings solid defense and shooting as well as a winning mentality. The same goes for veteran forward Taurean Prince, who gives the team another defensive option against big wings as well as being a career 37.2% 3-point shooter.
Wing Cam Reddish and center Jaxson Hayes are both young, talented players who have been unable to reach their potential as former lottery picks but could find an opportunity with the Lakers to do just that. And of course the latest signing of Christian Wood can be an offensive force and the ideal fit next to James and Davis.
But with this much depth comes some serious competition as everyone can’t get on the floor for regular minutes. Training camp is the place in which some important battles will occur and rotations and roles will be clarified and there are three extremely important matchups set to take place when the Lakers come together for camp.
1. Third Frontcourt Starter – Rui Hachimura vs. Jarred Vanderbilt vs. Christian Wood
James and Davis are obvious locks, but that third spot in the front court next to them is completely up for grabs with three justifiable candidates who bring completely different skill sets.
Jarred Vanderbilt spent the majority of last season after joining the team in this spot and was excellent during the regular season, but as the playoffs wore on, found himself played out of the rotation. He is the team’s best perimeter defender and one of the best in the league period, but as long as he continues to struggle with his 3-point shooting, his role may be capped.
Hachimura was one of the biggest surprises during the Lakers’ postseason run and after being rewarded with a new contract, is the favorite to start. He showed great growth as a shooter and proved he can be a solid defender as well, though nowhere near as versatile as Vanderbilt in that sense. Even still, if he can show the playoffs were no fluke, he would seem to have a leg up to win the job.
Wood is a bit of a wildcard as his insertion would lead to role changes across the rest of the lineup. Davis’ desire to play power forward would be granted should Wood start and his shooting ability is needed. His fit is undeniable, but placing another big with the starters would force more of a defensive responsibility to fall on the shoulders of LeBron, which is something the team should not be looking for him to do in Year 21.
This will be such an important battle to watch not only for those involved, but also because it could have a major impact on another training camp battle…
2. Starting Point Guard – D’Angelo Russell vs. Gabe Vincent
Make no mistake, Russell’s performance as the playoffs went on was simply abysmal. The Western Conference Finals is a series he would like to forget. But during the regular season, Russell was outstanding for the Lakers, averaging 17.4 points and 6.1 assists while shooting 41.4% from 3-point range.
Vincent, on the other hand, was quite the opposite as he came on late in the year for Miami once becoming a starter and then had an excellent run in the playoffs including 10 games in which he made at least three 3-pointers. Coming from Miami also means he has that toughness and defensive mindset that Darvin Ham loves.
Both players will get their minutes and play a big role for this Lakers team, and which player finishes games will likely be determined on a nightly basis. Russell is the more skilled offensive player, but Vincent is a more capable defender. But who starts could very much tie into who is that third frontcourt starter.
Vanderbilt’s ability to guard the opposing team’s best player helps to mask Russell’s shortcomings on that end and he is big enough to defend shooting guards so it works fine. But inserting Hachimura or Wood into that spot doesn’t give that same flexibility and would leave the Lakers in a tough spot defensively against many of the league’s top point guards.
But with Hachimura or Wood providing more offense, Ham could lean towards Vincent with the first unit as he would still give the team someone at the point of attack on the defensive end. Finding the best overall lineups that fit together will be one of the biggest tasks for Ham and the Lakers coaching staff.
3. Backup Shooting Guard – Max Christie vs. Cam Reddish
Even with all of the depth the Lakers acquired this offseason, feasibly there will be only 9-10 players getting regular rotation minutes. LeBron, Davis, Hachimura, Vanderbilt, Wood and Prince make up the front court. Reaves, Russell and Vincent will be the three primary guards, but there is room for one more and that will come down to promising second year guard Max Christie and the talented but inconsistent Reddish.
In limited opportunities as a rookie, Christie showed flashes of the type of 3-and-D wing he could become and showed plenty more growth in summer league. He averaged 19 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.3 blocks while looking extremely confident in his outside shot, knocking down 50% from 3-point range.
Reddish has also shown flashes in his four years in the league and is an excellent one-on-one scorer but has been inconsistent as an outside shooter and defender. While possessing all of the tools, he has yet to put it altogether on a regular basis hence why the former top-10 pick has played for three teams already.
Reddish may be the more naturally talented player, but the Lakers need someone who can be a lockdown defender and a reliable catch-and-shoot player, which fits Christie’s skillset more. This is not a battle to sleep on as two young and hungry players look to carve out a contributing role on a team with championship aspirations.
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