Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James. Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images

What is the biggest potential flaw for Lakers ahead of season?

By Sean Keane | Last updated Oct 21, 2024 5:09 PM ET

After a 2023-24 season that saw the Los Angeles Lakers lose to the Denver Nuggets in the first round, they had a remarkably quiet offseason.

Can the Lakers improve on their eighth-place finish in the standings with a healthier version of last season's roster?

The Lake Show arguably overachieved last season, going 47-35 despite a point differential of just +0.6 points per 100 possessions. LeBron James shot a career-best 41% from three-point range and played 71 games, while Anthony Davis played a career-high 76 games while making the All-Defensive first team and the All-NBA second team.

But beyond those two superstars, the roster is very thin. D'Angelo Russell was the third scorer with 18 points per game, but he was such a sieve defensively that the Lakers tried to trade him all summer.

Austin Reaves struggled on the defensive end, and his primary offensive skill might be drawing cheap fouls.

Jarred Vanderbilt is a solid defender, but he's still recovering from a foot injury suffered eight months ago.

Jarred Vanderbilt continues to progress towards a return, according to JJ Redick, however he will continue to rehab for at least the next two weeks, which will cause him to miss the start of the regular season on Oct. 22.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 18, 2024

Rui Hachimura has also been effective for the Lakers, but they simply don't have many good players beyond Davis and James. It's not realistic to expect the injury-prone Davis and James, who turns 40 in December, to play over 140 combined games again.

If they don't, the Lakers are in deep trouble, because there's a huge lack of proven talent on this roster.

The biggest problem is the team being stuck with players they don't particularly want to use on guaranteed deals. Christian Wood, Jaxson Hayes and Cam Reddish all opted into their deals for 2024-25 after having terrible offensive years.

Gabe Vincent and Vanderbilt are recovering from injuries, but aren't offensive threats even healthy.

If James or Davis miss time, or both miss time at once, the Lakers offense will suddenly have to depend on a rookie forward Dalton Knecht or unproven 21-year-old Max Christie.

It's a cliche to say that the Lakers will go as far as Davis and James can take them, but as the only two definitively above-average players on the roster, it's very true this season.

Sean Keane

Sean Keane is a sportswriter and a comedian based in Oakland, California, with experience covering the NBA, MLB, NFL and Ice Cube’s three-on-three basketball league, The Big 3. He’s written for Comedy Central’s “Another Period,” ESPN the Magazine, and Audible. com

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