So now we know “who” after the Lakers’ completed their summer remodeling project this month by signing free agent centerpiece LeBron James, plus JaVale McGee, Rajon Rondo and Lance Stephenson and re-signing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope.
We’ll know “how” soon enough, when the new-look Lakers convene for training camp in September and Coach Luke Walton makes it known how he might mix and match James and the other three new players with the existing core of talented youngsters.
For now, the questions outnumber the answers when it comes to how Walton might alter the Lakers’ rotation for 2018-19. Obviously, new faces mean new roles. Minutes will be adjusted, of course. But will the Lakers speed up their already fast tempo? (The Lakers were ranked No. 3 in the NBA in pace last year). Or will they slow it down? (LeBron James’ Cleveland team was ranked No. 12 last year, and his teams in the past five years average pace rank was 21st)
Suffice to say, there are more options than ever before for Walton to consider.
If Plan A doesn’t work, then Plan B, C or D could be deployed.
James gives the Lakers the late-game closer they’ve lacked since Kobe Bryant’s retirement after a Hall of Fame career that included five NBA championships. James also gives them the on- and off-court leadership they’ve also missed since Bryant called it quits after the 2015-16 season.
The Lakers’ offense will run through James on most trips down the court, but that doesn’t mean he’ll take the majority of their shots when they are under stress, when it gets late and their possessions before all the more important. Walton has options, tapping into James’ versatility.
James as playmaker can be more effective than James the shooter.
No question, his game has evolved over the years.
No reason to think the Lakers won’t evolve right along with him.
Last week, during a conference call with reporters, Magic Johnson cautioned against expecting greatness from the Lakers from the opening tip. It took time for the Miami Heat to adjust and adapt after James joined them and it took time for the Cleveland Cavaliers to do the same after he returned.
“We’ll struggle to play together,” said Johnson, the Lakers’ president of basketball operations.
James’ interaction with the Lakers has been limited so far. He watched their youngest players from a courtside seat during an NBA Summer League game Sunday in Las Vegas, greeting Josh Hart, who played on the team and was named the tournament’s MVP, and Brandon Ingram, who did not.
Additionally, James has not spoken publicly since agreeing with the Lakers on a four-year, $153.3 million contract July 1. He isn’t expected to speak to reporters until he attends the opening of a new school July 30 in his hometown of Akron, Ohio.
How the Lakers might line up to start the season involves some guesswork, but it’s not going out on a limb to say that power forward James will be joined in the starting lineup by point guard Lonzo Ball, shooting guard Caldwell-Pope, center McGee and small forward Ingram.
Key bench players will include Kyle Kuzma as James’ backup, Rondo as Ball’s backup, Hart as Caldwell-Pope’s backup and Stephenson as Ingram’s backup. Draft picks Moe Wagner, a center, and Svi Mykhailiuk, a shooting guard, also could earn minutes after impressive play in summer league.
It’s likely James and Kuzma could play together.
It’s possible James, Kuzma, Ball and Hart could play together.
It’s also possible James, Kuzma, Ball, Ingram and Hart could be on the court together.
The Lakers’ second unit could be more complex than, say, Kuzma, Rondo, Hart, Stephenson and Wagner playing together. Walton will have plenty of options. It won’t be as simple as taking five starters off the floor and replacing them with five backups.
Certainly, Walton will want to surround James with as many perimeter shooters as possible, which could mean big minutes for Caldwell-Pope, Ingram, Kuzma and Hart. Walton might even be tempted to put as many playmakers on the court as possible, giving James a break.
Could we see Ball and Rondo on the court at the same time? That’s a possibility for Walton, although the knock on the Lakers’ offseason moves is that they’ve overloaded on playmakers and ignored their need for perimeter shooters to ease the defensive pressure on James.
However, either point guard could work well in pick-and-roll scenarios with McGee, who will replace Julius Randle in playing the role of lob target on the offensive end and rim protector on the defensive end. Randle signed with the New Orleans Pelicans as a free agent.
Ball and Rondo also could work well in setting up James in a pick-and-roll game.
Or with Wagner. Or with any number of players on the perimeter or in the paint.
What’s clear is that the Lakers are deeper, more experienced and far more talented than they were before July 1. James presents challenges for opponents that haven’t existed for the Lakers in many seasons, since Bryant’s game began to decline as age and injuries took their toll.
At present, nothing is settled and might not be until well into the 2018-19 season.
The Lakers’ rotation is uncertain. Roles and playing time haven’t been determined.
The possibilities are as limitless as they are intriguing.
