After flirting with the idea of ‘running it back’ with a healthier team, the Los Angeles Lakers changed course and opted instead to embark on an extreme makeover to change the role and reduce the workload for LeBron James.
In a bold shoot-for-the-moon move, the Lakers traded for enigmatic point guard Russell Westbrook to replace LeBron James as the team’s primary playmaker so James and Davis could move to power forward and center. The Lakers then proceeded to turnover their entire roster from last year, keeping only 21-year old Talen Horton-Tucker, whom they re-signed for 3-years and $32 million, and Marc Gasol, who still may be traded or waived.
So why such an extreme makeover for a team many thought would have repeated as champs had James and Davis not been injured? After all, Rob Pelinka had stated the Lakers hoped to keep the core of the team together. The answer it turns out is the core of the team consisted only of LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Talen Horton-Tucker. Marc Gasol remained on the roster only because the Lakers’ efforts to trade him were unsuccessful.
The dramatic moves the Lakers have made so far confirm they’re committed to doing everything they can to reduce excessive wear-and-tear on LeBron James, extend his playing career, and optimize his championship window.
LAKERS’ MOVES ARE ALL ABOUT LEBRON?
It’s ironic the early focus was more on the future health and prospects of Anthony Davis than LeBron James but the decision to trade for Westbrook instead of Hield quickly showed the Lakers’ concern was LeBron’s health.
Generational players like LeBron are so important to winning that nothing brings back greater returns than optimizing what they can do. That’s what this offseason was all about for Rob Pelinka and the Los Angeles Lakers. Trading for an elite point guard like Russell Westbrook was not just an opportunity for the Lakers to add a third legitimate superstar but a chance to reduce LeBron’s workload to free him up to play off the ball in the post.
While it may seem crazy to think about taking the ball out of LeBron’s hands, that just might be the smartest thing for the Lakers to do, especially with an exceptional point guard like Russell Westbrook who excels at playmaking. Russ is what changes the dynamic and gives the Lakers the luxury of playing LeBron off the ball and closer to the rim. The move is part of a strategy to make life easier for LeBron and the Lakers’ offense more difficult to defend.
Moving James and Davis to the four and five allows the Lakers to play two elite 3-point shooters at the two and three to give Westbrook two of the best finishers in the league to pass to in LeBron and AD when he attacks the rim. Expect to see a steady diet of post ups going forward as that was one of the most potent parts of LeBron’s offensive arsenal. The goal this season is for LeBron and AD to score in the paint and let the shooters rain the threes.
After being injured in two of the last three seasons, it’s time to reduce the 36-year old James’ workload. Moving him to the four to unleash his ability to be more of a big time scorer rather than playmaker is a smart move.
WHY TURNOVER THE ENTIRE ROSTER?
The biggest surprise was the Lakers’ decision to turnover the entire roster, trading or allowing to leave in free agency multiple rotation players who were major contributors to the team winning the bubble championship.
The Lakers traded Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, Kyle Kuzma, and their first round draft pick to the Wizards for Russell Westbrook and then allowed Alex Caruso and Dennis Scroder to leave in free agency. They also opted to not bring back Markieff Morris, Wesley Matthews, Andre Drummond, or Jared Dudley, although they still have three open roster spots so there’s still a chance one or more those slots could go to returnees.
While Russell Westbrook filled the Lakers’ need for an elite playmaker to free LeBron from being the facilitator, none of the players from last season’s roster took or made enough threes to solve the LA’s 3-point shooting woes. Fortunately, this free agency class was strong in high volume, high percentage 3-point shooters and the Lakers were able to add shooters like Wayne Ellington, Malik Monk, Kendrick Nunn, and Carmelo Anthony.
In the end, the Lakers decided they needed more playmaking and shooting to compete with the Brooklyn Nets than the roster that had won the bubble championship could provide them so they opted for an extreme makeover.
WHAT REMAINS FOR LAKERS TO DO?
The Lakers are essentially done building the roster they will roll out once the 2021–22 NBA season starts in October. All that remains is deciding whom to sign for the three remaining available minimum salary roster spots.
Major decisions remain as to who is going to start alongside LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook and whether the Lakers are going to go small with AD at the five or more traditional with Gasol playing center. The hope is the Lakers have finally embraced the small ball lineup with LeBron at the four and AD at the five that carried them to the championship in the bubble. Russ’ shooting woes almost demand the Lakers go small.
Other decisions involve how to use the new Superstar Big Three of James, Davis, and Westbrook. Obviously, you want to start and close with all three but maybe you want to stagger them to have two on the floor ast all times. Unless the Lakers sign a ackup point guard, we might see Vogel stagger LeBron and Russ to have an elite playmaker on the floor at all times. Then there’s always the issue of how to make sure there are enough shooters.
Bottom line, the Lakers have undergone an extreme makeover by trading for Westbrook, signing a host of quality high volume 3-point shooters, and moving LeBron James to the four and Anthony Davis to the five.
The more I’ve looked at what Rob accomplished this offseason, the more impressed I’ve been. The Lakers two goals were playmaking and shooting and Rob pretty much nailed both. Landing an elite point guard like Russ is going to dynamically change the Lakers and landing a half dozen volume high percentage 3-point shooters should finally solve LA’s shooting woes.
I’m still hoping for IT and Ennis with the 15th spot being left open for now. I might be willing to give that spot to Dudley with the understanding that if we had a shot at a star in the buyout market or via a trade that we might need the spot back. At any rate, the Lakers should have a cakewalk in the West with the ultimate target being the superteam matchup with the Brooklyn Nets in the battle of the Superstar Big Threes.
Tom, thanks for writing this magnificent piece. My concern going into next season is that while evidence points to us being better with AD at the five there is something in me that makes me worry about his durability at that position in an 82 game season. He has shown that he is fragile when it comes to his health and let’s not assume that he is going to be healthy through out the season. That would be a huge mistake.
When I read through articles here, it seems we are not having enough discussion about the options, the “what ifs”, and how much of a role Dwight Howard might play to limit AD from the rigors of playing center. Gasol’s situation is far from certain at this point.
We both agreed on the need for a bruising forward who can play both the 4 and 5 positions and space the floor, but as of now, we are yet to acquire one. I know Rob is not yet done with the roaster, but don’t you think we should worry about AD’s durability at the center position and what our best options are in this marathon of a season?
Thanks for reading and commenting, Buba. Always appreciated.
As I said in the opening to my article, I was actually surprised by the Westbrook trade despite the comments earlier by Marc Stein that the Lakers top priority was a playmaker so LeBron and AD could move to the 4 and 5. I never really expected the Lakers to go after Westbrook. I understood KCP, Kuzma, and Harrell were sure to go as trading chips but I never anticipated they would also opt to dump everybody from last year’s squad, including proven staples like Caruso, Matthews, and Morris.
To me, it seemed like the Lakers were more concerned about LeBron’s injuries two of the last three years than AD’s problems post-bubble. It was like the Lakers all of a sudden realized they may only have one or two more years of LeBron at this level of greatness so win additional championships. At least that’s what it appears to me happened. That may just be my interpretation as trading for Russ to play the one while moving LeBron and AD back to the 4 and 5 probably has as much advantage to AD as to LeBron.
At any rate, I do expect the Lakers to start AD at the five this season. I also expect him to play more than half his minutes at the five. I see AD playing 20 minutes at the 5 and Gasol and Howard splitting the remaining 28 minutes. The reason why is that LeBron and AD at the 4 and 5 simply works better with Russ at the 1. You need two volume 3-point shooters with Russ at the one and the only way you can get that is not to waste a spot on a reluctant shooter like Gasol or non-shooter like Dwight.
So what about AD playing 20 minutes per game at the five. I think the worry that playing the 5 would lead to more injuries is more of a unproven preference of Anthony Davis than anything statistically proven. I think the solution is just to watch the matchups. If we play the Nuggets or Sixer, maybe we have Dwight guard Jokic or Embiid. I do think the return of Dwight is one of the key moves that will allow Anthony to play the five. I would have loved to see the Lakers get a bruiser 4/5 like you suggested (PJ Tucker clone) but it doesn’t look like there is anybody out there right now who could fill that role.
I do think there’s immense pressure on THT to have a break out year, especially from beyond the arc. Otherwise, I could easily see he, Nunn, and Gasol as trading chips at the deadline to find a better option to help protect AD at the five.
At least so far, Marc Stein’s comments about the Lakers wanting a ‘difference-making playmaker’ so they could move LeBron to the 4 and AD to the 5 seems to have been spot on. Whether that ultimately translates into LeBron and AD starting at the 4 and 5 remains to be seen because of Vogel’s rotation history. But the Lakers moves so far have been in perfect lock step for the team to go small so I keep my hopes up that that’s what we’re going to do. Hopefully, I will be right.
Thanks, Tom. That was spot on.