3 Championship 10-Man Rotations Lakers Could Realistically Execute

With less than 4 weeks until the trade deadline, the Lakers are still hoping forwards Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood will return from their injuries in time to properly evaluate what they have and what they need.

While Hachimura is currently still starting, rookie Lakers’ head coach JJ Redick will likely replace him as starter with Dorian Finney-Smith, who’s been the team’s most productive player since trading for him 5 games ago. As currently constructed, the Los Angeles Lakers’ best 10-man rotation when everybody is healthy is Reaves, Christie, Finney-Smith, James, and Davis backed up by Vincent, Knecht, Vanderbilt, Hachimura, and Wood.

While their best 10-man rotation if healthy is better than their current rotation, the Lakers still need an elite 3&D guard to defend point-of-attack and a quality backup center to protect the rim when Anthony Davis rests.
Strategically, the Lakers draft capital includes 3 first round picks (2029, 2030, & 2031) with only two tradable (2029 & 2031), two first round pick swaps (2026 & 2028), and two second round picks (LAL 2025, LAC 2025).

While defense has the top priority, the Lakers can’t simply trade 1-way offensive players for 1–way defensive players. They need two-way players who cannot be played off the court because of poor offense or defense.
That means defense-first players must be able to hold their on offense and offense-first players must be able to defend their position on defense. The Lakers need cohesive and balanced championship 10-man rotations.

So let’s take a closer look at three possible championship 10-man rotations the Los Angeles Lakers could realistically create using existing contracts and draft capital before the February 6, 2025 NBA trade deadline.

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1. Traditional Positions 10-Man Rotation

Trading for elite perimeter defender Marcus Smart to start at point guard and proven defensive center Day’Ron Sharpe to backup Anthony Davis at center would give the Lakers a traditional championship 10-man rotation.

Adding legitimate 3&D two-way rotation players like Marcus Smart and Day’Ron Sharpe to replace one-way players like Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura dramatically improves the Lakers starting lineup’s defense.
The Lakers traditional positions starting lineup includes Smart, Christie, Finney-Smith, James, and Davis backed up by Reaves, Knecht, Vanderbilt, Wood, and Sharpe and fills the POA guard and backup center roles.

The Lakers new starting lineup would surround superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis with three elite two-way players who can both shoot the three and defend their positions to form a championship starting lineup.
While Anthony Davis still has to play center, sticking with the traditional five positions allows LeBron James to play his favored power forward, which means he doesn’t have to guard smaller quicker shooting wings.

Smart and Sharpe earn $24.2M per year so trading for them would cost the Lakers Hachimura, Vincent, and Hood-Schifino, who together make $31.9M per year. Trade would open up 1 roster spot and save $7.7M.
The Lakers would likely also have to give the Grizzlies an unprotected first round pick and the Nets a pair of 2025 second round picks as draft capital sweeteners to get them to agree to the trades for Smart and Sharpe.

The beauty of the traditional positions 10-man rotation is that it gives the Lakers the best combination of improved speed and athleticism of the 3 championship 10-man rotations the Lakers could realistically execute.

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2. Two-Bigs Defensive 10-Man Rotation

Trading for elite defensive guard Bruce Brown as point-of-attack perimeter defender and bruising young center Walker Kessler as AD’s partner in a two-bigs defensive lineup would give L.A. a championship 10-man rotation.

Adding legitimate 3&D two-way players like Bruce Brown and Walker Kessler to replace one-way players like Max Christie and Rui Hachimura dramatically improves the Los Angeles Lakers’ starting lineup’s defense.
The Lakers two-bigs defensive starting lineup includes Reaves, Brown, James, Davis, and Kessler backed up by Milton, Knecht, Vanderbilt, Finney-Smith, and Wood and fills the POA guard and backup center roles.

The Lakers’ new starting lineup would move LeBron James and Anthony Davis down a position so new defense-first center Walker Kessler could start in a two-bigs defensive starting lineup that could be dominating.
Despite a Jekyll and Hyde shifting balance between offense and defense, the Lakers are still at heart a better offensive team than defensive team. Trading for Brown and Kessler clearly shifts that dynamic toward defense.

Brown and Kessler earn $25.5M per year so trading for them would cost the Lakers Hachimura, Vincent, and Hood-Schifino, who together make $31.9M per year. Trade would open up 1 roster spot and save $6.4M.
The Lakers would likely also have to give the Raptors a pair of 2025 second round picks for Brown and the Jazz an unprotected first round pick plus remove protection from 2027 pick to get them to agree to trade Kessler.

What makes the Lakers’ two-bigs defensive 10-man rotation so powerful is it can pair Anthony Davis and Walker Kessler in a dominant two-bigs lineup as well as stagger them so one is always on the court protecting the rim.

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3. Two-Bigs Modern 10-Man Rotation

Lakers Trade for Lonzo Ball & Nikola Vucevic

Trading for an elite 3&D point guard Lonzo Ball and veteran center Nikola Vucevic who reinvented himself as a stretch five would give the Lakers a championship two-bigs modern starting lineup and 10-man rotation.

Adding an elite 3&D two-way player as point-of-attack perimeter defender and a stretch five center who’s reinvented himself as a high volume, high percentage stretch five totally turbocharges the Lakers starting lineup.
The Lakers two-bigs modern starting lineup includes Ball, Christie, James, Davis, and Vucevic backed up by Reaves, Knecht, Finney-Smith, Wood, and Koloko and adequately fills the POA guard and backup center needs.

The Lakers’ new starting lineup would move LeBron James and Anthony Davis down a position so new stretch five center Nikola Vucevic could start in a two-bigs modern starting lineup that could dominate at both ends.
Despite a Jekyll and Hyde shifting balance between offense and defense, the Lakers are still at heart a better offensive team than defensive team. Trading for Ball and Vucevic dramatically improves Lakers at both ends.

Ball and Vucevic earn $41.8M per year so trades would cost the Lakers Hachimura, Vincent, Vanderbilt, and Jalen Hood-Schifino, who together earn $42.5M per year. Trade would open 1 roster spot and cost $0.7M.
The Lakers would also have to give the Bulls an unprotected first round pick plus a pair of 2025 second round picks to get them to agree to trade both Ball and Vucevic. Lakers give up more salary but same draft capital.

Trading for Ball and Vucevic would give the Lakers a dynamic modern starting lineup and 10-man rotation that could be the best option of the three possible championship 10-man rotations the Lakers could execute.