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Dennis Schroder

Two Blockbuster Trades To Construct Championship Lakers Starting Lineup

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With less than two months before the February 6 trade deadline, Rob Pelinka may finally be facing what could be a franchise and career defining decision whether to save his picks or go all-in to win a championship.

After kicking the ball down the road last two summers and midseasons, there’s an expectation Pelinka might no longer believe the current roster is worth investing valuable draft picks that should be used to replace James.
The Lakers’ current tradable draft capital includes two first round picks, two first round pick swaps, and three second round picks. The Lakers also have $50M in tradable salaries, including $30M in expiring contracts.

Pelinka’s constant moving of the goal posts without making needed moves to upgrade the team’s perimeter point-of-attack defense and the lack of size and rim protection in starting lineup and rotation has been inexcusable.
What’s especially frustrating for Lakers fans is that there are moves the Lakers could make using their existing draft capital and matching salaries to clearly upgrade the Lakers to legitimate championship contenders.

The problem is Pelinka has neither the vision or courage needed to make moves in the NBA’s current competitive landscape. Rob fully understands his safe harbor as Kobe’s agent will not survive another Westbrook fiasco.
What he still needs to realize, however, is not taking advantage of what could be the Lakers’ last opportunity to win a second championship with a healthy LeBron James and Anthony Davis could be grounds for firing.

Here are two trades that will dramatically upgrade the Lakers starting lineup offense and defense with a elite pair of two-way starters and fortify the bench with two former starters and a new shot blocking backup five.

1. Trade for Robert Williams III

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While many expect the Lakers to keep their two first round picks and use second round picks to acquire Jonas Valanciunas as backup center, Pelinka would be smarter use one first round pick to trade for Robert Williams III.

Despite a troubling injury history, Williams is the single most important player the Lakers could acquire before the trade deadline. There’s no other available player capable of totally transforming the Lakers starting lineup. Starting Robert Williams III at the five alongside Anthony Davis at the four would dramatically upgrade the Lakers front court defense, giving them two elite defenders who can both protect the rim and defend the perimeter.

Williams would also turbocharge the Lakers’ offense with his aggressive low post scoring and offensive rebounding. Starting Robert Williams at the five would unleash Anthony Davis to wreak havoc at both ends of the court.
Robert is currently averaging 9.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.9 blocks, and 1.1 steals in just 18.7 minutes per game while shooting an elite 71.1% on 5.4 FGA, 50% on 0.5 3PA, and 92.3% on 1.9 FTA per game.

The Lakers would be smart keep Williams’ playing time close to 20 minutes per game to keep him fresh and healthy and avoid injuries, which means they still likely need a more experienced backup center than Koloko.
The Lakers also still need to replace D’Angelo Russell with a point guard who can not only help replace his 3-point shooting and playmaking but also give them better 1-on-1 point-of-attack perimeter defense than DLO.

The Lakers’ top-5 protected 2029 first round pick plus Vincent’s $11.0M contract for 2-years and Hayes’ $2.4 million expiring contract should be good enough for the Blazers to trade Robert Williams III to the Lakers.

2. Trade for Dennis Schroder and Day’Ron Sharpe

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Once the Lakers finalize the trade for Robert Williams III, they should then immediately focus on trading for the Nets’ Dennis Schroder and Day’Ron Sharpe to be starting two-way point guard and backup shot blocking center.

While the Lakers could stop after trading for Williams and start Austin Reaves at point guard with maybe Jarred Vanderbilt at shooting guard for defense, trading with Nets for Schroder and Sharpe fills two big holes.
Dennis Schroder should be the perfect defensive upgrade at starting point guard to replace D’Angelo Russell and Day’Ron Sharpe the perfect upgrade at backup defensive center when Robert Williams is resting on the bench.

Dennis Schroder has been on a tear since playing for Germany in the Olympics last summer and is a legitimate two-way player who would be an excellent upgrade over D’Angelo Russell as Lakers’ starting point guard.
Schroder is averaging 18.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 0.2 blocks, and 1.1 steals in 33.9 minutes per game while shooting 44.8 on 114.3 FGA per game, 38.5% on 6.5 3PA per game, and 88.9% on 3.7 FTA per game.

Since the Lakers should load manage Williams’ minutes, Sharpe would give them another talented rim protector to back up Robert and ensure that the Lakers would have an elite shot blocker on the court for all 48 minutes.
Day’Ron is averaging 5.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 0.3 blocks, and 1.3 steals in just 14.7 minutes per game as Nets’ backup five while shooting 36.4% on 3.7 FGA, 50.0% on 0.7 3PA, and 100.0% on 2.0 FTA per game.

The Lakers’ top-5 protected 2031 first round pick plus Russell’s, Hood-Schifino’s, and Reddish’s $24.6M in expiring contracts should be enough compensation for the Nets to trade Schroder and Sharpe to the Lakers.

3. Lakers Post-Trades Starting Lineup & Rotation

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After the two blockbuster trades, the Los Angeles Lakers would suddenly boast a dramatically upgraded starting lineup and deep bench rotation that could catapult the team into top-10 in the league on offense and defense.

Replacing Reaves and Hachimura with Schroder and Williams totally transforms the Lakers starting lineup and bench. Schroder and Williams turbo charge the starters while Reaves and Hachimura upgrade the bench.
Dennis Schroder, Dalton Knecht, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Robert Williams are an elite starting lineup and Austin Reaves, Max Christie, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Day’Ron Sharpe a top-10 bench.

The trades have the Lakers swapping five one-way players and two top-5 protected first round picks for two two-way starters in Robert Williams and Dennis Schroder and one two-way rotation player in Day’Ron Sharpe.
Besides reducing their annual payroll for the year by $9.0M, the two trades opened up two new roster spots so the Lakers can sign two-way players Christian Koloko and Quincy Olivari to become part of the active roster.

That gives the Lakers a promising group of players under development with Quincy Olivari at the one, Bronny James at the two, Maxwell Lewis at the three, Christian Wood at the four, and Christian Koloko at the five.
While injuries will continue to be a huge wild card for the Lakers, the trades for Williams, Schroder, and Sharpe reshaped their starting lineup and rotation, giving them sorely needed size and perimeter defense.

While there is a risk in the Lakers using their only tradable first round picks for an injury prone center like Williams and two-way point guard like Schroder, their upside could easily be the Lakers 18th NBA championship.

Building A Championship Defense Around The Lakers’ New Big Three

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Dalton Knecht’s emergence as the generational 3-point shooter the Los Angeles Lakers have long-coveted now gives them a New Big Three and frees them to trade their picks to upgrade their starting lineup defense.

Redick’s decision to make Dalton Knecht the Lakers’ starting shooting guard was a clear sign the Lakers view the talented young rookie as part of their backcourt of the future and an emerging star around which to build. While moving Russell to the bench was a big success, Reddish was never able to provide enough defense to offset his liability on offense. Replacing him with Knecht fixed the mistake and turbo charged the starting lineup.

Though the Lakers knew Russell and Reaves could not be a championship backcourt defensively, they decided they had no option but gamble on a Reaves and Knecht backcourt, even though it’s not optimal defensively.
While an offense-first starting backcourt of Reaves and Knecht might survive regular season, they’ll be hard pressed defensively to win in the playoffs, which is why Dalton starting could change Lakers’ trade plans.

Sooner rather than later, the Lakers need trades to pair Dalton Knecht with a new defense-first point guard who can defend the perimeter and pair Anthony Davis with a new defense-first center who can protect the rim.
Their assets to make those trades include their two available first round picks, three available first round pick swaps, and three second round picks. Russell, Hachimura, Hood-Schifino, and Lewis are logical salary filler.

As L.A. continues trying to thread the needle between winning now and building for the future, committing to Knecht as a part of their new long-term core should empower the Lakers to focus on trading for defense.
With a New Big Three of Davis at the four, James at the three, and Knecht at the two, Lakers need to trade for a defensive center who can legitimately start and a defensive point guard who can’t be played off the court.

Here are three top trade targets for new Lakers’ defense oriented starting point guard and center to provide championship caliber defensive help for New Big Three of Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Dalton Knecht.

1. Defensive Center Who Can Legitimately Start

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The Los Angeles Lakers’ three top trade targets for a defensive center to start next to AD should be the Portland Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III, the Utah Jazz’ Walker Kessler, and the Milwaukee Bucks’ Brook Lopez.

  • Robert Williams III, 27 Years Old, 6′ 9″, 249 lbs, 2 Years @ $12M
    9.6 pts, 6.0 reb, 1.4 ast, 1.9 blk, 1.1 stl in 18.7 mpg
    71.1% on 5.4 FGA, 50.0% on 0.3 3PA, 92.3% on 1.9 FTA pg
  • Walker Kessler, 23 Years Old, 7′ 0″, 245 lbs, 2 Years @ $4M
    9.7 pts, 10.4 reb, 1.4 ast, 2.8 blk, 0.4 stl in 27.7 mpg
    69.9% on 6.1 FGA, 0.0% on 0 3PA, 51.9% on 2.3 FTA pg
  • Brook Lopez, 36 Years Old, 7′ 1″, 282 lbs, 1 Year @ $23M
    12.3 pts, 5.2 reb, 1.8 ast, 2.3 blk, 1.3 stl in 32.7 mpg
    47.7% on 9.6 FGA, 36.5% on 5.3 3PA, 74.2% on 1.7 FTA pg

While all three defensive center options would help elevate the Lakers to legitimate championship contenders, Williams has greatest potential and risk, Kessler best long-term upside, and Lopez best short-term outlook.

Of the three options, Robert Williams III has the greatest ceiling as he has elite ability both to protect the rim and defend in space. Pairing him with Anthony Davis would give the Lakers the best front court in the league.
Trading for Williams would surely cost the Lakers one of their two available first round picks plus maybe Vincent and Hood-Schifino as salary filler. While Williams doesn’t stretch the floor, he’s still a big force offensively.

The obvious pluses of trading for Walker Kessler are his age and salary, which means his cost in terms of matching salary and cap impact are minimal. The negative is the Jazz are asking two first round picks for him.
Trading Kessler to L.A. could also undermine what Utah receives for the Lakers’ 1–4 protected 2027 pick they own. The Lakers may need to remove the 2027 protection plus include 2028 swap and 2029 pick to land Kessler.

Should the Lakers not want to risk trading for Williams or pay the price to trade for Kessler, Brook Lopez could be the ideal short-term option for the Lakers to pair with Anthony Davis in a modern two-bigs starting lineup.
While giving up a first round pick for a short-term solution like 36-year old Lopez is not ideal, there may be no better big to play alongside AD than Brook, who’s the only defensive center candidate who stretches the floor.

The Lakers need to trade for a defensive center like the Trail Blazers’ Robert Williams III, the Jazz’ Walker Kessler, or the Bucks’ Brook Lopez to pair with Anthony Davis in the best defensive front court in the league.

2. Defensive Guard Who Can’t Be Played Off Court

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The Los Angeles Lakers’ three top trade targets for a defensive point guard to play with Dalton Knecht should be the Memphis Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart, the Chicago Bulls’ Lonzo Ball, and the Brooklyn Nets’ Dennis Schroder.

  • Marcus Smart, 30 Years Old, 6′ 3″, 220 lbs, 2 Years @ $21M
    9.2 pts, 2.4 reb, 3.9 ast, 0.7 blk, 1.3 stl in 20.0 mpg
    38.2% on 7.6 FGA, 31.7% on 4.6 3PA, 85.7% on 2.3 FTA pg
  • Lonzo Ball, 27 Years Old, 6′ 6″, 190 lbs, 1 Year @ $21M
    TYR: 5.0 pts, 2.3 reb, 3.5 ast, 0.8 blk, 1.0 stl in 15.5 mpg
    35.6% on 5.6 FGA, 20.5% on 3.0 3PA, 71.4% on 0.5 FTA pg
    LYR: 13.0 pts, 5.4 reb, 5.1 ast, 0.9 blk, 1.8 stl in 34.6 mpg
    42,3% on 10.9 FGA, 42.3% on 7.4 3PA, 75.0% on 0.8 FTA pg
  • Dennis Schroder, 31 Years Old, 6′ 1″, 175 lbs, 2 Years @ 12M
    18.6 pts, 3.2 reb, 6.3 ast, 0.2 blk, 1.2 stl in 34.2 mpg
    43.4% on 11.9 FGA, 41.7% on 6.7 3PA, 88.1% on 3.7 FTA pg

While the three defensive point guard options would help catapult the Lakers to legitimate contenders, Smart has the safest ceiling and floor, Ball the greatest upside and risk, and Schroder the best short-term bet.

Former Boston Celtic Marcus Smart should be the Lakers’ top defensive point guard target. While not an elite 3-point sniper or playmaker, Smart’s point-of-attack defense, constant motor, and gritty leadership are elite.
Pairing an All-Defensive quality 1-on-1 point-of-attack defender like Marcus Smart with a generational 3-point shooter and scorer like Dalton Knecht is exactly what the Lakers need to compete for a championship.

Should L.A. be unable to interest the Grizzlies in trading Marcus Smart, the Lakers should turn to the tanking Bulls and see whether they’re interested in trading injury-prone point guard Lonzo Ball and his expiring contract.
While L.A. would need to have their doctors examine Ball and review his medical records, Lonzo Ball could be exactly what the Lakers need as a defensive point guard and Bulls may be willing to give him up for seconds.

If L.A. cannot trade for Smart or Ball, they should pivot and target the Nets’ current and Lakers’ former point guard Dennis Schroder, who’s elevated his play at both end in the Olympics for Germany and in the NBA for the Nets.
While he’s not the bigger point-of-attack defensive point guard Smart and Ball are, Shroder does have elite speed, quickness, and ability to hound opposing ball handlers full court and is also shooting over 40% from deep.

The Lakers need to trade for a defensive point guard like the Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart, the Bulls’ Lonzo Ball, or the Nets’ Dennis Schroder to pair with Dalton Knecht in one of the best two-way backcourts in the NBA.

Nuggets Thrashing Reminds Pelinka Why Lakers Need Blockbuster Trade

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With their thrashing last night, the Denver Nuggets once again reminded Rob Pelinka why the Los Angeles Lakers must go all-in for a blockbuster trade to add more size and defense if they want to win the championship.

Despite their hopes Denver’s days of dominance were over, last night’s rough 127–102 spanking at home was a harsh reminder why the Lakers need more size and defense and why the Nuggets are still their ‘Daddy.’ Combined with blowing the Magic game, last night’s blowout should be a wake up call for Rob Pelinka and the Lakers’ front office. As good as this team has looked so far, they’re still ‘too small’ and ‘play poor defense.’

Right now, the Lakers’ top-5 offense has elevated them into top-4 status in the West and covered up their lack of front court size backing up Davis and quality point-of-attack perimeter defense on opposing guards and wings.
The Lakers’ 6-game win streak unfortunately reduced the pressure on Rob Pelinka to upgrade the roster as Redick’s lineup adjustments with Reddish,
Russell, and Koloko covered up some of the Lakers’ major defensive woes.

Last night’s blowout at home should have clarified any doubts the front office had whether the team needed a major infusion of size and defense to take advantage of a healthy James and Davis and pursue the championship.
Reddick wants the Lakers to be a team with a top-10 offense and defense. Right now, he’s done a great job turning the Lakers offense into a top-10 juggernaut but building a top-10 defense will require a blockbuster trade.

Here are three proposed mega trades Rob Pelinka could pull off to provide the Lakers with the greater size and defense in both front and backcourt to transform the team into a legitimate contender for the NBA championship.

1. TRADE FOR MARCUS SMART & ROBERT WILLIAMS

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The above 3-team trade is the Lakers’ best option. It would give LA two new starters: point-of-attack perimeter defender in point guard Marcus Smart and elite shot blocker and second big to pair with AD in Robert Williams.

What makes this trade ideal for the Lakers is that they go all-in to respond to their desperate need for more size and defense by adding two legitimate All-Defensive quality proven starters in Robert Williams and Marcus Smart. The trade could elevate the Lakers’ current bottom-10 defense to top-10 status and give the franchise a true powerhouse defense to pair with the explosive offensive juggernaut the Lakers have become under JJ Redick.

Adding an elite point-of-attack perimeter defender like Smart and a second shot blocking rim protector and 1-on-1 defender like Williams also opens the door to start talented young rookie Dalton Knecht at shooting guard.
The Lakers need a strong defensive starting lineup to be able to start rookie Dalton Knecht, whose hot shooting from three creates needed spacing and 3-point gravity to free LeBron James and Anthony Davis to attack the rim.

Lakers would have to give up at least one unprotected first round pick to Portland for Williams and one unprotected first round pick to Memphis for Smart. Picks are the compensation for trade. Lakers players are just filler.
Trade would also open up two roster spots so the Lakers could convert the two-way contracts of promising young center Christian Koloko and hot shooting two-way point guard Quincy Olivari to standard NBA contracts.

Post trade, the Lakers’ starting lineup with Robert Williams and Marcus Smart replacing Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell would be a legitimate championship contender with an upgraded defense and deeper bench.

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2. TRADE FOR COLLIN SEXTON & WALKER KESSLER

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The above 2-team trade is the Lakers’ second best option. It would give LA two new starters: speedy dynamic defender in combo guard Collin Sexton and elite rim protecting defensive big to pair with AD in Walker Kessler.

This trade provides the Lakers with a needed point guard with elite defensive speed in Collin Sexton and a long-term defense-first starting center to pair in a two-bigs lineup with Anthony Davis in Walker Kessler.
While Sexton would backup Austin Reaves at point guard for the Lakers, Kessler would likely start at center and play alongside Anthony Davis, who would be free to roam on offense and defense to impact on the game.

Adding an elite shot blocker like Kessler on a rookie contract would give the Lakers a major boost when it comes to dominating the defensive boards and protecting the rim, especially when Anthony Davis rests on the bench.
Adding Kessler to the rotation would not only strengthen the starting lineup defensively but also enable Redick to stagger the his two shot blockers so that Lakers have 48 minutes of rim protection for each game.

Lakers would have to give up at least one unprotected first round pick to Utah for Kessler and Sexton plus remove 1–4 protection on 2027 first round pick owned by Jazz. Trade is about the picks. Lakers players are just filler.
Trade would also open up two roster spots so the Lakers could convert the two-way contracts of promising young center Christian Koloko and hot shooting two-way point guard Quincy Olivari to standard NBA contracts.

Post trade, the Lakers’ starting lineup with Walker Kessler and Collin Sexton replacing Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell would be a legit championship contender with an upgraded defense and deeper bench.

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3. TRADE FOR DENNIS SCHRODER & BROOK LOPEZ

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The above 3-team trade is the Lakers’ third best option. It would give LA two new starters: speedy point-of-attack defender in combo guard Dennis Schroder and elite stretch five big man to pair with AD in Brook Lopez.

While this trade does not provide the Lakers with either their center or point guard of the future, it does give them two elite players who would be excellent fits and help fill glaring holes in the the team’s current rotation.
Lopez immediately starts next to Davis and gives the Lakers the stretch five shot blocker they need to unleash Anthony Davis to be league MVP at both ends of the court while Schroder backups Austin Reaves at point guard.

If the Lakers are not going to be able to trade for young players who could be their center of the future, they would be smart to focus on proven vets like Lopez and Schroder, both of whom have history as former Lakers.
Even though they’re both older veterans, Brook and Dennis have enough left to be valuable contributors at both ends of the court for the next two years. Good options to help LeBron James win one more ring as a Laker.

Lakers would have to give up at least one unprotected first round pick to Milwaukee for Lopez and maybe a pair of second round picks to Brooklyn for Schroder. Trade is about the picks. Lakers players are just filler.
Trade would also open up two roster spots so the Lakers could convert the two-way contracts of promising young center Christian Koloko and hot shooting two-way point guard Quincy Olivari to standard NBA contracts.

Post trade, the Lakers’ starting lineup with Brook Lopez and Dennis Schroder replacing Rui Hachimura and D’Angelo Russell would be a legit championship contender with an upgraded defense and bench.

Three Changes in the Lakers’ Starting Lineup Darvin Ham Should Consider

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After missing an opportunity to close out the Warriors, Darvin Ham may now be forced to replace Jarred Vanderbilt as a starter due to his shooting struggles to give the Lakers a better chance to win Game 6 tomorrow night.

While Ham’s been amenable to midstream changes at the back end of his rotation, as evidenced by his promotion of Lonnie Walker IV, changing one of his starters while holding a 3–2 lead in the series would be a surprise. However, a 1-game lead on the defending champs is not what you could call a stranglehold on the series. The Lakers know they’re just a couple of losses to a hot shooting Golden State team away from elimination themselves.

There’s no question Vanderbilt has been struggling. He’s averaging just 3.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 0.8 assists in 16.6 minutes against the Warriors, down from 7.2 points, 3.8 rebound, and 1.2 assists in 19.8 mpg in Round 1. While he shot a respectable 54.8% from the field and 29.4% from three in Round 1, Vanderbilt’s shot and confidence have abandoned him this series. He’s shooting just 18.2% from the field and 18.2% from the 3-point line.

It was one thing when Vanderbilt could be hidden because Poole was a basket case but now that Jordan’s hitting open shots, Jarred’s become a liability the Warriors are taking advantage of to stifle the Lakers’ offense. It’s hard to win in the playoffs without a good start to the game and the second half and there no doubt that Vanderbilt’s team worst -10.0 net rating for this series has clearly cost the Lakers. Game 6 is the Lakers’ Game 7.

Darvin Ham can’t wait any longer to fix the Lakers’ starting lineup. Here are the three lineup changes he should consider to give the Lakers a better chance at defeating the Warriors and making the conference finals.

1. Dennis Schroder for Jarred Vanderbilt

By the time a series reaches Game 6, winning comes down to execution. If the Lakers want to match up better against the Warriors’ small-ball lineups, Darvin Ham should start Dennis Schroder instead of Jarred Vanderbilt.

Schroder’s 113.0 offensive rating and +9.5 net rating are the best of any Lakers player in this series and his 103.5 defensive rating vs. the Warriors second best on the team. Dennis has been a spark plug at both ends.
He’s averaging 11.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game in 26.8 minutes per game while shooting 47.6% from the field, 33.3% from deep, and 77.8% from the line. His series plus minus of 24.0 is best on the team.

While it’s a small sample size, Anthony Davis, LeBron James, D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, and Dennis Schroder is the Lakers’ second most used 5-player lineup with the team’s third best +4.0 net rating for series. They’ve only logged 18 minutes in the series but they’re one of only three Lakers 5-player lineups with positive net ratings after the loss in Game 5. Suddenly, the stats and analytics are showing a much closer series.

Starting Dennis Schroder for Jarred Vanderbilt is probably Darvin Ham’s best option. Rather than gambling by going big, it makes sense to lean into what’s been one of the Lakers’ best 5-player lineups to start Game 6.

2. Rui Hachimura for Jarred Vanderbilt

Should Lakers’ coach Darvin Ham decide to go big against the small ball Warriors in Game 6, then Rui Hachimura with his size and high percentage post-up shooting would be the logical starter to replace Jarred Vanderbilt.

Hachimura’s 104.3 offensive rating is second worst, his 107.1 defensive rating third best, and his -2.8 net rating 4th best on the team for the series. His elite shooting has been highly underutilized by the Lakers this series. Rui’s averaging just 7.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 0.6 assists per game in 16.9 minutes per game but shooting 60.9% from the field, 62.5% from deep, and 83.3% from the line. His series plus minus of -2.0 is 8th on the team.

There’s a risk challenging an opponent by going big when they go small or small when they go big. The Lakers would be gambling that Rui’s lethal shooting would be more valuable than his ability to guard smaller players. In many ways, Ham choosing to go big would be doubling-down on the Lakers’ ability to dominate the backboards and win points-in-the-paint and made-free-throws battles while helping reduce their 3-point differential.

Replacing Vanderbilt with Hachimura could be a bold and savvy move for a rookie head coach to make in a series where his team is ahead 3 -2 but in need of a huge win. The Warriors may have no answer for Lakers going big.

3. Lonnie Walker IV for Jarred Vanderbilt

Should Coach Ham want to surprise everybody he could roll the dice on the fearless player who won Game 4 and try to catch lightning-in-a-bottle again by replacing Jarred Vanderbilt with Lakers’ supersub Lonnie Walker IV.

Walker’s 109.6 offensive rating is 3rd best on the Lakers and his 102.1 defensive rating and his +9.5 net rating best of any Lakers player in this series. Per the numbers and the eye test, Lonnie has been playing great.
He’s averaging 10.0 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game in 22.9 minutes per game while shooting 55.2% from the field, 30.8% from deep, and 100.0% from the line. His series plus minus of 24.0 is also team best.

As crazy as it may seem, there’s a good argument that Lonnie Walker IV might be exactly what the Lakers need to finish off the Warriors in Game 6. It’s not a fluke that he has the best defensive and net rating on the Lakers. Calling on Walker is not as big a gamble as going big with Hachimura but still riskier than going super small with Dennis Schroder, in whom Darvin has total confidence. Lonnie could be best answer if Dennis is not 100%.

While James, Davis, Russell, Reaves, and Walker have only played a total of 6 minutes together in this series, they posted a 120.0 offensive rating, a 92.9 defensive rating, and a team second best +27.1 net rating for the series.

Why Darvin Ham’s Starting Lineups And Rotations Could Be Big Problem

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The 26–32 Los Angeles Lakers got a potential season-saving infusion of talent before the trade deadline as Rob Pelinka pulled off four trades that brought back six new players, including five who will be in the rotation.

That means Lakers’ rookie head coach Darvin Ham must put together revised starting lineups and rotations that include Rui Hachimura, D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Mo Bamba.
That could be worrisome as Ham’s questionable starting lineups and rotations, baffling preference for starting Dennis Schröder, and strange penchant for playing three-guard mini-lineups were heavily criticized.

With just 24 regular season games left in their season, the Lakers need to win almost every single game to make the play-in or playoffs and simply don’t have time to experiment with different starting lineups or rotations.
They will only have one chance to decide who starts and who is a backup. The Lakers desperately need rookie head coach Darvin Ham to make the right decisions on their starting lineups and rotations to win games.

That’s a heavy burden to put on a rookie head coach who’s already had to deal with major roster issues like talking Russell Westbrook into coming off the bench and dealing with a roster seriously lacking in size and shooting.
Ham’s won universal praise for how he handled Westbrook and for getting the Lakers to hang around without James and then without Davis but it’s up to him to construct a winning starting lineup and rotation for stretch run.

So let’s take a look at whom Darvin Ham is likely to start for the Lakers and whom is he’s likely to include in rotation as backups coming off the bench as the Lakers prepare to make one last-ditch stretch-run for the playoffs.

Lakers’ Starting Lineup

While it could change, it currently appears Lakers’ coach Darvin Ham will start Dennis Schröder, D’Angelo Russell, and Rui Hachimura alongside superstars LeBron James and Anthony Davis for their final 24-games.

The criticism of Ham’s decision has been immediate and fierce because starting a non-shooter like Schröder does not help the Lakers’ spacing and forces them to use shooting guard Austin Reaves as backup point guard.
After the trade deadline moves, everybody expected D’Angelo Russell to become the starting point guard and Dennis Schröder to replace Russell Westbrook as the team’s 6th man and point guard for the second unit.

The issue is also not that Schroder isn’t capable of playing mostly off the ball as a shooting guard, it’s that there are better options that provide the Lakers with better outside shooting and spacing for James and Davis.
Starting Schroder also likely prevents starting another non-shooter like Jarred Vanderbilt, who could be the starting small forward and shut- down defender if the team started a shooter like Malik Beasley at the two.

After watching Malik Beasley catch fire and hit 6 of 12 threes in a quarter and a half, one has to wonder at why Ham would not want to start Russell and Beasley, both of whom are among the top-15 in 3-point attempts.
A Lakers’ starting lineup with a backcourt of Russell and Beasley and a front court of Vanderbilt, James, and Davis would have elite 3-point shooting and a shut-down defender to guard other team’s leading scorer.

Darvin Ham needs to rethink starting Dennis Schröder and instead consider starting either Malik Beasley or Austin Reaves so Schröder can take over Westbrook’s role as 6th man and point guard for second unit.

Lakers’ Backup Rotation

If the Lakers start Dennis Schröder, D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis, their backup rotation would be Austin Reaves, Malik Beasley, Troy Brown Jr, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Mo Bamba.

Basketball is not hockey where coaches sub out an entire lineup. In other words, Lakers fans should never expect to see Reaves, Beasley, Brown Jr, Vanderbilt, and Bamba on the court together, except under Darvin Ham.
For some reason, Darvin Ham is not a strong believer in staggering his two superstars and two point guards to make sure the Lakers have always have a superstar and point guard on the court for all 48 minutes of the game.

The Blazers game was a perfect example of what happens when a coach doesn’t set some simple rules for rotations such as always have a superstar, point guard, rim protector, and three shooters in the lineup at all times. With 3:20 left in the first quarter, Ham went with a lineup without Davis, Russell, and Schröder just as Dame re-entered the game. The result was the Blazers immediately turned a 3-point edge into a 15-point halftime lead.

Schröder and Ham have a long-time relationship and talked about the former playing point guard for the latter if were ever on the same team. That doesn’t mean Dennis should start, especially if not best for the team.
There’s been speculation in the media that Pelinka may have promised Schröder a starting point guard job to get him to sign like he did with Drummond last season. If so, time has come to break that promise.

If Darvin Ham insists on continuing to start Dennis Schröder at point guard, the Lakers’ starting lineup and rotations will struggle and their chances of winning enough games to make the playoffs will disappear

Do Starting Lineups and Rotations Matter?

Whenever fans complain about their coach’s starting lineups and rotations, there’s always clapback that who starts doesn’t matter or who closes is more important. The truth is lineup building is as much art as science

First and most important, lineup building is about optimizing the potential synergy five players could have on the court together while making sure each lineup iteration was comprised off the critical mandatory elements.
For the Lakers, that means building 5-player lineups with one superstar, one point guard, one rim protector, and three 3-point shooters. It also means knowing that at least a fourth of the game will depend on subs.

It’s obvious head coach Darvin Ham’s inexplicable preference for starting Dennis Schröder this season is an eerie doppelganger of Frank Vogel’s equally inexplicable preference for starting Avery Bradley last season.
At some point, Ham has to realize that his trust and loyalty to Schröder cannot result in not putting the best possible team on the court to win. Otherwise, he’s likely to end up at the end of the year just like Vogel.

The All-Star break could not have come at a better time for the Lakers than right now as Darvin Ham desperately needs time and guidance on who to start and what rotations to make when the team makes its stretch run.
Hopefully, Rob Pelinka and other members of the front office will work with Ham over the break to get him to understand that starting Schröder at point guard is not the best strategy to build a championship rotation.

Starting Schröder could cause the Lakers to miss the playoffs and Ham to lose his job. Darvin and the Lakers need to make sure to get their starting lineup and rotation strategy right to make a run after the All-Star Break.