Projecting Lakers' Depth Chart, Rotation After 2023 NBA Free Agency
The Los Angeles Lakers might still have a move in them during the 2023 NBA offseason, but they have largely assembled what they hope will be a championship roster.
They eschewed more flashy pursuits to focus instead on building continuity and depth. While they overhauled a big chunk of their supporting cast, they also kept most of the primary contributors to their recent Western Conference finals run.
They'll head into training camp with a few position battles worth watching, but as things stand, we have a decent idea of how coach Darvin Ham will handle the depth chart during the 2023-24 campaign.
Projected Depth Chart
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Point guard: D'Angelo Russell, Gabe Vincent, Jalen Hood-Schifino
Shooting guard: Austin Reaves, Max Christie
Small forward: Rui Hacimura, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, Maxwell Lewis
Power forward: LeBron James, Jarred Vanderbilt
Center: Anthony Davis, Jaxson Hayes
Backcourt
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Starters: D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves
Reaves, who returned to the team on a bargain-priced $53.8 million pact this summer, is not only a lock to start, he'll almost assuredly handle the heaviest workload of all the guards listed here. And that should be true in terms of both minutes and touches, as The Athletic's Jovan Buha reported the Lakers "plan on running more of their offense through Reaves next season."
Russell will head into camp as the favorite to start at point guard, but this figures to be the most ferocious position battle. He has more name recognition, gaudier numbers and more playmaking punch than Vincent, but if L.A. thinks James and Reaves can handle most of the playmaking duties, it might decide it would rather start Vincent as a tone-setting defender and ignitable spot-up shooter.
Reserves: Gabe Vincent, Max Christie, Jalen Hood-Schifino
No matter if Vincent starts or comes off the bench, he'll be tasked with a significant amount of floor time. He was by far the Purple and Gold's priciest summer addition, as L.A. lured him away from the Miami Heat with a three-year, $33 million pact.
His chances of swiping the starting point guard gig might hinge on his outside shot. He has been an inconsistent shooter to this point (career 33.9 percent from range), but maybe the shot-making he flashed during Miami's push to the NBA Finals (51 threes on 37.8 percent shooting in 22 playoff games) was a sign of better days to come.
Christie, the No. 35 pick in 2022, looks primed for a rotation role after a strong showing in summer league. Meanwhile, Hood-Schifino, this year's No. 17 pick, likely has an upward climb to the rotation. He'll hit the hardwood at some point, but he needs to become more consistent as a shooter and finisher to start seeing regular minutes.
Frontcourt
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Starters: Rui Hachimura, LeBron James, Anthony Davis
More than anything, L.A.'s title plans are tied to the health and talent of James and Davis. Recent history suggests the injury bug will come for both at some point, but when healthy, they will carry this club as far as they can.
The only question here is whether Hachimura starts. The Lakers just gave him a three-year, $51 million deal, so chances are they'll give him every opportunity to stick in the first five. Still, they do have alternatives they might want to consider, particularly if Hachimura, a career 34.7 percent three-point shooter, regresses from his fiery playoff form (48.7 percent).
If L.A. wants shooting from this spot, that could push Prince into the opening lineup. If defensive versatility is the aim, then Vanderbilt could wind up starting as he often did following his February trade to the team. If the Lakers want size, that could open the door for Hayes or even a free-agent center like Christian Wood or Bismack Biyombo to slot in at center and move Davis back to power forward.
Reserves: Taurean Prince, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jaxson Hayes, Cam Reddish, Maxwell Lewis
Prince will almost assuredly receive 20-plus minutes per game for his shot-making alone. With his three-and-D game an on-paper fit next to James and Davis, it wouldn't be shocking if Prince saw closer to 30 minutes a night.
The paths in front of Vanderbilt and Hayes are...well, hazier. Vanderbilt's defense and energy have value, but L.A. learned in the postseason how damaging his offensive limitations can be. Finding a reliable corner three-ball would do wonders for his outlook. Hayes intrigues with length and athleticism, but the Lakers need him to play with a consistency he has yet to show through four NBA seasons.
Reddish is a project, which isn't something you want to say about someone with four NBA seasons under his belt. Still, he is young and athletic, and he could get interesting in a hurry if he ever harnessed his outside shot. Lewis, a rookie second-rounder, has a ton of tools, but his lack of polish could limit him to mop-up duty (and a ton of G League run) unless injuries force him into the mix.
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