Lakers News: Latest on LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma and Horton-Tucker

The Los Angeles Lakers might be the defending NBA champions, but they are still a work in progress like everyone else.

With a condensed break from their championship win and only an abbreviated camp and preseason to bring together their retooled roster, the Lakers are playing catch-up as they get going on this 72-game sprint.

Here we will detail the latest on L.A.'s evolving plans for the 2020-21 campaign.

Minutes Limits for LeBron James and Anthony Davis

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

The Lakers have a cheat-code combination with LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

They just won a title with this historic tandem, and if they play their cards right, they could have a chance to add another this season. The most important thing, then, is for L.A. to get to the finish line with its superstars still leading the charge. To that end, coach Frank Vogel will be mindful of their workload so as not to prematurely tire them out.

"We're going to be conservative with their minutes early on in the season, and we have the depth to do it," Vogel said. "... We have the depth to manage their minutes intelligently early on in the season while we're trying to get our legs under us. And we'll continue to do so."

James logged just 28 minutes in the opener after averaging 34.6 last season. Davis played 31 minutes, down from 34.4 a night in 2019-20. It could be a while before either one's floor time picks up.

Kyle Kuzma's Role Will Be 'Fluid' All Season

Kyusung Gong/Associated Press

While the Lakers have largely remade themselves in LeBron's image since his arrival in 2018, Kyle Kuzma is one of the few players remaining from the pre-King era. Moreover, the fourth-year forward might have been the Laker most affected by the addition.

Before the Lakers accelerated their rebuild with James, Kuzma made their shortlist of long-term, high-ceiling prospects. But with the franchise following the leads of James and Davis, Kuzma is forced to find a new fit as a complementary player.

Kuzma recently told reporters "I have no idea" when asked what role he will fill in 2020-21. He came off of the bench in the club's season-opener, but coach Frank Vogel said before the game that nothing should be considered permanent at this point.

"Where he's going to fall in terms of starting role or coming off of the bench is still to be determined and will likely be fluid throughout the year," Vogel said.

While Kuzma and the Lakers recently got together on a three-year, $40 million extension, they are clearly still working to find their ideal fit.

Talen Horton-Tucker Could Have Chances to Lead Offense

Matt York/Associated Press

Preseason breakout star Talen Horton-Tucker could have a critical job in the regular season: keeping the offense moving when LeBron James needs a breather.

It won't all be up to Horton-Tucker, as players like Dennis Schroder, Montrezl Harrell and Kyle Kuzma can all serve stints as the focal point without the stars. But when the Lakers need Horton-Tucker to pick up the slack, Vogel is confident the sophomore guard can get it done.

"We like what he brings to the table if we're asked to lean on him as a primary scorer [and] playmaker like we did in some of those preseason games," Vogel told reporters.

In four preseason games, Horton-Tucker averaged an eye-opening 20.5 points on an absurdly efficient 54.7/53.8/89.5 shooting. While those numbers weren't expected to carry over to the regular season, they did create a level of expectation for this campaign. Horton-Tucker saw 11 minutes of action in the opener—more than he logged in three of his six NBA outings last season.