What Will the Los Angeles Lakers' Starting Lineup Look Like?
| Position | Starter |
|---|---|
| Point Guard | Luka Doncic |
| Shooting Guard | Austin Reaves |
| Small Forward | Rui Hachimura |
| Power Forward | LeBron James |
| Center | Jaxson Hayes |
Point Guard: Luka Doncic
The entire basketball world shook like an earthquake when the news hit that the Lakers traded Anthony Davis for Luka Doncic. Amazingly, it has been a perfect fit for the Lakers, as they have gone 16-10 in the 26 games he has started. Doncic finished the regular season averaging 28.2 points while also nabbing 8.2 rebounds and distributing 7.7 assists per game. So far, he has made his mark in the playoffs, leading the Lakers in scoring.
Shooting Guard: Austin Reaves
Reaves is finally a full-time NBA starter and has definitely shown that he deserves the spot, ranking third on the Lakers with 20.2 points per game, a career best. Overall, he has been excellent this season while also being a threat from beyond the arc. It has not been a good start for Reaves, as he is struggling to shoot the rock in the playoffs.
Small Forward: Rui Hachimura
Hachimura has earned his spot in the starting rotation and proven to be a valuable member of this roster, going off for over 20 points in several games this season. The Lakers love relying on him for a dagger from the corner on the right side of the floor, and his size gives him an advantage over opponents. However, he must be consistent and hit his shots.
Power Forward: LeBron James
OK, where do we start? Well, the guy has scored more points than anyone in NBA history, and he keeps going. The man is also 40 years old and still going strong, despite being "questionable" nearly every game. But James still has some unfinished business. James will once again attempt to win his fifth championship, and second with the Lakers. But he must do more to topple the Timberwolves and avoid going quiet in the fourth quarter.
Center: Jaxson Hayes
Jaxson Hayes was not the starting center at the start of the season. Then, the Lakers thrust him into that role when they traded Anthony Davis to the Mavericks. Hayes is not the best scorer, averaging just 6.9 points per game. However, he is efficient when he shoots and can still play solid defense. But the Lakers will need his towering presence to win the board battles during the playoffs and give them some momentum. So far, it has not translated as he has lost the board battles with Jaden McDaniels.
Who is on the Los Angeles Lakers Bench?
| Position | 2nd String | 3rd String |
|---|---|---|
| Point Guard | Gabe Vincent | Austin Reaves |
| Shooting Guard | Jordan Goodwin | Dalton Knecht |
| Small Forward | LeBron James | Jordan Goodwin |
| Power Forward | Jarred Vanderbilt | Dorian Finney-Smith |
| Center | Dorian Finney-Smith | Alex Len |
The Lakers had a very good offseason in terms of adding depth to a roster that has been changing constantly during James' time in Los Angeles. The turnover has been partly due to trades and partly due to injuries.
The bench is not the greatest, as they rank fifth-last with 26.3 points per game. However, with the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and New York Knicks also on that list, it reflects more on the exceptional starting lineups these teams have. Still, the Lakers have some solid bench pieces whom they have mixed and matched with the starters, including Dorian Finney-Smith, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Dalton Knecht. Things have gotten so bad that JJ Reddick did not make a single substitution in the second half of Game 4. Therefore, they all must perform better to give the Lakers a chance.
Who Is the Lakers’ 6th Man?
Rookie Dalton Knecht has been solid for the Lakers, averaging nine points per game. Despite nearly being traded to the Charlotte Hornets, Knecht has overcome the drama and continued to produce results off the bench. While he is not in consideration across sportsbooks like FanDuel and DraftKings California Sportsbook, he still is making a case for himself as one of the stronger reserves in the game.
Get to Know the Los Angeles Lakers Front Office
| Position | Staff Member |
| General Manager | Rob Pelinka |
| Head Coach | JJ Reddick |
Who Is the Lakers' Head Coach?
After firing Darvin Ham, the Lakers hired JJ Reddick. While Reddick has not coached at any level, he has done a stellar job in his first season leading the Lakers, going 50-32 and setting up the team for a great postseason run.
Who Is the Lakers’ General Manager?
Rob Pelinka was one of the top agents in the NBA, representing the likes of Kobe Bryant, James Harden, Carlos Boozer, Buddy Hield, and Kevin Durant before ditching that business in 2017 when he was offered the top executive job with the Lakers in a power shakeup that took out Magic Johnson, Jim Buss, and Mitch Kupchak as the top decision makers. Pelinka played college basketball for the University of Michigan, where he was a member of the "Fab Five" team that included Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, and Juwan Howard.
Los Angeles Lakers FAQs
Officially, the Lakers are owned by the Buss Family Trust, which was formed by former business owner Jerry Buss, who died in 2013 and ceded control of the franchise to his son, Jim, and his daughter, Jeanie.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Jerry West, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, George Mikan, Karl Malone, Pau Gasol, Gary Payton, and Steve Nash are among the many famous players who have worn the purple and gold, with some winning multiple championships.
The projected starters for the 2024-25 season are Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachmura, LeBron James, and Jaxson Hayes.
Luka Doncic leads the Lakers in scoring, averaging 28.2 points per game. Additionally, LeBron James is next, with 24.5 points per game, while Austin Reaves is having a career season, averaging 20.3 points per game.
Author
Robert B. Hayek has been writing about sports for over a decade and is currently a member of the Gambling.com Group team. In his spare time, he runs the largest sports meetup group in Orange County, CA, actively participating in every sport imaginable. He is also a published author of five thriller novels, all available on Amazon.
