Who do you want starting?

[Kilroy]

Nunn, Beverley, Bryant... I think Jones and Bryant are basically a toss-up and we'll have to see who works better with AD, but I like Bryant's size and shooting...
Either Nunn is in the running for our 3rd best player this season, or his career is basically over... So I'm optimistic he'll be really good and a clear starter...
Beverley has to start... He doesn't have to get a ton of minutes but he needs to help set the tone for us on the defensive end...

There are a lot of unknowns on this roster though and a lot can happen... But none of it matters a whole lot if AD and LeBron don't come in fired up and focused this season.

This feels like an extremely underwhelming roster to me though... Unless some more major changes happen soon, it's kind of a hot mess...

So, yeah... Nunn is a washout...

[SK21209]

Beverley/Walker/LeBron/AD/Jones. You're not gaining anything with AD at the 5 when your perimeter guys can't shoot and are too small to play a switching scheme. With that starting lineup at least you have size and athleticism.

[Kilroy]

Beverley/Walker/LeBron/AD/Jones. You're not gaining anything with AD at the 5 when your perimeter guys can't shoot and are too small to play a switching scheme. With that starting lineup at least you have size and athleticism.

The problem with that isn't the shooters, it's AD himself... He sucks at jump shots right now... Like one of the worst in the league...
But he's a foul magnet at C... There are very few Cs in the league who can stay on the court defending him in the paint... So, AD's best position, until he can show that he can shoot again at a high level, is at the 5... He's also a better defender in the paint and our best shot blocker...

AD is a big part of the problem with this team right now and catering to his aversion to playing the 5 isn't helping anything. In fact it makes us worse...

[SK21209]

Beverley/Walker/LeBron/AD/Jones. You're not gaining anything with AD at the 5 when your perimeter guys can't shoot and are too small to play a switching scheme. With that starting lineup at least you have size and athleticism.

The problem with that isn't the shooters, it's AD himself... He sucks at jump shots right now... Like one of the worst in the league...
But he's a foul magnet at C... There are very few Cs in the league who can stay on the court defending him in the paint... So, AD's best position, until he can show that he can shoot again at a high level, is at the 5... He's also a better defender in the paint and our best shot blocker...

AD is a big part of the problem with this team right now and catering to his aversion to playing the 5 isn't helping anything. In fact it makes us worse...

I'd have to disagree. AD at the 5 isn't some magic trump card that always works, those lineups worked extremely well in 2020 because we were able to space the floor while maintaining average to above average size and elite defense given our particular cast of role players. The replacement of guys like Caruso, KCP, Green and Kuzma with Russ, Walker, Nunn, Beverley, let alone the even worse cast of last season, has neutered the benefits of an AD at the 5 lineup. We're not benefitting from enhanced spacing because no one respects those guys as shooters, and we're simultaneously giving up size and defense because we don't have a big wing like Kuzma or physical perimeter guys like Caruso, KCP and Green. We're just playing smaller for the sake of playing smaller and not reaping any of the usual benefits.

[Jammer]

You should probably add another option in the poll… ‘doesn’t matter. We’ll be in the lottery again.’

Lakers won't be in the Lottery this spring because New Orleans has the Option to Swap picks with the Lakers. So, you'll probably end up with New Orleans pick, which probably won't be any lower than #17.

[Ball so hard]

You should probably add another option in the poll… ‘doesn’t matter. We’ll be in the lottery again.’

Lakers won't be in the Lottery this spring because New Orleans has the Option to Swap picks with the Lakers. So, you'll probably end up with New Orleans pick, which probably won't be any lower than #17.

Aren’t pick swaps well after the lottery? If memory serves correctly it’s done of draft night. In that regard I think my post is accurate.

[Jammer]

You should probably add another option in the poll… ‘doesn’t matter. We’ll be in the lottery again.’

Lakers won't be in the Lottery this spring because New Orleans has the Option to Swap picks with the Lakers. So, you'll probably end up with New Orleans pick, which probably won't be any lower than #17.

Aren’t pick swaps well after the lottery? If memory serves correctly it’s done of draft night. In that regard I think my post is accurate.

Yes, Technically you are correct. The Lakers will end up in the Lottery (probably). Then Utah will swap their #17 pick for say, the Lakers #10 pick, so in the end you won't have a Lottery pick. But yes, you are right, the Lakers will probably be in the lottery.

Personaly I think that the move for the Lakers was to accept Utah's offer back in July for Mike Conley, Rudy Gay, Bojan Bogdanovic and a 2023 1rst Round Pick (probably Milwaukee's, possibly Philadelphia's) in exchange for Westbrook + Two UNPROTECTED Laker 1rsts.

Mike Conley Age 35 $22,680,000 this season, 24,360,000 next year. Career 38.2% from 3, 5.7 Apg, 14.8 ppg
Bojan Bogdanovic, Age 33, $19,550,000 expiring. Career 39.3% from 3, 15 ppg.
Rudy Gay, Age 36, $6,184,500 this year, player option for $6,479,000 next year, career 35% from 3, 16.3 ppg, 5.7 rpg

I was kinda surprised the Lakers turned the 3 players down since Conley is a competent floor leader and excellent 3 point shooter; Bogdanovic is a dead-eye shooter, Gay is a complete player and the offer included a late 2023 1rst, where the Lakers in the past were able to draft players like Josh Hart, Ivica Zubac and Kyle Kuzma.

By turning this offer down, the Lakers probably stopped Utah from ending up with a Top 5 pick in June, but may now find Utah a very tough opponent this season with Conley, Gay and (Kelly Olynyk in place of Bogdanovic after Detroit trade) able to finish games.