Despite being in several rumors for a number of free agents and trade targets, the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t make any significant changes to their roster before training camp, meaning that they will be banking on the young group of players around future Hall of Famers LeBron James and Anthony Davis to get them back into title contention.
D’Angelo Russell is the Lakers’ biggest X-factor this season
One of the biggest X-factors for them this season will be guard D’Angelo Russell. The guard had a strong campaign offensively last season, averaging over 18 points per game and shooting 41% from beyond the arc, but defensive concerns in the backcourt playing alongside Austin Reaves have made some wonder if he’s a good fit.
In addition, Russell is a score-first player as opposed to a playmaker, which makes him running the point guard position more prudent. Even though he averaged over six assists per game last season, the offense typically runs through James, so the Lakers need Russell to stay consistent on the scoring end in order to get the best production out of him.
The Lakers offense is usually designed around James creating spot-up looks for his teammates. Part of the reason the trio of James, Davis, and Russell Westbrook didn’t work out was because of Westbrook’s lack of three-point shooting abilities. When Russell returned to the Lakers via trade two seasons ago, his presence as an elite scorer from outside the arc helped boost their offense and return to being a playoff team.
The Lakers need Russell to be more consistent this season
The Lakers have a lot of young talent around them, but with James entering his 22nd NBA season, they will need Russell to step up and become a bigger part of their offense. The guard has had moments of inconsistency at times, which they cannot afford to go through again this time around.
Last December, Russell had a brutal 12-game month, averaging just 10.2 points per game and shooting just 41% from the field. As a result, the team struggled, going just 7-8 in that month despite winning the league’s inaugural in-season tournament.
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When Russell plays better, the Lakers win more
Compare that to his best month of last season, January 2024, where he averaged 22.7 points per game and shot 45% from three-point range. He would continue to play on that similar trend the rest of the way, which helped result in more winning for the Lakers as they finished the season strong, going 30-18 in their final 48 games.
While James and Davis carry the load for the Lakers, Russell’s contributions will really define their season this year. The floor for him is that he becomes phased out of the offense and essentially is a non-factor, while the ceiling is that he becomes the electric third scorer alongside their two superstars that they have been desperately searching for.
