James GordonThe Los Angeles Lakers have been one of the most successful teams in NBA history. They have won 10 NBA championships, had 10 members inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, and are currently the second-most valuable franchise in all of sports. But what, exactly, goes into creating a roster that can win championships?
The Lakers are a team that has an incredible history, filled with stars and legends. However, the franchise has also been known for lagging behind their rivals in the Western Conference, historically. While the Lakers have earned quite a few individual accolades throughout their history, they’ve never won a title in the 21st century. In the last two years, however, they have gotten hot and have made it to the second round of the playoffs. What’s more, they have also signed a host of new players over the last few seasons.
Have you ever wondered what the best roster in the history of the Lakers would look like? Well, we have, that’s why we are doing this.. Read more about who is the best player on the lakers 2020 and let us know what you think.
The Los Angeles Lakers have a lot of skill on their team. The club is the baseball counterpart of the New York Yankees and the football equivalent of the Dallas Cowboys. When you look back at the team’s history, you’ll see that it has a long history of great players, from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Magic Johnson to Shaq and Kobe Bryant.
Since 2018, the LeBron James era has been pleasant. Two playoff appearances in three seasons, including the 2020 championship. With a new addition of Russell Westbrook, the team will be leading contenders for the NBA championship this year. With that said, all great players that come to Los Angeles come with a cost, may it be money or compensation.
With so much talent moving in and out of Los Angeles in the past three years, it got us thinking about 2014. What if this team’s salary didn’t force them to part with some of their depth? What if this squad could reassemble all of the best players from the previous seven years to form a superteam? This squad has an excellent probability of going 82-0. What are your thoughts?
Lineup to Start
Russell Westbrook, guard (2021-Present)
The team’s newest acquisition will be the starting point guard not just for the 2021-2022 season, but also for this season. Westbrook just finished his fourth season with a triple-double average. When Westbrook earned the MVP award in 2017, he became the first player since Oscar Robertson to average a triple-double in a season. In the last four seasons, he has played for four different teams (Thunder, Rockets, Wizards, Lakers).
Regardless of his baggage, Russell Westbrook is a great player. This next Lakers squad will be real if he follows through on his promise to put his ego aside and compete for a championship. He’ll be a first-ballot Hall of Famer even if he never wins a title, but it’s always great to have a championship ring on your finger when you’re admitted.
Brandon Ingram (Forward) (2016-2019)
(Image courtesy of Sports Illustrated)
The Lakers will only have one real guard on the roster with this team. Brandon Ingram is the first of our three forward starting rotations. Many thought Ingram had the potential to be the next Kevin Durant when the Lakers selected him second overall in 2016. While such abilities never transferred in Los Angeles, he demonstrated his full potential by appearing in an All-Star game in New Orleans in 2020.
When he averaged 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game in 2020, Ingram was named the Most Improved Player. He was an integral component of the Anthony Davis trade that took him to the Lakers. Ingram understands how to score, so he’d be a huge issue for the Lakers if he were a stretch two.
LeBron James is a forward who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers (2018-Present)
What more is there to say about a four-time MVP and four-time Finals MVP? LeBron James has won championships in Miami (twice), Cleveland, and Los Angeles. He is unquestionably the No. 2 best player of all time, and he is on his way to displacing Michael Jordan as the GOAT. James can play small forward in this lineup, which is his natural position.
In 2020, LeBron topped the NBA in assists, indicating that he could play point guard if he so desired. He’s the league’s leading scorer, therefore he might play shooting guard. At small forward, he is an MVP candidate. He has the ability to play both power forward and center. In any case, the Lakers will be OK as long as LeBron is on the court.
Julius Randle is a forward who plays for the Los Angeles Lakers (2014-2018)
The most likely candidate for power forward is Julius Randle. When Randle played in Los Angeles, he never really developed. Randle turned out to be one of those players that needed to leave to improve. He had some success in New Orleans, but he found his niche in New York where he recorded his first All-Star appearance.
Randle is a genuine point forward and a true defensive danger. Randle led the Knicks with 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game. This is the lineup. He’d have a plethora of scorers on his team. His passing is among the finest at the power forward position, thus there would be three great passers in this starting lineup.
Anthony Davis (center) (2019-Present)
In Charge: Sir Charles
LeBron’s and AD’s first year together resulted in a championship. Injury-plagued year two resulted in a first-round playoff elimination. All we know at this time is that this is the greatest combination in the NBA as long as both guys are healthy. Who knows how good this squad might be with All-Star players like Westbrook, Ingram, LeBron, and Randle?
Davis is one of the greatest big men in the league on defense. This club would have one of the greatest frontcourts in the league if Randle was paired with him. It would be very tough for opponents to score on the Lakers with Davis as the anchor.
Bench
Rondo, Rajon (2018-2020)
Image courtesy of Getty Images
Playoff There is such a thing as Rondo. Rondo brings out the best in himself and the team when they play in the playoffs. Rondo, a two-time NBA champion with both the Celtics and the Lakers, is a four-time All-Defensive pick who has led the league in assists three times and steals once.
Rondo as the backup point guard would not only provide Westbrook some much-needed rest, but it would also enable the club to run a lethal attack. Rondo is also one of the league’s most well-liked players. Rondo would be a loud leader and one that many on this squad would respect if he were to play with a bunch of veterans.
Lonzo Ball is a basketball player who plays for the Los (2017-2019)
Another player involved in the Anthony Davis deal was Ball. Ball is coming off a season in which he averaged 11.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 6.4 assists, and 1.5 steals in New Orleans. His defensive play improved dramatically, and his overall shooting percentages were among the best of his career.
Ball, like Ingram, had his greatest success after leaving the Lakers. Ball has matured as a player and as a person now that he is a veteran. Ball has the potential to be one of the team’s top defenders. Ball, Randle, and Davis together would form a formidable defensive team.
Russell, D’Angelo (2015-2017)
D’Angelo Russell could have been a member of future successful Laker teams if he hadn’t sold out Nick Young. The club has gone through many point guards since LeBron arrived in town. Russell has instead spent time with the Nets, Warriors, and Timberwolves.
Regardless, the 2019 All-Star averages 17.6 points, 5.3 assists, and 1.1 steals in his career. This team’s coach will have a difficult time deciding how to distribute minutes amongst Westbrook, Rondo, and Russell. Despite this, the 25-year-old is capable of scoring, passing, and producing at a high level.
Jordan Clarkson is a professional basketball player (2014-2018)
When Clarkson initially joined the NBA, he was a member of several terrible Lakers teams. Clarkson had three difficult seasons in Cleveland, including the conclusion of the Kobe Bryant era, but he did participate in the NBA Finals with LeBron during his last season. Clarkson was then traded to the Utah Jazz, where he developed as the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2021.
Last season, Clarkson averaged a career-high 18.4 points per game. When he played, he put up Lou Williams-like statistics, including a career-high 42 points in February. Clarkson can fill a hole in a starting lineup that is short on guards.
Kyle Kuzma is an American basketball player who plays for the Los Angeles La (2017-2021)
When he was a starter for the Lakers, Kuzma averaged over 18.0 points per game. When the Lakers added LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Kuzma’s position shifted to that of a bench player. Kuzma’s strategy paid off in the end, as he won a title in 2020.
Kuzma, on the other hand, is coming off a season in which he led the Lakers in three-point field goals made (137). Kuzma, who is 26 years old, still has plenty of peak years ahead of him. Westbrook’s package includes Kuzma, who was moved from Washington to Los Angeles. Kuzma was a highly effective bench player with starting potential in his prior seasons, and he would bring similar qualities to this Laker squad.
Brook Lopez is a model and actress (2017-2018)
In 2017, Lopez and Kuzma were dealt to the Lakers in exchange for Russell and Timofey Mozgov. It’s one of the most unbalanced transactions we’ve seen in the past ten years. Lopez was the all-time greatest scorer in Brooklyn when he departed, but Russell only made one All-Star appearance. Lopez helped the Bucks win their first title since 1971 after leaving Los Angeles.
Lopez averaged 13.0 points and 4.0 rebounds during his time in Los Angeles. The team wasn’t great, but with this lineup, he might perform like a guy who has averaged at least 20.0 points per game for four seasons or more.
Howard, Dwight (2019-2020)
(Image courtesy of Hoops Habit)
If Howard is your 12th player on the bench, this is how deep your team will be. Howard is a former Defensive Player of the Year and a seven-time All-Star from 2007 to 2014. He was a key member of the Lakers’ bench when they won the NBA title in 2020. Even if Howard isn’t the same player he was in his peak in Orlando, Los Angeles (first stint with Kobe Bryant), and Houston, he’s still a valuable contributor who can help a team win.
Howard won’t have to play a lot of minutes for this squad, but he’ll provide defensive depth. Howard may be used in spurts if a team needs a stop. Even better, the club could start Howard at center and move Davis to power forward. Howard has settled into his new position as a role player, which just adds to the depth of this squad.
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The Los Angeles Lakers have always had a difficult time finding a roster that could mesh together as one cohesive unit. Whether it was due to management, the front office, the coaching staff, or the roster itself, the Lakers’ teams are always plagued by injuries, erratic play, and internal conflict. The solution? A roster filled with stand-out active players who have all played for the Lakers at some point throughout their careers.. Read more about who is the best player on the lakers right now and let us know what you think.
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James Gordon
