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The Los Angeles Lakers are going to have one of the most intriguing rosters in the NBA this year. After an early exit in the 2020-21 NBA Playoffs, GM Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office went to work addressing the depths of the roster. It was crucial for this team to move forward, as injuries played a big factor in the impact of the previous season. Now, the Lakers have put together a roster of numerous pieces that can step up if needed.
While many fans are fascinated with the idea of stacking a team with superstars, it's always important that there's one thing that will always be critical to a team having success in the NBA playoffs. Depth. It's the most underrated asset for a title contender. If you look back at Championship teams over the years, you can always see that teams need around seven rotation players to be consistent throughout a playoff grind. Injuries just happen, that's the nature of this sport. When those injuries happen, teams need to adjust their rotations to be able to weather the storm. After the Lakers injury-plagued season, there was a desperate need to add more pieces to the puzzle to be better prepared for any potential obstacles. So far, it looks like the Los Angeles Lakers should be in better shape for the long-haul of the NBA season.
Three Types of Rotations the Lakers Could Use During the 2021-22 Season
#3 The Defensive Assets
While the Los Angeles Lakers have added a number of "veteran" pieces to their roster this summer, they have also added some notable defenders. Head Coach Frank Vogel is going to have to figure out some variations to his rotation, but there are some intriguing defensive assets he could throw out there at times.
Let's say for an example that the Lakers want to rotate their stars to get some rest. With players such as LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook, you can assume that Frank Vogel will at least try to keep at least one of them on the court at any time. With the additions of veteran big men Dwight Howard and DeAndre Jordan, the Lakers now have two intelligent defenders who have both been Defensive Players of the Year in the NBA throughout their careers. Rajon Rondo also returns to the Lakers, and is known as one of the most intelligent players in the entire league. A key number of wings with defensive pedigree have returned as rotational depth as well, including Trevor Ariza and Kent Bazemore.
With the addition of players who can make an impact on the defensive side of the ball, the Lakers can now try to become a force with specific defensive lineups.
#2 The Offensive Assets
While the Lakers added some big names when it comes to "star power," they also added some underrated offensive assets that fans should be aware of. Sure, we all know that Russell Westbrook was brought in to give this offense a serious boost of energy offensively. But two more names to consider involve Kendrick Nunn and Malik Monk. Both players have the ability to play on or off the ball. The most intriguing part of both of their games is the potential they have to become lethal scoring assets. The two have shown before that they can get hot from the perimeter in a hurry with impressive displays of shooting.
The Lakers also added Carmelo Anthony this offseason, who is going to have fans excited on a nightly basis. Carmelo has turned into an intriguing asset in the rotation after spending the last couple of years with the Portland Trail Blazers. With offensive weapons like Monk, Nunn and Anthony off the bench, the Lakers have some intriguing firepower that they can mix into their lineups.
#1 The Star power
All eyes will be on the starting lineup that the Lakers can roll out on a nightly basis. What we know so far is that it should involve three key pieces with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook. From there, we could see Frank Vogel experiment with some other pieces as the season progresses. Expectations would point towards veteran swingman and defensive asset Wayne Ellington sharing the backcourt with Westbrook. From there, it would seem that Dwight Howard would also get the final spot in the starting five alongside Anthony Davis.
It will be interesting to see if Frank Vogel tries to adjust the starting lineup depending on matchups throughout the year. Could Anthony Davis see some time at the five, even though he's voiced his preference to play the 4? Could Malik Monk earn the starting minutes alongside Westbrook with his ability to score? The Lakers have options, and if they can stay healthy, it should be a headache for opposing teams.
