3 ways in which the Los Angeles Lakers can run their offense in the 2021-22 NBA season

With the start of the 2021-22 NBA season just a week away, the Los Angeles Lakers are welcoming in a number of new faces. After a busy offseason, head coach Frank Vogel and the Lakers staff are going to need to get creative when it comes to getting all of the pieces to come together. The Lakers went out and added a number of intriguing players to the roster. Russell Westbrook is a big addition and should bring in some added tempo for the Lakers offense. The front office also brought in a number of floor spacers, including Malik Monk and Kendrick Nunn.

While the Lakers have a roster that features a number of big-name players, they have had a history of struggling on the offensive side of the ball. It's a shocking development, especially when your starting lineup features the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

What will the Lakers Offense Look Like This Year?

The Lakers offense could become even more dangerous in 2021-22

Last year, the Lakers finished 20th in terms of three-point conversion rates. It's going to be something that the Lakers will be determined to improve this year as they attempt to make a run at the NBA Championship. With a roster that has so many new faces, it's going to be a fascinating development to see how the Lakers offense will look this season. Let's take a look at a number of ways in which the Lakers could try to focus their strategy on the offensive side of the ball.

#3 Pick and Roll Game

Anthony Davis should be a threat in the Pick-and-roll game this year

Anytime you have a player like Anthony Davis on your roster, it's a good idea to get him involved in the pick-and-roll game as much as possible. Davis is such a dynamic threat with his ability to space the floor and do damage on the offensive block. With the addition of Russell Westbrook alongside LeBron James, the Lakers now have a pair of players that can make an impact with their playmaking ability. If the Lakers can use the pick-and-roll game, while having some floor spacing assets on the perimeter, it could create some intriguing offensive sets for the team. Some of the shooting additions, such as Kent Bazemore and Malik Monk, ranked highly as spot-up shooters last year, and putting them on the perimeter off of pick-and-roll looks as potential weapons for drive and kick opportunities would go a long way towards creating good looks for the offense.

#2 Ball Movement

LeBron James should be in for a big year as a playmaking asset for the Lakers

There's been plenty of talk throughout Lakers training camp and preseason that has hinted at this being a major focus for the upcoming season. With a roster that has plenty of potential playmaking threats, the Lakers could become dangerous if they emphasize ball movement and create open shots. A number of players on this roster have had a career in which they were called upon to initiate the offense. That goes back to the days of Russell Westbrook and Carmelo Anthony being the focal part of offenses whenever they were on the court. LeBron James was even recently asked about what the Lakers are trying to do with their new offensive system.

With the amount of talent the Lakers have on their roster, they now have the ability to create efficient looks for teammates all over the floor. Moving the ball around and playing unselfish would go a long way towards improving outside shooting, especially if the Lakers can get good looks from the perimeter. It's going to require a lot of trust, but it can make a team dangerous if they all buy in.

#1 Run and Gun

Russell Westbrook should have the Lakers transition offense rolling.

While the Lakers will most likely focus on trying to incorporate a new half-court offense, this is still an area in which I think they can become even more dangerous. The Los Angeles Lakers ranked ninth in the NBA, according to Synergy, when it came to overall transition offense. That also includes a team that was without the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis for extended parts of the season. The team is now adding the likes of players like Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk, and Kendrick Nunn, all of whom have shown the ability to thrive when pushing the tempo. If the Lakers can play under control in transition, they could become dangerous. Obviously these lineups would need to have a couple of floor spacers to compliment players like LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Russell Westbrook. Don't forget about Rajon Rondo too, who does a great job of putting teammates in the right position to succeed. Kent Bazemore is also going to be a player who could help out the Lakers transition in a big way, as he is at his best when spotting up and spacing the floor.