The Los Angeles Lakers wrapped up their preseason with a 123-100 loss to the Phoenix Suns and their big three of Devin Booker, Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal. Still, the past six games—most of them against contenders—have brought various lessons into the fold and plenty of optimism among the “Laker Faithful.”
Here are three takeaways from a purple and gold preseason.
Three Takeaways From Lakers Preseason
1. LeBron and AD Look Fantastic
For starters, it’s abundantly clear how ready LeBron James and Anthony Davis are for the season. Even though both of them played the first halves of games, both of them made their marks.
LeBron James has looked incredible for a player entering year 21. He only played three games, but continued to display an array of scoring and facilitating he’s known for. James has proven to people that “Father Time” hasn’t caught up to him yet, evidenced by a 19-point performance (6/12 FG, 3/5 3PT) against Durant—their first duel in five years. He remains ready to lead the Lakers in a tough Western Conference. The Lakers assembling a standout supporting cast (more on them later) means that James will not have to put the team on his back. Rather, he’ll have a chance to be productive no matter his workload.
Similarly, Anthony Davis has come out swinging. Aside from an impressive 2.2 blocks per game over five contests, Davis put up an average of 14.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and two assists in preseason. He stuffed the stat sheet against the Nets, recording 13 points, seven rebounds and three blocks. He followed that up with six swats in 23 minutes against Phoenix—five of them in the first quarter. Davis’s three-point shooting has also improved. Though he may not live up to Darvin Ham’s request of six three-point attempts per game (a statement that he has since clarified), his mark of 46.2% (1.2 makes/2.6 attempts) is promising. Overall, Ham wants Davis to be an aggressive three-level scorer, and there’s no doubt he can be at that level once again. Combine that with his elite rim protection, and Davis has the potential to have an award-winning season—a lofty expectation he could very well reach.
2. Offseason Work Paying Off
The Lakers’ offseason success has been noted time and again, and preseason showed us how the new players could make an impact.
Impressive Acquisitions
One of the most impressive new players is Taurean Prince, who, at least for now, appears to be the elusive fifth starter for Ham and his staff. Prince started all six of LA’s preseason contests. He averaged 9.3 points per game while shooting 56% from the field and 46% from deep. He has shown plenty of efficiency in preseason, which should hopefully translate once the games begin to count.
Despite playing only three games, Gabe Vincent has also displayed solid two-way work with the Lakers. He averaged 10.3 points and 2.7 assists per game on .423/.421/.500 splits. Vincent’s best preseason performance came against Sacramento, when he scored 18 points with four triples. His red-hot scoring will make the Lakers’ guard depth lethal, especially when opponents are forced to pay attention to LeBron and AD.
The Men in the Middle
Finally, the Lakers’ big man rotation deserves big recognition. Jaxson Hayes has impressed many with his jump-out-of-the-gym athleticism. The 23-year-old has averaged 5.8 points and 3.8 rebounds, but has provided electric highlights along the way. He has also displayed high basketball IQ in read-and-react situations, opening up the Lakers’ spacing significantly. Christian Wood has shown flashes of offensive talent, particularly using his strength to drive past defenders and finish with authority in the paint. Though he hasn’t found much success from the perimeter yet, Wood has still been reliable in non-Davis and non-James minutes. And two-way contract signee Colin Castleton has made a great impression on coaches and fans. At one point, the 23-year-old Florida alum ranked 3rd in total blocks and 4th in rebounds in preseason. Though he may not see minutes early on, Castleton is still a young big with plenty of upside.
3. Not Backing Down
Even with the West growing stronger, the Lakers are unfazed. It showed in the offseason and was apparent over these games. They went toe-to-toe with other new-look contenders, and though they sometimes didn’t get the results they wanted, they displayed excellence throughout the process. From the star players to the supporting cast, the Lakers are poised for another great run. The players and coaches know it, and the fans believe it.
From their remarks at media day to their play on the court, the 2023-24 Lakers have shown they’re ready to carry on a winning legacy. The team’s front office has put themselves in a great position to succeed. Now, it’s up to the players and coaches to live up to the championship standard in pursuit of banner #18.
