The Los Angeles Lakers change their head coaches like college freshman change majors. However, their brass has started to invest in roster continuity, with all but two of the players from their 15-man roster returning from last season. Of those 13 players, LeBron James and Anthony Davis have been tenured the longest, at six and five seasons, respectively.
While the chemistry borne from players growing together doesn’t win championships alone, it’s a common characteristic of teams that go on to win the title. Those teams not only play for one another, they’re better equipped to handle adversity on and off the court. They’ve been through tough moments. They have one another’s best interests at heart. In other words, they’re really a team.
Should Lakers Start Former Top-10 Pick In 2024-25?
It may not be a bad idea for the Lakers to continue starting D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves.
Like any player, they have their flaws.
Russell, the 2015 No. 2 pick, runs hot and cold on the court. He can get moody when he doesn’t get his way, airing his grievances in the media. This isn’t ideal for a locker room that wants to build trust, let alone minimize headaches.
Reaves wasn’t really consistent last season, on paper or defense. Compared to last season, his field goal percentage dropped by -4.3 points and his 3-point percentage dropped by -3.1 points. Defensively, he was vulnerable when attacked by athletic guards.
Nonetheless, if L.A. wants to run like a well-oiled machine, their experience starting beside James and Davis can’t be ignored. Neither can their offensive upside, as they’re both pretty skilled. They’re shot-creators with above-average ball-handling and scoring instincts. They’re playmakers who know how to deliver the ball on time and on target.
Rui Hachimura Fits Just Right
If James, Davis, Russell, and Reaves return as starters, it’s possible Cam Reddish does as well. The 2019 No. 10 pick, Reddish started in 26 games for the Lakers last season. His on-ball perimeter defense truly came in handy. However, he shot just 33.6 percent from 3, making him more of defensive specialist than 3-and-D archetype.
What L.A. needs is a player who can make a positive impact on defense while being an efficient 3-point threat. This isn’t to fit a 3-and-D role per se, but to help him play off of James, Davis, Russell, and Reaves. If they excelled as cutters, even better.
Enter Rui Hachimura, who L.A. traded for in 2022-23.
The ninth overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Hachimura has made 39.3 percent of his 3s since joining the Lakers. Yet, he isn’t refined to shooting from outside. He’s an intuitive cutter, scoring 1.46 points per possession on cuts (77th percentile) in 2023-24. He’s also effective scoring in the midrange, be it off of a post-up or off-the-dribble.
Hachimura might not be a perfect player. He isn’t much of a passer and has a lot of variance in his 3-point shooting season-to-season. Regardless, he’s the Lakers’ ideal fifth starter if he can maintain his outside efficiency.
