{"id":54029,"date":"2023-09-11T07:00:56","date_gmt":"2023-09-11T11:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=54029"},"modified":"2023-09-10T13:54:27","modified_gmt":"2023-09-10T17:54:27","slug":"lakers-rotation-battles-figuring-out-the-frontcourt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2023\/09\/11\/lakers-rotation-battles-figuring-out-the-frontcourt\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers Rotation Battles: Figuring Out the Frontcourt"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to solve a good problem to have: an abundance of talent across the five positions. While it\u2019s likely that the guard rotation is set in stone\u2014apart from a <\/span>starting point guard battle<\/span><\/a> between <\/span>D\u2019Angelo Russell<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>Gabe Vincent<\/b><\/a>\u2014the frontcourt rotation behind <\/span>LeBron James<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>Anthony Davis<\/b><\/a> is not.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Athletic\u2019s Jovan Buha<\/strong><\/span><\/a> touched on the complications for the Lakers following Wood\u2019s arrival. The main issue is a matter of playing time between plenty of standout forwards:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>There are only 144 frontcourt minutes available for Davis, James, Hachimura, Wood, <\/span>Jarred Vanderbilt<\/a><\/strong>, <\/span>Jaxson Hayes<\/a><\/strong> and <\/span>Taurean Prince<\/a><\/strong>, and that\u2019s before factoring in smaller lineups that would involve <\/span>Austin Reaves <\/a><\/strong>or Max Christie<\/a><\/strong> sliding up to play small forward.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Though some roles may be more defined than others, Darvin Ham still has the tough task of determining who gets more opportunities than others, as well as where he can slot in some of the young guys so they get meaningful minutes. Here\u2019s a positional breakdown of the battles to watch between LA\u2019s forwards and centers.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lakers Rotation Battles: Figuring Out the Frontcourt<\/b><\/h2>\n

Small Forward: Taurean Prince vs Cam Reddish vs Max Christie<\/b><\/h3>\n

Though there has been <\/span>speculation<\/span><\/a> of whether <\/span>Cam Reddish<\/b><\/a> or <\/span>Max Christie<\/b><\/a> will earn a spot in the rotation, it\u2019s important to consider how veteran <\/span>Taurean Prince<\/b><\/a> will be in the mix. Prince averaged 22 minutes per game at his last stop in Minnesota, and he\u2019s averaged nearly 24 minutes per game through his seven-year career. Christie\u2014who averaged 12.5 minutes as a rookie\u2014has shown tremendous growth over Summer League. He\u2019s vying for a more consistent role while filling the Lakers\u2019 needs of a young 3-and-D guard\/wing. And Reddish is hungry to prove that he can stick around in the rotation and build on the momentum he created with the Portland Trail Blazers. In 20 games (12 starts), the 23-year-old averaged 11 points per game on 44\/31\/83 splits in 27.6 minutes per contest.<\/span><\/p>\n

Overall, the Lakers have three talented wings to back up James. All have similar skill sets but bring something unique to the table. Prince excels as a three-point shooter, Christie has improved as a playmaker and driver, and Reddish\u2019s athleticism is off the charts. Their skills will certainly be tested once training camp comes.<\/span><\/p>\n

Power Forward: Rui Hachimura vs. Jarred Vanderbilt<\/b><\/h3>\n

Two prominent starters at various points throughout the year, <\/span>Rui Hachimura<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>Jarred Vanderbilt<\/a> will have their roles altered next season.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Buha, Hachimura is expected to start next to James and Davis\u2014not surprising after his three-year, $51 million payday. Whether he plays small or power forward is another question, a nod to his versatility. In nine regular season starts for the Lakers, Hachimura put up 11.2 points on 46.9% shooting from the field and 40% from three.<\/span><\/p>\n

Vanderbilt, a forward-center who excelled on defense, showed flashes of offensive growth when he joined the Lakers. Vando averaged 7.2 points and 6.7 rebounds in 26 games (24 starts) for LA. He also hit the corner three at a 31 percent clip. His minutes decreased in the playoffs, but his productivity was decent (4.6 PPG and 3.2 RPG in 16.5 MPG).<\/span><\/p>\n

Though Rui and Vando look to play prominent roles in the Lakers\u2019 rotation, the team must determine the best situations for each player and the lineups that allow them to thrive.<\/span><\/p>\n

Center: Christian Wood vs. Jaxson Hayes<\/b><\/h3>\n

Even though <\/span>Davis desires a move back to power forward<\/span><\/a>, the biggest question\u2014both literally and figuratively\u2014is how to find the right balance between <\/span>Christian Wood<\/b><\/a> and <\/span>Jaxson Hayes<\/b><\/a>. Wood, a known contributor for rebuilding teams, is set to be the first big off the bench. There\u2019s also a chance he could start next to Davis in certain situations. Buha also reported that Wood may be key as an insurance big if injuries arise:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>When Davis misses time, which is seemingly inevitable, Wood can step in and assume a greater offensive role. (The same applies to when James misses time, though Wood\u2019s game is much closer to Davis\u2019.) Wood can assume 20-plus percent usage and produce 20-point, 10-rebound performances. Remember some of those gaudy <\/span>Thomas Bryant<\/span><\/a> stat lines from last season when Davis was injured? Wood can replicate that and more.<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Hayes, on the other hand, could have been the first big off the bench\u2014or even a starter next to AD\u2014before Wood came along. Now, he\u2019ll be part of the third unit, a role he grew comfortable with in New Orleans. Hayes\u2019s athleticism and two-way play will be key for the Lakers. Exercising his energy in spurts will prove worthwhile for them.<\/span><\/p>\n

Starting Lineup Options<\/b><\/h3>\n

The Lakers have a multitude of options for starters, filling in the gaps around James, Davis and <\/span>Austin Reaves<\/a>. With that in mind, it\u2019s worth noting that the purple and gold have two plausible lineups that could appear at various points throughout the season.<\/span><\/p>\n

Option 1: Davis at Center<\/b><\/h4>\n

PG: D\u2019Angelo Russell\/Gabe Vincent<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

SG: Austin Reaves<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

SF: Rui Hachimura<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

PF: LeBron James<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

C: Anthony Davis<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Option 2: Two-Big Lineup<\/b><\/h4>\n

PG: D\u2019Angelo Russell\/Gabe Vincent<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

SG: Austin Reaves<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

SF: LeBron James<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

PF: Anthony Davis<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

C: Christian Wood<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

The first lineup is a continuation from last season. Even though these five players hardly shared the court together (one of Vanderbilt or <\/span>Dennis Schr\u00f6der<\/b><\/a> made an appearance instead), each player maximizes the team in his own way, and there\u2019s no reason to doubt they can gel immediately.<\/span><\/p>\n

The second option, the long-coveted two-big lineup, introduces Wood into the fold. His aforementioned offensive versatility will be essential next to James and Davis. His offense will soar with the facilitating of Reaves and Russell (or Vincent).<\/span><\/p>\n

Buha broke down just how effective Christian Wood can be in LA\u2019s offense:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201c<\/span>Wood is one of the league\u2019s more skilled scoring bigs. He\u2019s a weapon as a catch-and-shoot and pick-and-pop threat. He shot 41.8 percent on catch-and-shoot 3s last season, an elite mark for any player, and especially for a center.<\/span><\/p>\n

His shooting ability makes him a natural pick-and-roll partner in two-man actions with James, Reaves, Russell and <\/span>Gabe Vincent<\/span><\/a>. The Lakers haven\u2019t had a big with this type of shooting proficiency in years. With a properly spaced floor, Wood can feast against defenders sagging off of him.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

All in all, the Lakers have a couple of solid options for starting lineups. However, the production of their bench is equally vital. They will undoubtedly have to step up if key players miss time.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Last Word<\/b><\/h3>\n

The Lakers have a wealth of talent in their rotation, filling a valuable supporting cast behind James and Davis. Darvin Ham and his coaching staff will observe them closely in camp, deciding who gets more prominent roles and the potential to be inserted as a starter.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Los Angeles Lakers are trying to solve a good problem to have: an abundance of talent across the five positions. While it\u2019s likely that the guard rotation is set in stone\u2014apart from a starting point guard battle between D\u2019Angelo Russell and Gabe Vincent\u2014the frontcourt rotation behind LeBron James and Anthony Davis is not. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4265,"featured_media":51355,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1608,26,62],"tags":[1683,3145,3839,2941,1962,4916,1749,1383],"class_list":["post-54029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-basketball","category-lakers","category-nba","tag-cam-reddish","tag-christian-wood","tag-darvin-ham","tag-jarred-vanderbilt","tag-jaxson-hayes","tag-max-christie","tag-rui-hachimura","tag-taurean-prince"],"modified_by":"Mike Schretter","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4265"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54029"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54029\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/51355"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}