Coming off one of the biggest trades in franchise history, it was important for the Los Angeles Lakers to make some improvements this summer. With Luka Doncic on the roster and LeBron James nearing retirement, time is running out for this Lakers core to make one last serious title run.
Fortunately, despite losing out on some big-name players, the Lakers managed to make some upgrades at several positions in the offseason, including at center, point guard, and forward. In their latest (and arguably most impressive move yet), they signed veteran guard Marcus Smart to a team-friendly deal that will further bolster their rotation.
Now, the Lakers are not just poised to be relevant in the West — they are on the cusp of title contention with enough star power, depth, and experience to challenge the best teams in the league. Here’s a breakdown of the Lakers’ updated depth chart and what it reveals about their championship outlook.
Depth Chart
Point Guards: Luka Doncic, Marcus Smart, Gabe Vincent, Jordan Goodwin
Shooting Guards: Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, Shake Milton
Small Forwards: LeBron James, Jake LaRavia, Bronny James
Power Forwards: Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Adou Thiero
Centers: Deandre Ayton, Jaxon Hayes, Maxi Kleber, Trey Jemison III
The Starters
Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton
Head coach JJ Redick leaned heavily on his starters last season, especially in the playoffs, where the rotation often shrank to just six players., especially in the playoffs, where he shortened the rotation to just six players. Just like always, the Lakers’ success revolves around their big two: LeBron James and Luka Doncic. As the most talented and most decorated players on the team, they will be running the show together, and there are few tandems in the league who can match their impact on the court.
As the stars do their thing, the supporting cast will step up to deliver whenever needed, providing a steady flow of support throughout the game. The real difference from today’s Lakers to last year’s team is the addition of Deandre Ayton. Unlike Jaxson Hayes, he’s a starting-caliber center capable of putting up big numbers (16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds per game for his career). Ayton’s interior presence and rebounding could help elevate the Lakers to that next tier of legitimate contenders. There’s also Rui Hachimura, whose size and skills make him the perfect hybrid swingman.
The x-factor for the Lakers is Austin Reaves. At just 27 years old, he’s just entering his prime, and some fans are hoping to see him take another leap before reaching his peak. He averaged a career-high 20.2 points per game last season, and if he can sustain that level of play going forward, it will do great things for the Lakers. Plus, he’ll have the support of veteran swingman Rui Hachimura.
Overall, the Lakers’ starting lineup is objectively solid compared to their competitors in the West. If they can develop their chemistry together and stay healthy, very few teams will be able to handle them on the court.
The Bench
Marcus Smart, Gabe Vincent, Dalton Knecht, Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt, Jaxon Hayes, Maxi Kleber, Jordan Goodwin, Adou Thiero, Shake Milton, Bronny James, Trey Jemison III
Depth has been a recurring issue for the Lakers. In the past, their teams have always been more top-heavy, leaving little flexibility to fill out the supporting cast. This summer, however, the Lakers pivoted away from star-chasing in favor of depth and lineup versatility. The result is a second unit that’s on par with some of the league’s top contenders next season.
Starting with Marcus Smart, his defense on the perimeter will be huge for the Lakers, especially since they’ll have two weaker defenders (Doncic and Reaves) starting together. But with his experience and impact on the floor, he’ll provide a noticeable boost for the Lakers. If he’s not working, the Lakers can also try Gabe Vincent, who was one of their most trusted bench players last season with averages of 6.4 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game on 40.0% shooting.
At 24 years old, Dalton Knecht almost didn’t make the cut last February, but he stayed a Laker after they rescinded the trade for Mark Williams. Now, he’s expected to be a major part of their bench unit as a premier shooter and floor spacer. He’ll likely be sharing the court a lot with Jake LaRavia, Lakers’ newcomer and 23-year-old power forward out of Indiana State. At 6’8″, he averaged 6.9 points per game last season.
Due to his shooting woes, Jarred Vanderbilt may see limited minutes on the floor, but he’ll surely see some time as a scrappy and versatile defensive wing. He and Jaxson Hayes will be used to bolster the Lakers’ back line and ensure that the frontcourt rotation stays fresh for all minutes on the court.
Are The Lakers Contenders?
On paper, they’ve got all the ingredients: elite star power in Luka and LeBron, a reliable third scorer in Reaves, a legitimate big man in Ayton, and a vastly improved bench unit headlined by Marcus Smart. If the chemistry develops and the roster stays healthy, Los Angeles could absolutely make a deep playoff push in the West.
But expectations in L.A. are never modest. The pressure is on Redick, Doncic, and the rest of this group to prove they can turn potential into production. With the clock ticking on LeBron’s career and the spotlight fully shifted to Luka, the Lakers’ title window may not be wide open, but it’s open enough to matter. And that means the time to win is now.
