The Los Angeles Lakers franchise is one of the most storied and successful in the history of sports, let alone in the sport of basketball. The Lakers are tied with the Boston Celtics for the most NBA championships won (17), and the glamor that the franchise has brought to competition is truly iconic. Some of the game’s most elite players have played for the franchise, including Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Shaquille O’Neal, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and most recently, LeBron James. That is just a small list of the superstar talents that have played for the franchise.
Nowadays, the Lakers are trying to rebuild their name since they won the NBA title in the 2020 “COVID-shortened” season. The duo of LeBron James and Anthony Davis was too much to handle, and they dominated the competition en route to the franchise’s 17th NBA title. Now in 2023, the Lakers are struggling to keep at .500 because the past two seasons have been disappointing, to say the least. But it is not just these past two seasons that have been disappointing because the Lakers have shuffled through countless lineups over the last decade.
The great Kobe Bryant retired following the 2016 season, and he was not given the best teammates to compete with in his final years. Of course, even after Kobe retired, the franchise struggled to rebuild until LeBron James came along and had Anthony Davis in 2020. It is time to go back and look at the evolution of the Lakers’ starting lineups for the past 10 years since the 2014 season. We already saw how the Lakers shuffled their lineups over the past 5 seasons, but let’s dive a bit deeper. It is very interesting to see how the NBA’s most glamorous franchise has struggled over the past decade, and these are the Lakers’ starting lineups in the past ten seasons.
2013-14 Los Angeles Lakers
Starting Lineup: Kendall Marshall, Jodie Meeks, Wesley Johnson, Pau Gasol, Jordan Hill
Regular Season Record: 27-55
Playoffs: Missed Playoffs
The 2014 season was the first year in which Kobe Bryant completely fell off the map. He did his best to make the playoffs with the Lakers in 2013, to the point that he completely tore his Achilles from the bone. The shooting guard only played in 6 games, averaged 13.8 PPG, and was unavailable for most of the year. The team could not make up for Kobe’s scoring and leadership and had an atrocious season that ended 27-55.
Pau Gasol was still on the team, but he was even wearing out his welcome because he was older at age 33, and the Lakers perhaps needed to go in another direction. Kendall Marshall started as the point guard, averaging career-highs in 8.0 PPG and 8.8 APG, but the starting lineup was clearly devoid of star power. Marshall, Meeks, Johnson, and Hill have been bench players for most of their careers, and the Lakers could not win enough without a healthy Kobe in the lineup to compete alongside Pau Gasol.
2014-15 Los Angeles Lakers
Starting Lineup: Jordan Clarkson, Kobe Bryant, Wesley Johnson, Ryan Kelly, Jordan Hill
Regular Season Record: 21-61
Playoffs: Missed Playoffs
Kobe Bryant returned in the 2015 season, but he only played in 35 games and was clearly past his best and on his way to retiring. The shooting guard averaged 22.3 PPG on 37.3% from the field, and there was no point in the legend finishing himself off on a team that once again was devoid of star power. Jordan Clarkson was a breath of fresh air, as he averaged 11.9 PPG, but the team could not win without Kobe (and a departed Pau Gasol) on the roster.
In actuality, the best-performing players outside of Kobe were Nick Young (13.4 PPG), Jordan Hill (12.0 PPG, 7.9 RPG), and veteran Carlos Boozer who came off the bench (11.8 PPG, 5.2 RPG) for most of the year. The team was no good, and they missed the playoffs as one of the worst teams in the NBA on paper and on the court because the Lakers ranked 29th in defensive rating (110.6) and 24th in offensive rating (103.4).
2015-16 Los Angeles Lakers
Starting Lineup: D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Kobe Bryant, Julius Randle, Roy Hibbert
Regular Season Record: 17-65
Playoffs: Missed Playoffs
The 2015-16 season was Kobe Bryant’s final season in the NBA after he announced his retirement, and most of the year was done as a “retirement tour.” Kobe Bryant knew he was not going to win his 6th championship to equal Michael Jordan in his final season because he had to lead a young team without experience or knowledge of how to win. The Lakers drafted D’Angelo Russell, who instantly became their starting point guard, Larry Nance, and Anthony Brown.
This team, without a surprise, finished the season with a 17-65 record, the worst in their rich history, breaking the record they had set the last season. The Lakers suffered through a 10-game losing streak that season, but the sadness was washed away in Kobe’s final game when he dropped 60 points on the Utah Jazz in the most epic goodbye game in the history of sports.
2016-17 Los Angeles Lakers
Starting Lineup: D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Brandon Ingram, Larry Nance Jr., Julius Randle
Regular Season Record: 26-56
Playoffs: Missed Playoffs
The first season without Kobe Bryant suiting up for the Lakers went slightly better than last year, but not enough to appear in the postseason yet again. The Lakers had the No. 2 overall pick thanks to their disastrous season in 2016 and drafted Brandon Ingram. The Lakers also made an excellent decision to draft Ivica Zubac, a talented big man who had the right mentality and size to be an impact center.
Unfortunately, there were growing pains. The Lakers suffered their worst loss in franchise history when the Dallas Mavericks dominated with a 122-73 victory in Dallas. Luke Walton stepped in as the team’s new head coach, who managed to improve last season’s record to 26-56. But the team was not ready to win, and the leaked Snapchat video of Nick Young and D’Angelo Russell just made that more ridiculous. No doubt, Lakers fans were missing Kobe Bryant.
2017-18 Los Angeles Lakers
Starting Lineup: Lonzo Ball, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, Brook Lopez
Regular Season Record: 34-47
Playoffs: Missed Playoffs
The 2018 season was the start of improvement because a poor record in the prior season gave the Lakers another No. 2 overall pick. Thanks to LaVar Ball’s incredible marketing, the Lakers almost had no choice but to select Lonzo Ball from UCLA. Lonzo was seen as a future star during that season, the next dominant point guard since Magic Johnson for the Purple and Gold. Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart were drafted with him, and both were excellent picks.
Despite competing well in Luke Walton’s second season as the head coach, the Lakers had a 37-45 record, better than the past two seasons, but still not enough to actually compete in the Western Conference. Of course, there was more disappointment as Lonzo Ball had his struggles in the rookie season, and Kyle Kuzma was considered the more valuable rookie as another postseason-less season was the result.
2018-19 Los Angeles Lakers
Starting Lineup: Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, LeBron James, Kyle Kuzma, JaVale McGee
Regular Season Record: 37-45
Playoffs: Missed Playoffs
LeBron James shattered the media when he decided to leave Cleveland for the second time and join the Los Angeles Lakers in the ultimate mercenary move that might have been fueled by off-court endeavors. Or so we thought because James felt he had the best chance to win in Los Angeles and the team did the following year. The Lakers showed no hesitation in signing The King, who penned a 4-year, $156 million contract in the summer of 2018. Things started really well for the Lakers, having a 20-14 record at some point, but everything fell apart when several starters went down with injuries, including LeBron.
Even with a prime LeBron James on the roster, the team missed the postseason again because the young players could not make up for the constant injuries. The 2019 season was also the first time LeBron James missed the playoffs since 2005, an amazing fact to consider. After that season was finished, Magic Johnson stepped down as president of basketball operations, while Luke Walton and the team agreed to part ways a couple of days after that. With all the changes going on, Lakers fans were wondering how LeBron could lead the franchise to another title for the first time since 2010.
2019-20 Los Angeles Lakers
Starting Lineup: LeBron James, Avery Bradley, Danny Green, Anthony Davis, JaVale McGee
Regular Season Record: 52-19
Playoffs: Won NBA Finals 4-2 vs. Miami Heat
A blockbuster trade for Anthony Davis changed everything for the franchise in one of the biggest acquisitions in NBA history. Rob Pelinka took the reins of the team as president of basketball operations, and he agreed to send a package of Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, and draft picks (including the No. 4 overall selection in 2019) to New Orleans in exchange for Anthony Davis. Davis forced his way out of New Orleans, and it came to the Lakers’ (and LeBron’s) benefit.
The Lakers were not done, as they tried to recruit Kawhi Leonard in free agency to create the scariest Big Three in NBA history. Leonard decided to join the rival Clippers, and the Lakers proceeded anyways with their talented roster. Unfortunately, the entire season (and the world) was suspended due to the coronavirus that swept across the globe. Luckily for NBA fans, the season commenced, and the Lakers assumed their position as the best team in the NBA.
With LeBron and Davis forming the best duo in the NBA, the Lakers had too much talent, size, and shooting (Avery Bradley, Danny Green, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Alex Caruso), and they dominated the postseason. They defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, Houston Rockets, Denver Nuggets, and Miami Heat in the NBA Finals to win the franchise’s 17th championship. LeBron also placed himself in the GOAT debate with his 4th NBA title and 4th Finals MVP award.
2020-21 Los Angeles Lakers
Starting Lineup: Dennis Schroder, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Marc Gasol
Regular Season Record: 42-30
Playoffs: Lost First Round vs. Phoenix Suns 4-2
A season after winning the NBA championship, the Lakers tried to run it back with two major pieces coming on board in Dennis Schroder and Marc Gasol entering the lineup. Los Angeles lost key pieces in Danny Green, Dwight Howard, and Rajon “Playoff” Rondo, but they had enough to still compete with most of the roster intact. Unfortunately, the Lakers struggled with injuries and lost in the first round of the playoffs.
LeBron only played 45 games, Anthony Davis was available for only 36 games, and the Lakers had zero chemistry. The team did enough to make the playoffs, finishing 7th in the Western Conference, but the Phoenix Suns defeated them in 5 games and eventually made the NBA Finals. Los Angeles had to make moves to make up for LeBron’s age and Davis’ injuries coming strong, and they made another blockbuster move to create a strong Big Three on paper.
2021-22 Los Angeles Lakers
Starting Lineup: Russell Westbrook, Malik Monk, Avery Bradley, LeBron James, Anthony Davis
Regular Season Record: 33-49
Playoffs: Missed Playoffs
The Lakers lost a ton of key pieces in Alex Caruso, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and even Dennis Schroder, but they added former MVP and future Hall of Fame point guard Russell Westbrook. Los Angeles traded away Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Montrezl Harrell, and Kyle Kuzma for the superstar point guard. The NBA’s greatest triple-double threat led the NBA in APG in 2021, but he had a disastrous season with the Lakers. Since Russ was the biggest acquisition in the offseason, he was effectively made the scapegoat in one of the most disappointing collections of talent in NBA history.
LeBron and Westbrook could not co-exist on the court, Anthony Davis only played 40 games, and even The King only appeared in 56 games. In many ways, the Lakers’ injuries could have been the biggest reason the team failed and head coach Frank Vogel was fired at the end of the year. The Lakers might have dropped the ball in the Westbrook trade because they are forced to try to patch things up in the 2023 season.
2022-23 Los Angeles Lakers
Starting Lineup: Dennis Schroder, Patrick Beverley, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Thomas Bryant
Regular Season Record: 23-26
Playoffs: TBD
Yet another season of disappointment so far, as the Lakers are 23-26 and do not look like a title contender by any means. LeBron and Davis are still the cornerstones of the team, except that Davis, yet again, has struggled with injuries. The big man has only appeared in 26 games so far, and there are serious questions among the media and fanbase on if Davis is the answer for the long term. Russell Westbrook is still on the team, except that he has been relegated to a 6th Man role and is thriving by averaging 15.8 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 7.5 APG off the bench. No doubt, the Lakers would like to trade Russ for an established All-Star in his prime despite the point guard’s improved play.
The only good news might be that LeBron James is not showing that he is 38 years old because he is posting 29.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG, and 7.0 APG on 50.7% from the field. The King will also very likely break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s all-time scoring record in a few weeks, and that could cover up another disappointing season for the team. The Lakers’ acquisition of Rui Hachimura is one good start to fixing the roster, but there is plenty more to be done to surround LeBron James with proven talent.
