The Los Angeles Lakers head into this season after making the Western Conference Finals. This is remarkable considering at one point the team was the No. 13 seed in the Western Conference.
Based on age and recent history, LeBron James and Anthony Davis are poised to miss some time due to injury.
While the team will be missing their stars at some point this season, they will have perhaps the deepest roster since LeBron came to L.A. As a whole, the Lakers will be a lot better than they were last season. Here are three reasons why, they will be better this season.
3 reasons that the Lakers will be better this year: 3. Austin Reaves' continued development
Austin Reaves fully exploded on the scene as a starting-level player last season. He is only 25-years-old but he has plenty of time to grow as a player. Reaves was re-signed on a four-year deal. The young player played extremely well in the FIBA World Cup and will continue to grow as the season goes on.
While he will not be an All-Star by any means, Reaves could turn into an above-average starting level by the end of the season. Certainly, at the end of the day, Anthony Davis and LeBron James will help create good looks for Austin Reaves this season. The defense's attention will not be on Reaves which will help him be an offensive weapon.
The Lakers are primed to be one of the best teams in the league and a lot of that will be because of Reaves.
3 reasons that the Lakers will be better this year: 2. Continuity in the rotation
The Lakers will be much better in team chemistry this season. Unlike last season, it seems like this team will not be making any major moves as the season goes on. The team may make one or two trades but the rotation for this squad is pretty much set. Last year, the Lakers were faced with the shadow of a Russell Westbrook trade waiting to happen.
It was clear that the team did not fit with Westbrook and a mutual parting was the best case for both parties involved. They did end up getting bailed out a bit when it came to the trade return. Still, the team was able to get the pieces for a better roster and was able to get to the Western Conference finals.
This offseason, the Lakers practically gave all of their free agents long-term deals. This includes Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell. They also signed Jarred Vanderbilt to an extension and their most important offseason addition — Gabe Vincent — has three years on his deal.
The Lakers may make a trade at some point but their biggest pieces all have security and that should make the first part of the season much smoother than last year.
3 reasons that the Lakers will be better this year: 1. Gabe Vincent
Adding Gabe Vincent will help this roster a lot. If the Lakers can rightfully slot him as a backup point guard, then he will flourish in that role. He was a key piece of the Heat's NBA Finals run last season and his shooting and creation ability are something the Lakers' second unit was really lacking last season.
As a whole, this will help the team compete with the Denver Nuggets if they face off in a playoff rematch. This is a Lakers team that may only require a few more small pieces in order to reach the mountaintop once again. They should have less turmoil and they're better equipped to handle a variety of matchups and the kinds of injuries that inevitably crop up throughout a season.
