The Los Angeles Lakers are riding into another NBA season with expectations place behind them. This time, however, there is a fresh sense of hope as first-year head coach J.J. Redick takes over. With LeBron James nearing the end of his career, and Anthony Davis in the backend of his prime, the time continues to be now for the Lakers.
With no time to start from scratch, small tweaks will ultimately reign king for Los Angeles moving forward. The lineups the Lakers use around James and Davis, combined with any transactions made moving forward are ultimately decisions that can determine whether the Lakers can raise another banner with the greatest NBA player of all time on the roster.
Here are three burning questions ahead of the Lakers' training camp tipping off:
Will LeBron James and Anthony Davis be healthy and providing normal impact this season?
At this point in their careers, it's not feasible to expect the two Lakers superstars to be fully healthy and making their mark on 82 games throughout the season. In general, staying healthy could mean playing around 70 games and being ready to go by the time the postseason rolls around.
Should both James and Davis stay healthy enough, their impact on both sides of the ball will be felt. The team will be molded around them by Redick, and Los Angeles will certainly be vying for a playoff spot. Predicting injuries and impact given injuries is impossible, though the answer to the question will certainly make or break the season.
When will LeBron, Bronny have their first moment together?
While the addition James' son, Bronny, won't have the largest on-court impact, it's certainly a storyline many fans and pundits are following as the new season comes. James won't be around forever, and it feels like any of the next few seasons could be the last. So, when will the NBA legend hit the court with his son?
Redick doesn't have the answer to the question yet, as the Lakers head coach, in an appearance on Zach Lowe's "The Lowe Post," revealed.
“In terms of that moment, yeah, we've talked about it and we've thought about it," Redick revealed. "We'll get it done. I don't want to commit to anything right now but that is going to happen and is going to happen sooner rather than later.”
Claiming it'll happen sooner rather than later could mean the Lakers will, early in the season, use garbage-time minutes or a short stint for the father-son duo to have a moment together -- something those around the NBA world are overly eager to see.
How long will Lakers' starting lineup last?
During Darvin Ham's stint as Los Angeles' head coach, the starting lineup was a hot topic. It was constantly changing and he was always secretive about it. For Redick, that's going to change. He's already got an initial starting five picked out and has revealed his reason why.
“Yeah, it’ll be the starting five that went 23-10 last year," Redick said on the Lowe's podcast.
So, D'Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, James, Rui Hachimura and Davis will be the starters rolling into the new season, and for good reason. A 23-10 record is a good pace, and, in the large scheme of things, would result in a strong regular season finish. Continuity with the starting lineup will also allow the players to get used to their roles and work out of any kinks or slumps they may run into.
It seems Redick will take a sound approach to his decisions, so expect the starting lineup to stick.
Stick with The Sporting Tribune for more Los Angeles Lakers coverage throughout the 2024-25 NBA season.
