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2024-25 NBA Season Preview: Los Angeles Lakers

Matt Hanifan / NBA / September 18, 2024

2024-25 NBA Season Preview: Los Angeles Lakers

We are one month away from the start of the 2024-25 NBA Season. Up until opening night on Oct. 22, we will be previewing all 30 NBA teams. Today, we begin the preview series with the Los Angeles Lakers! Let’s dive into it!

What happened last year?

The Lakers entered last season with high hopes of potentially building off their Western Conference Finals appearance in 2022-23. They re-signed Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura while signing Gabe Vincent, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish and Jaxson Hayes in free agency.

Anthony Davis and LeBron James had two of the healthiest seasons since both arrived in Los Angeles, combining to play in 147 games (of 164). The Lakers ultimately finished 47-35, placing 15th in offense, 17th in defense and 15th in NET Rating. Their rotation bent slightly with midseason injuries to Christian Wood and Jarred Vanderbilt with a tumultuous injury-plagued campaign for Gabe Vincent. Reaves continued to surge as one of the offense’s primary contributors, but it was not enough to make up for their other shortcomings. As a result, for the second straight season, Los Angeles got bounced by the Denver Nuggets–this time in five games in the opening round.

Offseason Recap:

The Lakers had a fairly timid offseason. Though they did replace Ham with first-time head coach JJ Redick, LeBron James‘ former co-host. It’s not an enviable situation to waltz into. Oh, and didn’t you hear: The Lakers drafted Bronny James No. 55 overall in the 2024 draft! You ever heard of him?

The Lakers did lose Spencer Dinwiddie and Taurean Prince in free agency, which weren’t massive. Dalton Knecht falling into their lap at No. 17 overall was an absolute gift. Los Angeles added to an interesting frontcourt rotation behind Davis signing Christian Koloko to a two-way contract. Other than that, it was disappointing–given how last season ended and how most of the West improved in some way.

Projected Starting 5:

D’Angelo Russell, G: Am I sure Russell is the starter? Absolutely not. So we’ll put him in pencil here. Nevertheless, Russell wasn’t Derrick White last season, but he also wasn’t a complete detriment all the time. It was an up-and-down season, to put it nicely. His postseason was disappointing, but I’m interested to see if he can build off his encouraging regular season as he enters his age-28 season.

Austin Reaves, G: Reaves took yet another leap last season, averaging 15.9 points on 48.6/36.7/85.3 shooting splits. He’s only continued to ascent as a ballhandler and playmaker while being a gifted shotmaker. He’s going to get hunted defensively, but the risk-reward with Vanderbilt and Davis presumably patrolling the backline is worth it.

LeBron James, F: Fathertime is undefeated, but somehow, it hasn’t quite caught 39-year-old LeBron James (yet?). He averaged 25.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.3 assists last season in 71 games while having a career-high 41.0 3-point percentage (5.1 3PA). Doing that at his age is absurd.

Jarred Vanderbilt, F: Last season was a lost one for Vanderbilt, who appeared in just 29 games. Redick is quite excited to coach Vanderbilt; I wonder how involved he’ll be in the offense as a non-spacer. How often will he be initiating hand-offs and screening for some of the Lakers’ top offensive threats? How is he going to complement the rest of his teammates?

Anthony Davis, C: Davis, like James, was spectacular in the Olympics. Davis is one of the best defensive players on earth and posted 24.7 points and a career-best 12.6 rebounds across 76 games. If he could replicate his All-NBA, top-5 DPOY-esque campaign with a healthy supporting cast, the Lakers could be hunters in the West.

Notable Reserves:

Rui Hachimura, F: Hachimura, 26, has been integral to the Lakers’ success for the last one-and-a-half seasons.

Gabe Vincent, G: Vincent was another player whose season was hampered due to injuries. He missed all but 11 games and tallied just 34 total points on 30.6 percent shooting (3-28 3PT) last year.

Dalton Knecht, G/F: I have a hunch that Redick will scheme up plenty of plays for Knecht, who continued to improve throughout Summer League. He was a consensus top-10 prospect and one of the best pure scorers in the class, so I’m not worried about him impacting Los Angeles’ rotation. The Lakers need shooting–and he can provide plenty of it.

Biggest X-Factor: JJ Redick (?)

Is it fair to have the first-year head coach as an X-Factor? I’m going to do it anyway. I’m intrigued how Redick handles his first coaching stint from the sidelines with all the experience–Nate McMillan, Lindsay Harding and Scott Brooks–on his staff. He was great with X’s and O’s on his podcast, but how will that apply to him when the pressure’s ramped up ten-fold? How is he situationally? How does he keep the locker room together after a timid offseason with James the center of the spotlight? What if James, Davis or Reaves get injured? There’s going to be growing pains, but how exponential will they be?