Who are the first guys off the bench?
With depth at multiple positions, the Lakers have a good problem on their hands.
With the exception of a handful of players, no one is guaranteed a spot in Luke Walton’s rotation.
D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Luol Deng, Julius Randle and Timofey Mozgov are all expected to start when the season tips-off in late October.
Former Sixth Man of the Year Lou Williams should have a role with the team, along with fan favorite Larry Nance Jr and No. 2 overall pick Brandon Ingram. Aside from that, your guess is as good as mine for who will come off the bench.
The backcourt is where the mystery starts.
After the Lakers acquired sweet shooting veteran point guard José Calderón, it seemed like the Marcelo Huertas era in Los Angeles was over. But to the surprise of many fans, the Lakers re-signed the Brazilian to a two-year deal the very next day.
Huertas made his NBA debut last season with the Purple and Gold, where he displayed his ability as a playmaker off the bench but also showed what a liability he was on defense.
Calderón, an 11-year veteran, is just as much of a problem on defense, but at least he makes up for some of it with his scoring ability. Not only was he in the top 10 for 3-point percentage (41%) last season, but he is also in the top three for 3-point percentage (45%) over the last five years.
With the Lakers now embracing the 3-point line, Calderón would be a good fit to backup Russell.
The frontcourt is where things get tricky.
Larry Nance Jr. should be part of the rotation this season, but that doesn’t mean he will. Nine of the 20 players competing for a roster spot are front court players, not including Luol Deng and Ingram who could also see some time at the 4.
While it’s not likely any one of the five training camp invites will actually get a roster spot, there is still a logjam at the front court with Yi Jianlian, Tarik Black, Ivica Zubac, and Nance Jr.
Does Zubac continue to blow people away with his size and soft touch around the rim? Does Black show the fans more of what they already know? Does Jianlian’s shooting translate to the NBA?
All of these questions will hopefully be answered sooner than later.