Los Angeles Lakers: 5 things to look for during preseason

The Los Angeles Lakers will be back on the court playing preseason games in a few days. Here are five things to look for during preseason play.

After a long, but exciting NBA offseason, Los Angeles Lakers fans will soon get their first look at LeBron James in the purple and gold. The first opportunity should come when the Lakers open up their preseason schedule against the Denver Nuggets on September 30th.

I like to think of the preseason as a kind of extension of Summer League, where we let players prove themselves one last time before training camp starts. So looking beyond LeBron and the young core, here are five things Laker fans should be looking for during the 6 games of pre-season basketball.

What Can Svi Bring to the Table?

Svi Mykhailiuk is one of the more interesting Lakers players after a strong outing in both Summer League and the World Cup qualifiers put him on the map. Possessing a picture perfect stroke, and ball-handling and playmaking abilities to boot, the preseason should provide Svi with ample opportunity to showcase these skills.

Can Ivica Zubac Be a Productive Piece?

Whether he’s ready or not, third-year big man Ivica Zubac is going to get his fair share of minutes. The Lakers are going to need center depth over the course of the regular season so we should be looking for Zubac to get his fair share of minutes during the preseason as the Lakers try and figure their big man rotation.

Cow-a-Bonga?

Another interesting addition to the Laker’s roster this year is Isaac Bonga, whom the Lakers traded for, and then signed to a three-year deal. Bonga’s physical tools make him an intriguing prospect. He is a 6’9″ guard who is long, athletic, and can make plays for himself and his teammates.

We didn’t get to see much of Bonga during Summer League, but that should change once we reach the preseason. Since his place on the roster is more defined, Luke Walton and his coaching staff will be curious to see what he can bring to this team.

Can Moritz Wagner Solve the Laker’s Big Man Problem?

Wagner should also see plenty of minutes over the course of the preseason, and may well prove to be the solution to the Lakers’ big man troubles. Fellow Lake Show Life writer Nick Zeigler wrote a more in-depth piece on Moe if you’re interested.

Moe has a sweet stroke and has shown to be a smart passer and screener as well, making him an ideal stretch-5 to place next to LeBron. Be on the lookout for Moe and Zu to compete for that backup center spot.

Every Minute the Core 5 is On the Court

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By “Core 5” I’m talking about the lineup of Lonzo Ball, Josh Hart, Brandon Ingram, LeBron James and Kyle Kuzma. I don’t expect Luke to run this lineup much, if, at all for the preseason, but anytime any combination of these five are on the floor together, it’s paramount that you glue yourself to your screen.

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