3. Javale Mc-friggin-Gee
When I first heard about his signing, I immediately pictured Laker jerseys all over Shaq-tin’ A Fool segments for the foreseeable future. This preseason has decisively changed that narrative for me.
Will he still make a few boneheaded plays this season? Yeah, probably, but all that is secondary to the fact that he has looked darn good with the starting five.
He hasn’t gotten a huge amount of impact minutes recently with the Warriors, but he has looked more than capable with the Lakers, especially with the kind of high-paced game we want to play. I can’t believe I’m saying it, but I’m legitimately eager to see him play this year.
2. Lonzo
This one is simple. I just like this kid. I feel like he’s had a tough go of it, coming into the league as the hometown boy with all the hype (something LeBron James has his own experience with), but despite some obvious struggles to find his stroke, he actually had a solid rookie season.
He essentially averaged 10, seven, and seven in an incomplete first year with a subpar team, and statistics bore out the fact that the Lakers were a considerably better team with him on the floor.
That may not jibe with some for a No. 2 overall pick, but with the addition of LeBron, a significant portion of the weight on his shoulders has been lifted. That weight? The fate of the franchise. Which brings us to…