Los Angeles Lakers: JaVale McGee named starter that needs to be replaced

Los Angeles Lakers center JaVale McGee was picked as the starter the team needs up replace this offseason.

The Los Angeles Lakers had ever-changing lineups during the 2018-19 regular season. There were injuries throughout the season, causing head coach Luke Walton to constantly change his starting lineup and rotations.

Los Angeles had 10 different players start at least 12 games. Overall, 19 different players heard their names announced in the starting lineup this past season. With a number that high, it was impossible for the team to develop any chemistry and cohesion.

LeBron James and Brandon Ingram were the only two players to start every game they appeared in during the season. Rounding out what would have been the regular starting lineup was Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and JaVale McGee.

Every player had their own issues this season. Injuries were a big part of those issues as it seemed every time that one player returned to the court, another guy would go down. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was the only player on the team to appear in all 82 games. Second, on that list, was McGee.

McGee signed with the Lakers for the veteran’s minimum, leaving the defending champion Golden State Warriors for a bigger role. The Lakers provided him that bigger role, making McGee their starting center.

At the beginning of the season, Los Angeles looked to have a steal on their hands. McGee was playing some of the best basketball of his career, even garnering some early Defensive Player of the Year talk.

However, about midway through the season, McGee got sick. It sapped his production across the board, as the activity defensively and on the boards disappeared.

More from Lake Show Life

• Darvin Ham adds to Max Christie hype train after Lakers preseason opener
• Is LeBron James playing tonight? Latest Lakers vs Warriors update
• Can Darvin Ham put all of the Lakers puzzle pieces together?
• Lakers news: Darvin Ham knows his fifth starter, LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, Jalen Hood-Schifino praise
• Michael Malone’s painfully ironic comment has Lakers fans heated

Despite the dip in production, McGee still had one of the best seasons of his career. His raw stats were good, as he averaged 12 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. Despite that, the Lakers were actually better when McGee was on the bench.

As a result, McGee was selected as the starter that the Lakers most need to replace this offseason over at Bleacher Report.

Of all of the starters from this season, McGee is the likeliest to be replaced. He is the only one of the five that isn’t under contract for next season.

James isn’t going anywhere unless he demands a trade. Ingram, Ball and Kuzma should also be a part of the team’s plans, unless they are included as a part of a blockbuster trade.

An argument could be made that Kuzma would thrive more in a bench role, but unless the Lakers add an impact player in free agency or via trade, he will likely remain in the role he held down this season.

Of the five, it would be either McGee or Kuzma that should be replaced in the starting five. However, they are both players that should be held onto and used in a bench role.

McGee providing the same energy and effort off the bench would help a lot of the Lakers’ issue from this past season, as their bench lacked on the defensive side of the court.