Los Angeles Lakers: Predicting the team’s best five-man lineups

1. LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Kyle Kuzma, Danny Green, Avery Bradley

In what could be considered the leading candidate to be the Lakers’ newest “Death Lineup”, this group of guys is not only the teams’ most position-less lineup but also a juggernaut on defense.

One of the biggest issues with the roster last season was the lack of spacing. LeBron James was unable to get into the paint like he has been accustomed to in the past because of the number of bodies around the basket. With a shooting threat like Danny Green on the court, fans should expect plenty of wide-open threes if his man leaves to help on defense.

Anthony Davis has not been quiet about his desire to play the four. However, the Lakers could potentially be at their best with Davis at Center. Although he is far from a small-ball five, he possesses the athleticism to outplay any opposing big. Anthony Davis also gives you another guy that can help space the floor, clearing up the paint to allow LeBron James to do his thing.

A big question mark about this lineup would be who would guard the other team’s point guard? Enter Avery Bradley. As we saw during the first preseason game against the Golden State Warriors, Bradley was able to make things tough on superstar Steph Curry. Not only was he feisty picking him up full-court, but his increased athleticism and stamina were apparent.

The biggest X-Factor in this lineup could be Kyle Kuzma. Kuzma is the sole-survivor of the Lakers’ young core, and the front office could not be happier about that. He has the mentality needed to become great, but after a disappointing shooting season, we will need to wait and see if he can make the changes necessary to improve.