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Los Angeles Lakers: 3 best potential lineups with new-look roster

By Najee Adams

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 03: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis #3 high five before the game against the Phoenix Suns during game six of the Western Conference first round series at Staples Center on June 03, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 03: LeBron James #23 of the Los Angeles Lakers and Anthony Davis #3 high five before the game against the Phoenix Suns during game six of the Western Conference first round series at Staples Center on June 03, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. /
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(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

It’s pretty safe to say that the 2021-2022 iteration of the Los Angeles Lakers will look much different than the team that we all saw fizzle out last season.

Heading into the offseason, the consensus amongst fans and Lakers players alike was that nobody ever truly got to see the full potential of last year’s team.

Things never really got rolling for the purple & gold after Anthony Davis’ Valentine’s Day injury derailed their 21-6 record and sent them spiraling down into the depths of the Western Conference playoff hunt.

Everything just began to fall apart.

Injuries kept piling up, the team never got to develop true chemistry on and off the floor and guys that we hoped could keep the ship afloat *cough, cough, Dennis Schroder* , simply couldn’t.

The Lakers didn’t have enough depth, and the players that they did have just didn’t really fit that well on the floor together.

This offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers sought to change that… and seemingly succeeded.

Rob Pelinka pulled out his best Mr. Krabs impersonation and somehow managed to fill out perhaps the most talented roster in the Western Conference with just veteran minimum deals and the Taxpayer MLE.

The thing is, depth can be a double-edged sword at times.

Sure, the Lakers may have managed to get a future Hall of Fame point guard in Russell Westbrook, a ton of great shooters and two or three young guys brimming with potential but none of that matters if the coaching staff can’t figure out what lineups best optimize all of their skillsets.

The Lakers made it clear a long time ago that they prioritize talent over fit, constantly picking the most expensive car in the lot while choosing to ignore its defects rather than buying the less glamorous one that runs perfectly.

They yet again showcased that by acquiring Westbrook instead of Buddy Hield.

The Brodie, Brow & King Era has officially begun in Los Angeles and there’s a very high likelihood that it ends with the three of them standing in the middle of Staples Center hoisting the franchises’ 18th Larry O’Brien trophy, but only if we can find the right lineups to get us there.

So that’s what I’m going to attempt to do here using a ton of tools from the incredible BBall Index.

One more thing, Frank Vogel, if you happen to come across this article and use it as inspiration just shoot me a DM.

I promise I won’t tell anybody.

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