Coming off the bench…
It is reasonable to believe that a few of the free agents that actually joined the Lakers in the offseason would have done so anyway, regardless of Westbrook’s presence.
Carmelo Anthony, more than anyone else, would have probably agreed to join his pal LeBron for one last ride for the championship, signing for the veteran minimum.
More importantly, Malik Monk would remain an undesired free agent the purple and gold would have been able to lure with a minimum contract, adding in actuality one of the deadliest scorer off the bench this season in the NBA.
Monk, Anthony and Kuzma would have formed a three-headed scoring monster off the bench, fittingly ignited by an illuminating passer like Rondo as the backup point guard to Caruso.
Add to the mix THT’s versatility and Dwight Howard bringing his usual energy on defense and on the boards.
The other surprising revelation next to Monk would remain the undrafted rookie Austin Reaves, unexpectedly ready to give a solid contribution on the NBA floor from the get go.
Reaves would provide the Lakers’ backup unit with a kind of Alex Caruso in the making, very similar in many ways to the home-grown high flyer. With his tenacious defense, smart playmaking and all-around production, the rookie has already established himself as a somewhat heir apparent to Caruso.
There is a good chance this could be one of the best benches in the league, providing the Lakers with the needed scoring boost to back up LeBron James’s resting time. Definitely not as good on defense as the starting unit, but guaranteed to outscore opposing benches.
This replacement unit would have been rebuilt through cost-effective minimum contracts. The remaining holes filled with the same players that actually did it or not remain mostly irrelevant if not for depth’s sake in case of injuries. We can assume guys like Trevor Ariza, Kendrick Nunn and DeAndre Jordan would join the team and their contribution remains irrelevant as it is right now.