Lakers rumored starting 5 is far from what fans would expect

Los Angeles Lakers fans spent the offseason fantasizing a world where Russell Westbrook wasn’t part of the team’s 2022-23 rotation. As we inch closer to the start of the new season, though, Westbrook is a long shot (at best) to get traded and will in all likelihood be a key player for first-year head coach Darvin Ham.

Unfortunately, Westbrook feels like a lock to log significant minutes as the Lakers’ guard rotation isn’t very deep. Following the Patrick Beverley trade, you’re looking at Westbrook, Beverley, Austin Reaves, Lonnie Walker IV and Kendrick Nunn, who missed all of last season with an ankle-injury-turned-bone-bruise in his knee.

It’ll be interesting to see how Ham splits up the minutes. More importantly, Lakers fans are chomping at the bit to know who’s going to join the starting give alongside LeBron james and Anthony Davis, who are the only two locks.

It’s anyone’s guess how the starting lineup shakes up, so why don’t we turned to esteemed NBA writer Zach Lowe of ESPN?

On his latest podcast episode, Lowe revealed his Lakers’ starting five prediction. Some of the names might take some getting used to.

The Lakers’ rumored starting five features some big surprises

"“So, based on what I’ve heard, my prediction for what will be the starting five, not what should, but what will, is Russ (Russell Westbrook), [Kendrick] Nunn, and the Nunn buzz…there’s a lot of Kendrick Nunn talk, among 25 people who care about it,” Lowe said. “Russ, Nunn, LeBron, A.D. (Anthony Davis) and I think Damien Jones is right now the frontrunner to start at center, and I am as big a Damian Jones fan as exists in the NBA media.”"

As much as Lakers fans hate the idea of Westbrook starting, that was always a given as long as he wasn’t traded. The thing we’re most anxious to see is whether Ham actually benches Westbrook down the stretch of games when he’s playing poorly, as reports have indicated.

The big takeaways here, though, are Nunn and Damian Jones.

Of course, Lakers fans are still awaiting Nunn’s debut for the purple and gold. He played in four preseason games last year before suffering an ankle injury that mysteriously morphed into a bone bruise in his knee. He experienced multiple setbacks whenever he tried to ramp up before ultimately shutting it down for the year in March.

Nunn’s inclusion in the starting lineup should offer some optimism. For his career (two seasons), he’s averaged 15 points and 3.0 assists with .458/.364/.881 shooting splits. He’s definitely a shoot-first, pass-second guard, but his ability to stretch the floor and break down defenses will help take some pressure off LeBron.

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With Jones slotting in next to Davis in the frontcourt, the Lakers should boast legitimate rim protection this year.

The six-year big man appeared in eight games (six starts) for LA last season and his youth and athleticism should be a sight for sore eyes for Lakers fans who watched Dwight Howard, DeAndre Jordan, Andre Drummond and Marc Gasol form platoons at the center position the last two seasons.

Whether the Lakers roll with Jones in the starting five, you have to think Thomas Bryant will get his fair share of minutes, too.

What do you think, Lakers fans? Would you make any chances to Lowe’s starting five prediction?

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