The Los Angeles Lakers are not quite the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder. Those teams head toward 2026-27 as the cream of the crop in the Western Conference. That puts the Lakers in that second tier featuring the Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Houston Rockets.
Where Los Angeles towers above each of Denver, Minnesota, and Houston would be the depth department. That feels like an odd sentiment given the Lakers' struggles with the second unit over recent years, but their offseason efforts did make the difference there. They are suddenly quite deep.
This was something Jovan Buha rightfully pointed out on a recent episode of his podcast. The Lakers reporter conceded the Nuggets, Rockets, and Timberwolves all have the edge when it comes to the starting units. The depth tilted in Los Angeles' favor, and that should help them withstand injuries better than their peers.
While the starting forward concerns for the Lakers are valid, there is comfort to be found in the team being equipped to combat the grind of the regular season. It could ultimately help them finish above each of the Nuggets, Rockets, and Timberwolves.
Nuggets are one key injury away from dropping off
With the Nuggets, Aaron Gordon really struggled to stay available last season. When the talented two-way forward was missing, Denver's defense was noticeably much worse. Jaden McDaniels infamously pointed that out during the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Nikola Jokic missed time last year too, but did ultimately end up playing 65 games. A guy who stepped up during the superstar's absence to help keep the Nuggets afloat was Peyton Watson. He's gone, highlighting just how much Denver is going to be relying on a top-heavy approach.
Yes, DeMar DeRozan is there now. No, that will not make up all the difference in the event of one of the key guys going missing for the Nuggets. Things are fragile and poised to unravel a good deal if Denver is forced to navigate major absences.
Timberwolves are betting big on LaMelo Ball staying healthy
Minnesota fans will get upset at you when you point out just how fragile their new starting point guard has been throughout his career, but it is the truth. LaMelo Ball has only played 70-plus games twice in six years. If 2026-27 proves to be another injury-riddled season, the Timberwolves are in trouble.
Anthony Edwards is one Ball ailment away from being starting the point guard in Minnesota again. With Donte DiVincenzo's return timetable still unclear, that much only remains more of a concern. Even if DiVincenzo does come back, there is no guarantee he is up to speed immediately.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic wrote, "Several within the Timberwolves organization believe DiVincenzo could return at some point next season. The question is how much can he be expected to give?"
The Timberwolves boast a strong top-six, but the more you go down that totem pole, the more question marks there are. Minnesota is due to skip a beat if their second star hits the shelf.
Rockets need Fred VanVleet just as much as before
Kevin Durant's health will always be a mystery. That much will consistently remain an obstacle for the Rockets. However, that is not the biggest concern here. Even with the added reinforcements, they will need Fred VanVleet to play a fully healthy season again after the torn ACL.
Poaching Marcus Smart off the Lakers was a nice boost to the backcourt, but VanVleet's skill set compliments what the Rockets need among their top guys perfectly. His shooting, playmaking, and active defense (in spite of his size) bring everything together in Houston.
The good news? Before the injury that cost him the entirety of the 2025-26 season, VanVleet played at least 60 games in six out of a possible nine seasons in his career.
The bad news? Smaller guards tend to noticeably slow down in their older years. There are exceptions to that, and the Rockets will need to desperately hope Fred is one of them.
Lakers roster is built to overcome injuries
By comparison to their rivals here, the Lakers are in a good spot.
Either Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves missing time would not be ideal, but both players can scale up in usage when the other is missing. Plus, the Lakers added the extra ball-handling around them to not be solely reliant on just the two.
The wing room in Los Angeles may not be the most inspiring past a certain point, but it is flooded with players who can feasibly replace one another in the minutes distribution, when necessary. That much is a win for the Lakers.
Walker Kessler's supposed fragility is the big concern in Los Angeles. In all fairness, the Lakers' frontcourt depth is a touch suspect.
However, as pointed out by former Utah Jazz writer Tony Jones, Kessler's injury history is overstated. Just looking at the time missed ignores the franchise's role in comfortably telling Walker he can skip games because there was a desire to lose them.
The Lakers' top five or six may not be as strong as some of their peers in the West's second tier. However, the more you expand that number, the quicker it favors Los Angeles against each of Denver, Houston, and Minnesota. If nothing else, that sets them up better for the regular season marathon.
Add us as a preferred source on Google