The Los Angeles Lakers have a chance against any team they encounter. No matter how well or poorly they're playing, it's an unavoidable fact that boils down to the presence of superstar big man Anthony Davis and legendary co-pilot LeBron James.
Most would describe that as a positive trait, but it's the unfortunate burden that the front office has not yet figured out how to carry.
Davis has been nothing short of magnificent in 2024-25, playing at a level that should earn him All-NBA honors for a sixth time. He's averaging 27.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, 2.5 offensive boards, 3.3 assists, 2.0 blocks, 1.2 steals, and 0.7 three-point field goals made per game.
During his most recent outing, Davis posted 40 points and 16 rebounds to lead Los Angeles to a 116-110 victory over a Memphis Grizzlies squad that had won 10 of its past 11 games.
The win pushed the Lakers to 14-12, which is a reasonably acceptable record in mid-December. Despite their flaws, the purple and gold are two games clear of .500 and have won two of their past three outings after previously dropping three in a row.
Unfortunately, the Lakers are actively treading water despite receiving an MVP-caliber season from one of the 10 best players in the world—and the front office shoulders the blame.
Lakers must decide if they're building around Anthony Davis or not
Los Angeles has an impressive collection of talent, with Davis and James checking the superstar boxes. Alongside them, Austin Reaves is a crafty playmaker who thrives in isolation and can operate without the ball, while Rui Hachimura is a big wing with the tools for 3-and-D success.
Furthermore, Dalton Knecht looks the part of a rising star as a sharpshooting wing with three-level scoring potential, and D'Angelo Russell has selflessly elevated the second unit as sixth man.
The harsh reality of what the Lakers have built, however, is that the current roster lacks visible strings of cohesion. Every player on the court is capable of providing something intriguing at any given moment, but it's often unclear if their skill sets are meant to complement one another.
As a result, while the Lakers have accumulated enough talent to compete with anyone, they haven't found a way to properly support their franchise player.
The offensive talent is intriguing, but Davis has been the first, second, and last line of defense for multiple seasons. Yes, Jarred Vanderbilt has missed all but 29 of the Lakers' past 108 games, and Max Christie and Gabe Vincent have struggled to find their footing in 2024-25.
Among James, Knecht, Reaves, and Russell, however, one would be hard-pressed to find a reliable defensive player in 2024-25—a fact that exists separately from others' injury woes.
This has placed an impossibly heavy burden on Davis' shoulders on defense, while the offense still expects to run through him. Some might point the finger at head coach JJ Redick, but it's Rob Pelinka who has failed to assemble a roster that adequately supports the franchise player.
Trading for the center that Davis requested more than a year ago would be a start, but the Lakers need to take inventory and decide what team they hope to be if they're going to avoid squandering the remainder of their top star's prime.