Lakers All-Time Starting 5: Creating ultimate lineup without altering positions

A rational argument can be made that no franchise can match the top-end talent that has donned the purple and gold. The Los Angeles Lakers have played home to genuine icons of the sport, with Hall of Famers representing the organization across multiple eras and generations.

The social burden of having so much talent, however, is often found in contemporary debates about the best players in the history of the sport.

Debates rage on a daily basis about the greatest players in NBA history. Endless conversations about LeBron James and Michael Jordan only scratch the surface, as many have come to undervalue the legends of yesteryear in the spirit of heralding the stars of today.

The same has transpired on the opposite end of the spectrum, as yesterday's superstars have created such a strong sense of nostalgia that the modern era is measured against an emotional standard that can't possibly be met.

In an attempt to look past that common course of action, a simple question is posed: All eras considered, who would make up an all-time starting lineup featuring the greatest players in Lakers history?

The challenge: Acknowledging that countless legends will be omitted due to the rule that positions cannot be changed to include them in the starting five.

The crucial caveat: This is based exclusively on their Lakers careers.

Perhaps the easiest selection to make on this list is at point guard. Not only is Magic Johnson the greatest point guard in Lakers history, but there's a powerful case to be made that he's the best the position has ever seen regardless of organization.

The ultimate facilitator who, at 6'9", helped pave the way for players such as Luka Doncic, Penny Hardaway, Grant Hill, and LeBron James, Johnson was the epitome of being ahead of his time.

Johnson delivered five championships to the Lakers during what many regard as one of the greatest eras in NBA history. He helped Los Angeles win titles over the likes of Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics, Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons, and Julius Erving and the Philadelphia 76ers.

In the process, Johnson won three Finals MVP awards—tied with Tim Duncan and Shaquille O'Neal for third all-time behind Michael Jordan with six and James with four.

Johnson was also a three-time regular season MVP, four-time league assists leader, and two-time NBA pace-setter in steals. He earned 10 All-NBA selections, including nine to the First Team, and was just one year removed from leading Los Angeles to the NBA Finals when he was forced to retire.

Considering Johnson achieved all of this while playing exclusively for the Lakers, there's no one else who even comes close at the point guard position in this lineup.

With all due respect to Jerry West, this was yet another easy decision to make. Kobe Bryant played 20 seasons with the Lakers, earning virtually every accolade under the sun and helping to lead the franchise's two most prosperous runs of the 21st century.

That includes the most recent three-peat in NBA history, a second run of back-to-back titles, and seven total NBA Finals appearances—success he achieved with two different co-stars.

Much like Johnson, Bryant won five championships with the Lakers. He secured two Finals MVP awards, one regular season MVP honor, and earned 15 All-NBA selections, including 11 First Team nods—tied for the second-most in Association history.

Bryant was also a 12-time All-Defense honoree and a two-time scoring champion, which properly illuminates his rare brand of two-way dominance.

Bryant retired as the Lakers' all-time leader in games, minutes, points, steals, and every type of field goal, three-point field goal, and free throw statistic. Beyond the numbers, he guided the Lakers to the highest of highs and stuck around through its lows.

A player who famously played through injuries and put the team on his back like few have ever been capable of, Bryant joins Johnson in a backcourt that no franchise can rival.

This was a challenging decision, as there are three players who will inevitably receive votes: Elgin Baylor, LeBron James, and James Worthy. Due to the fact that this is based exclusively on their Lakers careers, however, Baylor and Worthy exceed what James has provided, no matter how great the peaks have been.

That leaves the decision to Baylor and Worthy, with the former getting the nod due to his impact on both the franchise and the NBA at large.

Baylor was one of the original high-flying players in NBA history, helping to change the way the game was played in real time. Despite playing at small forward in an era that's perceived as having more rigid positional definitions, he did a bit of everything for the Lakers.

Career averages of 27.4 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game offer an accurate illustration of how Baylor set the modern standard for wings long before the titans of today were even born.

Baylor earned 10 All-NBA First Team selections and 11 All-Star Game appearances during his 13 seasons with the Lakers. He also helped the team make eight NBA Finals appearances during the era that was dominated by Bill Russell and Wilt Chamberlain.

The team's all-time leader in points per game, Baylor was a revolutionary player who paired All-NBA First Team heights with NBA Finals appearances and unrivaled sustained greatness among Lakers small forwards.

The acquisition of Pau Gasol is one of the most important moments in Lakers history. It was the turning point of the Bryant era, as Los Angeles firmly committed to helping their franchise win without Shaquille O'Neal alongside him.

Gasol played extended stretches at center, of course, but he also thrived at power forward alongside pure 5 Andrew Bynum during the Lakers' championship seasons.

Gasol actually led the Lakers in minutes per game during the 2008-09 championship season at 37.0—and checked in at 40.5 in the playoffs. His positional versatility proved essential as Bynum became a full-time starter and Lamar Odom moved into the sixth man role.

That truly reared its head in 2009-10, when Bynum and Gasol anchored the interior to help Bryant define his Lakers legacy by defeating the rival Celtics in the 2010 NBA Finals.

Gasol famously posted 19 points, 18 rebounds, nine offensive boards, four assists, and two blocks in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals. It was the icing on the cake of a Lakers career that included two championships, three All-NBA nods, and three All-Star Game appearances.

As skilled as any big man in NBA history, Gasol proved tough under pressure and co-starred with Bryant to deliver two titles and three straight Finals appearances.

The single most difficult decision to make exists at the position that has defined Lakers history. Current and future Hall of Famers such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, Anthony Davis, George Mikan, and Shaquille O'Neal have all played center in Los Angeles, each delivering titles.

The debate ultimately came down to Abdul-Jabbar and O'Neal, and while the latter's peak years were more dominant, it's the former who prevails.

Abdul-Jabbar played 14 invaluable years with the Lakers. During that time, he won three NBA MVP awards, five championships, and a Finals MVP honor. He also led the Association in rebounds once and blocks on three different occasions during his run in Los Angeles.

For as great as O'Neal's three championships, three Finals MVP awards, and one NBA MVP honor are, Abdul-Jabbar's impact on the Lakers borders on unrivaled.

When Abdul-Jabbar arrived in Los Angeles, the Lakers were a 30-52 team that hadn't found a way to successfully rebuild after the Baylor, Chamberlain, and West era. Within two years, the Lakers were winning 50-plus games, making deep playoff runs, and setting the stage for one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history.

Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson, and Worthy would go on to lead the Showtime Lakers to five championships during an all-time great era in NBA history.

For as deep as the center position is within the Lakers organization, it's Cap all the way.