Lakers' biggest need is painfully obvious (but Rob Pelinka isn't making a move)

Despite what the critics may say, the Los Angeles Lakers boast one of the most intriguing starting lineups in the NBA. Anthony Davis and LeBron James earned All-NBA honors in 2023-24, Rui Hachimura and Austin Reaves are productive 26-year-old wings, and D'Angelo Russell is an explosive offensive player.

Fresh off of losing in the first round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, however, the Lakers have decided that their primary weakness can be addressed with patience and optimism.

The aforementioned starting lineup produced compelling results during the 2023-24 season. Los Angeles outscored opponents by 6.6 points per 100 possessions with that five-man unit on the court, and actually managed to outscore the Denver Nuggets during the playoffs with it.

Unfortunately, the second unit was devastated by injuries, and the Lakers' biggest weakness was exploited throughout the 2023-24 campaign.

Losing depth would hurt any team, but Los Angeles was uniquely impacted. Jarred Vanderbilt inked a four-year, $48 million extension in September of 2023, and Gabe Vincent landed a three-year, $33 million deal earlier that summer, but they only appeared in a combined 40 games last season.

The glaring lack of consistent perimeter defenders was thus placed on display.

Lakers need consistent perimeter defenders. Do they already have them?

In a perfect world, Vanderbilt and Vincent will remain healthy in 2024-25 and provide the Lakers with a desperately needed boost to the quality of both the second unit and the overall perimeter defense. In that same world, Max Christie will justify the four-year, $32 million contract he signed this summer.

Furthermore, each of the starters will continue to remain as healthy as they were a season ago, when they all appeared in at least 68 games.

In a more realistic world, the Lakers are hitching their wagon to a horse that may not move. Christie could struggle to become the player Los Angeles is gambling on him becoming, Vanderbilt and Vincent could struggle to remain healthy again, and the starting lineup may not be as fortunate as it was from a health perspective.

The question has thus become: Are the Lakers taking a calculated risk or acting in a manner that overlooks likely outcomes?

Contrary to how it may seem, general manager Rob Pelinka has taken a logical approach to this situation. Options are limited after missing out on the best options in free agency, and there's a long-term need to approach the situation as he is.

If it turns out that Christie and Vanderbilt aren't up to the task, then they'll need to go through at least one season of their respective four-year deals before that decision can be responsibly made.

If Los Angeles were to make a move now, it would potentially be positioning Christie and Vanderbilt to fall out of the rotation while signed to long-term deals. Instead, Los Angeles is giving them a chance to prove that they can fill a vital role—and will likely reevaluate near the trade deadline.

It's an undeniably risky move by Pelinka and the Lakers, but it's a necessary gamble ahead of the proverbial crossroads that will be the 2024-25 season.