The Los Angeles Lakers have experienced the full spectrum of success since the dawn of the LeBron James era. Between a championship in 2020, a Conference Finals appearance in 2023, first-round exits in 2021 and 2024, and outright missing the playoffs in 2019 and 2022, Lakers fans have seen it all with James at the helm.
This offseason is unlike any before, however, as the Lakers are now beginning to usher in the era that will ideally accentuate and outlast James' contributions.
With this sense of urgency in mind, the front office is preparing to make the most of its limited resources this summer. Much is still up in the air, as both LeBron James and D'Angelo Russell have player options, and the New Orleans Pelicans reserve the right to either take the Lakers’ first-round draft pick in 2024 or defer to 2025.
But what if everything managed to work out for the Lakers this summer?
In a truly perfect world, other general managers would give the Lakers everything they want for the cheapest of prices. In an ideal world that remains realistic, however, Los Angeles would be able to execute a strong offseason plan within the realm of possibility.
In the event that the latter occurs, a question is presented: What would the perfect Lakers starting lineup look like? Let's start with the obvious.
Starting Lakers Center: Anthony Davis
Two of the players in this ideal starting lineup are to be expected, with the first being Anthony Davis. Davis, 31, is coming off of one of the best individual seasons of his NBA career, during which he was productive and readily available.
As the Lakers look to win a second championship during the Davis-James era, locking him in as a starter is as obvious a choice as any.
Davis finished the 2023-24 regular season with averages of 24.7 points, 12.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 2.3 blocks, and 1.2 steals on 55.6 percent shooting from the field. He did this in 76 games played, which set a new personal best for appearances made in a single campaign.
Davis’ 35.5 minutes per game also marked his highest averages since 2017-18, when he appeared in 75 games for the New Orleans Pelicans at 36.4 minutes played.
Davis’ efforts on the defensive end of the floor earned him All-Defensive First Team honors for the third time in his career. It was his fifth career All-Defense nod overall. There’s reason to believe that Davis will continue to perform at this level as he anchors next season’s team.
Coupled with his scoring, which ranked fourth among power forwards and centers, Davis is an obvious lock in the starting lineup. In terms of whether he should be a 4 or a 5, Davis played 97 percent of his minutes at center this past season.
Finding the right fit alongside him requires depth more than it calls for a single player who can bump him back to the 4-spot.
Starting Lakers Power Forward: Jalen Smith
With a big trade sending Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura to the Eastern Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers need a forward. In a perfect world, the Lakers would be able to sign a bruiser who can start and defend the likes of—or even just specifically—Nikola Jokic.
The options are scarce, however, and the Lakers should instead look to find depth by adding reserves such as Goga Bitadze, Moses Brown, and Daniel Theis to create depth down low. In terms of a gamble on a starter, a one-year deal being handed to Jalen Smith could be a risk worth taking if the Lakers believe they can tap into his obvious potential.
Earlier this season, it seemed crazy to suggest that Smith, a pending free agent, would settle for a one-year deal. He's since fallen out of the rotation in Indiana, however, which could result in a willingness to sign for less in a major market as he positions himself for a bigger payday in 2025.
In terms of what the Lakers would be getting in Smith, there's no denying how intriguing Smith is from a pure statistical perspective.
Smith finished the 2023-24 regular season with averages of 20.7 points, 11.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, 3.9 offensive boards, and 2.1 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes. He did so while shooting 59.2 percent from the field and 42.4 percent from beyond the arc.
Standing at 6'9" with a 7'2.25" wingspan, Smith would bring an intriguing combination of length and production to a Lakers team in need of both.
The risk here is that Smith is listed at a light 215 pounds, which wouldn't do much to help the team with its need for strength down low. In saying that, he's not averse to playing a physical style of basketball and has a frame that could fill out with the proper training and development.
When all else fails, Smith's career average of 3.7 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes would be of great value to a Lakers team that ranked dead last in the NBA in second chance points in 2023-24.
Starting Lakers Small Forward: LeBron James
Whether he accepts his player option or re-signs beyond 2024-25, LeBron James as a starter is a given. One of the greatest players in NBA history and the epitome of the athlete who Father Time has given an extension to, James is still an impact player of the highest order.
It’s a bit more difficult to place James at one position entering his age-40 season than it was in the past, but pencil him in as a forward and pick whichever spot you prefer as the lineup shifts.
At 39 years of age, James produced at levels that a vast majority of 29-year-old players would be envious of. He averaged team-highs of 25.7 points and 8.3 assists, as well as 7.3 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 2.1 three-point field goals made per game.
It was James' best three-point shooting season to date, as he buried the second-most triples of his NBA career while shooting a career-best 41.0 percent from beyond the arc.
It was also James’ second-ever season above 40.0 percent from distance and his first since his MVP-winning campaign in 2012-13.
With James locked in as a starter, the Lakers have a player who has a clear ability to complement Davis in a star-caliber manner. The fact that James found his form from beyond the arc after shooting just 32.1 percent from distance in 2022-23 is a big part of that.
If James can continue to shoot efficiently from distance while making at least 75.0 percent of his free throws, the big offseason acquisition that’s yet to come will be of even greater value.
Even if his shooting slips a bit, he's still LeBron James.
Starting Lakers Guard: De'Anthony Melton
With three stars being paid top dollar—we're getting there, I promise—the Los Angeles Lakers are going to have to fill out the starting lineup with players who are willing to accept the MLE or less. That list of players who may be starting-caliber is limited, but not without intriguing options.
De'Anthony Melton sits at the top of it as a North Hollywood native coming off of an injury that puts him right in the Lakers' price range in this ideal offseason.
Melton actually fits quite well in this scenario, as he's a defensive-minded wing who can play without the ball. He's shot 36.0 percent or better from beyond the arc in each of the past four seasons, including a mark of 39.0 percent in 2022-23 with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Melton missed 46 games in 2023-24 due to a back injury, but his return to form is a worth betting on in this scenario for the Lakers.
Standing at 6'3", Melton is a bit small to be playing alongside the Lakers' big offseason acquisition, an undersized guard himself. In saying that, he boasts a 6'9" wingspan and is widely regarded as one of the top perimeter defenders in the NBA due to his ability to switch and get physical with bigger players.
With the ability to play without the ball in his hands and the versatility to defend multiple positions, this would be a dream signing as a former USC Trojan spends a season as a Laker before earning bigger money in 2025.
Starting Lakers Guard: Donovan Mitchell
Of the numerous options available to the Los Angeles Lakers on the trade front, Donovan Mitchell is the most ideal option. Yes, Trae Young is an incredible passer who can take a chunk of the facilitating burden off of LeBron James while pick-and-rolling teams to death with Anthony Davis.
Mitchell is among the most explosive scorers in the NBA, however, and the most ideal outcome would be for the Lakers to find a player who both fits that description and is under the age of 30.
Davis and James score as well as anyone at their respective positions, but the Lakers need someone who can athletically and aggressively attack from the perimeter. Mitchell certainly fits the bill as a bouncy penetrator who can finish above the rim with relative ease.
Mitchell is also a consistent three-point shooter who would likely improve upon his career career mark of 36.6 percent if he were to join forces with Davis and James.
Suffice it to say, Davis and James would be the two best offensive players that Mitchell would have played with up to this point in his NBA career.
It's worth noting that, with James in the fold, the Lakers are afforded some positional flexibility in the backcourt. As such, Mitchell could play as a combo guard, a la the way Kyrie Irving was able to operate with James in Cleveland.
The offense would flow through Davis, James, and Mitchell alike, and when all else fails, the latter's career-best average of 6.1 assists per game is sufficient proof that he's confident and capable as a playmaker.
Most importantly, the Lakers would add a player who has the third-most 50-point playoff games in NBA history. Mitchell has also averaged upwards of 25.9 points per game in four consecutive regular seasons.
Filling out the roster with defensive-minded players will be essential, but penciling Mitchell in as the primary perimeter scoring threat would take a world of pressure off of Davis and James on the offensive end of the floor.
Any trade will come with its fair share of risks, but this is one with upside worth considering.