The Los Angeles Lakers are a team at the proverbial crossroads entering the 2024-25 campaign. Anthony Davis and LeBron James are coming off of All-NBA seasons, Dalton Knecht is a promising incoming rookie, and Austin Reaves is expected to continue his development into a high-level starter.
Unfortunately, as a team that won 47 games and lost in the first round of the playoffs in 2023-24, Los Angeles has been labeled as a team that's squandering what's left of James' extended prime.
James will turn 40 during the 2024-25 regular season and the Lakers haven't exactly made sweeping changes to accommodate that fact. Instead, Los Angeles has limited its offseason changes to hiring JJ Redick as head coach and drafting Knecht and Bronny James.
It could be a sign that the Lakers don't feel as though there's a chance to contend with Davis and James in 2024-25, but the optimistic take is that there's faith in the returning roster.
Under those optimistic circumstances, the Lakers will need the players around Davis and James to take significant steps forward during the 2024-25 season. It's a fact that places an extraordinary amount of pressure on the supporting cast, but remains true nonetheless.
The question is: Who exactly is under the most pressure to either take a step forward in 2024-25 or potentially hit the trading block by next summer?
Rui Hachimura
This might seem harsh, but Rui Hachimura is entering a make-or-break season with the Lakers. He produced well in 2023-24, but the bizarre manner in which he was utilized in Darvin Ham's rotation hindered the impact of his statistics.
That certainly isn't Hachimura's fault, but it also doesn't change how badly the Lakers need a truly viable option at forward.
Hachimura is owed $17,000,000 for the 2024-25 season and will see $18,259,259 come his way in 2025-26. Both are affordable figures if he lives up to his potential, but anything less than providing that exact level of value could result in Los Angeles pursuing other options.
It's the unfortunate reality of building around 31-year-old Davis and 39-year-old James, as their limited championship window requires the best possible value at every position around them.
The upside here is that Hachimura averaged 17.8 points and 1.9 three-point field goals made when he received at least 30 minutes of playing time in 2023-24. He did so with remarkable efficiency, posting a slash line of .558/.425/.741 in those games.
If that's the type of play that Hachimura delivers in 2023-24, with the ideal added benefit of strong defense, then he'll be safe from potential trades.
2. Rui Hachimura
As far as the structure of the rotation was concerned, no player was utilized in a more frustrating manner than Rui Hachimura. Fresh off of helping the Los Angeles Lakers reach the 2023 Western Conference Finals, Hachimura couldn't seem to find a stable place in Darvin Ham's lineup.
With JJ Redick taking over as head coach, simply stabilizing Hachimura's role should help him take a massive step forward in 2024-25.
Hachimura appeared in 68 games for the Lakers last season, coming off the bench in 29 of those appearances in favor of Taurean Prince. This decision was made in spite of the fact that Hachimura averaged 15.4 points per game on .575/.439/.727 shooting as a starter.
He also received just 26.8 minutes per game despite averaging 17.8 points on 55.8 percent shooting from the field and 42.5 percent shooting from three-point range when he played at least 30 minutes.
Even with the arrival of promising rookie Dalton Knecht, Hachimura should receive more consistent playing time in 2024-25. That alone should enable him to thrive alongside star-caliber teammates with whom he's thoroughly established positive chemistry.
After shooting 41.7 percent on catch-and-shoot threes in 2023-24, it's safe to say he's the ideal complement to the interior dominance of Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
If you're still not convinced: Los Angeles was 26-13 when it started Hachimura and 14-15 when he came off the bench.
If not, his tradable contract could be included in a move to improve the roster.
3. Austin Reaves
At this point, there's no reason to believe Austin Reaves will stop improving. Yes, he needs to take a step forward on the defensive end of the floor, but his offensive game has dramatically improved across each of his first three NBA seasons.
Coming off of a career-year in almost every statistical category, it stands to reason that Reaves should take another step forward and potentially become the true third option in Los Angeles.
Reaves finished the 2023-24 regular season with averages of 15.9 points, 5.5 assists, 4.3 rebounds, 0.8 steals, and 1.9 three-point field goals made per game—all of which were career-best marks. He also set a new career high with 21 games of at least 20 points scored in a single season.
Reaves' efficiency inevitably dipped as he took on the biggest role of his NBA career, but he remained comfortably above the league average eFG% of .547 at .568.
In 2024-25, Reaves can be expected to take another step forward as a scorer and playmaker. He'll be one of the primary players tasked with alleviating some of the regular season burden from LeBron James in those areas, and will also be challenged by head coach JJ Redick to improve on defense.
No matter what the statistics end up looking like, expect Reaves to become more of a two-way player while further refining his offensive skill set and thriving in a system that's more favorable to his playing style.
4. Jarred Vanderbilt
The Los Angeles Lakers sorely missed Jarred Vanderbilt during the 2023-24 regular season. Vanderbilt signed a four-year, $48 million extension with the Lakers in 2023, and the reason was simple: Outside of Anthony Davis, there may not be a better defensive player on the roster.
Assuming Vanderbilt can stay healthy in 2024-25, he could be the ultimate X factor for the Lakers—and not exclusively on the defensive end of the floor.
Vanderbilt, whose extension kicks in this coming season, appeared in just 29 games due to injuries in 2023-24. It's hardly a coincidence that the Lakers struggled to complement an All-Defense campaign from Davis with any semblance of consistent help on that end of the floor.
Vanderbilt proved in 2022-23 that he and Davis could form a potent defensive duo, however, and there's little reason to believe that won't carry into 2024-25.
In 2023-24, the Lakers ranked in the 84th percentile in net rating and the 70th percentile in defensive rating during the 731 possessions that Davis and Vanderbilt played together. That alone shows how much better Los Angeles is when Vanderbilt is healthy—and how much better he and the team can be in 2024-25.
Throw in Vanderbilt's career average of 3.6 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes and the Lakers ranking dead last in offensive rebounds in 2023-24, and his importance is undeniable.
A healthy Vanderbilt should be a breath of fresh air for this season's Lakers crew.
5. Gabe Vincent
The standard for Gabe Vincent is admittedly low here, as he appeared in just 11 games during his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers. During those appearances, he averaged just 3.1 points and 0.3 three-point field goals made on .306/.107/.500 shooting.
Injuries derailed any chance of Vincent finding his rhythm a season ago, however, and it's far more productive to look at what he can do in 2024-25 than to worry too much about how he struggled in 2023-24.
In 2022-23, Vincent broke out as a high-level role player with the Miami Heat. He averaged 9.4 points, 2.5 assists, and 1.7 three-point field goals made in 25.9 minutes per game, which equates to 13.1 points, 3.4 assists, and 2.4 three-point field goals made per 36 minutes.
Vincent also established himself as a strong perimeter defender and a trustworthy player in big games, as evidenced by his four 20-point outings during the 2023 NBA Playoffs.
In 2024-25, expect Vincent to return to his Miami form. He'll have ample opportunities to establish himself as one of the top perimeter defenders on the team, as well as open looks aplenty as a shooter, and an abundance of big games to step up in.
An effective shot creator in a pinch and a viable option in catch and shoot situations, Vincent could be the missing piece for Los Angeles' backcourt in 2024-25.
