Is This Team Better? How Well Will Players Mesh?

[Brawn13]

[LakerFan1987]

Team age .... that's some great team building by Rob. We're going to have a nice core group to build with once LBJ leaves (maybe AD too)

38 — LeBron
30 — AD
29 — Prince
27 — DLo
27 — Vincent
25 — Rui
25 — Reaves
24 — Vando
23 — Reddish
23 — Hayes
20 — Christie
20 — Hood-Schifino
20 — Maxwell

[LakerSD]

Tim Bontemps, who miraculously made the cut at espn, says no. So 100% they are better.

Always go opposite of what that clown says.

[lakurluv]

I like what the FO has done in Free Agency, this is the most aggressive the team has been in years. I think the team has gotten younger and more athletic over the last 2 seasons, it's obvious they are planning for an LBJ exit sometime within the foreseeable future.

Players on paper always look better, but you can't truly tell until they hit that LA (Hollywood) Hardwood! It's a completely different animal!

I believe the team overall has more talent (potentially) than last year. How well this team meshes will be the determining factor, however keeping the core together was the biggest piece.

DLO + Reaves + LBJ + Vando + AD

This Unit could continue to do some damage, especially if they all come back better, especially the three younger pieces. DLO will need to be more consistent and a greater threat (all around) he needs to be effective on both ends and it will take commitment defensively. Vando and Reaves need to become better 3pt shooters, we have to spread the floor in order for LBJ and AD to have more opportunities. Our Two Superstars need load management and good health in order for the Lakers to make a deep playoff run and possibly make it to the finals.

I don't know if either of the rookies will get a chance to have an Impact, but it's possible they could level up and make a difference, two highly talented prospects! We'll get a glimpse today!

Overall, I'd say we're a better team.
Vincent + Reddish + Prince + Rui + Hayes
could provide adequate rotation minutes during the course of the season and should take some miles off of both LBJ and AD. Once again chemistry will play a roll in how well that unit can produce. Either way we have some legit vets coming off of our bench that are young, athletic with a ton of talent.
We may even have a few with chips on their shoulder that can provide some tough competition and add to the Lakers swag on the floor. We're built with defense in mind, so let's see what coach Ham can produce!

[SGSD32]

[Megaton]

[LakersRGolden]

[venturalakersfan]

[defense]

[CamReddish]

[venturalakersfan]

I would compare last year’s total roster to this years.
_________________
RIP mom. 11-21-1933 to 6-14-2023.

[Hanging from Rafters]

[BILBJH]

Last year's opening day starting lineup

AD
LBJ
Westbrook
Lonnie
PatBev

Nunn
Matt Ryan
AR
JTA
Wenyen

This year

AD
LBJ
Rui
AR
DLo

Hayes
Vando
Prince
Gabe
JHS
MaxC
Reddish

We had JTA, Matt Ryan, and Wenyen playing as rotation players.

We upgraded Lonnie and PatBev with DLo and AR.

How is this team not better?

And this is if the new additions play at their floor instead of their potential.

[activeverb]

[lakersboy]

[BandwagonLBJhopper]

Need another strong big so AD can man the 4

Who is our answer for Jokic and Embid types? Need a big

[Hanging from Rafters]

[lar9149]

I think the Lakers got better but even if they are about he same..I think we should consider the competition

From what I heard about the Nuggets they lost Brown..don't know if they got a suitable replacement yet or if they are going to at all

The Suns..got Bradley Beal..could be a great team..but given history of injuries from Beal and Durant..possible they won't go as far as they should

Given perhaps the Nuggets were the only better team than the Lakers last year..the Lakers chances are probably better this year than previous even if they didn't improve

[Dr. Laker]

Lakers got better.
Nuggets got worse and have to deal with post-championship syndrome. Does Joker show up at camp weighing 380#?
Suns got worse (IMO, not a Beal believer), KD never healthy. Booker at the 1.
Dubs in major decline everywhere. Klay - DONE. Dray - DONE.
Clippers still toxic and injury prone. Harden wouldn't help that if he came.
Grizzlies could be a major problem . . . or a major disaster. Where is Ja's head?
Will Sasha Vezenkov be a difference maker in Sacto? Maybe. Brown is coaching them up.
Pelicans are out of control.
Blazers are dead in the water.
OKC is on the come up and could make the playoffs.
Houston won't be pathetic.
T-Wolves are dysfunctional.
Spurs will anchor the lottery.
Mavs. I just don't see Kyrie & Luka working.
Utah is smartly rebuilding.

The Lakers are certainly Top-3 in the West. Where Dame lands could tip the balance, but I see him going East.
_________________
On Lakersground, a concern troll is someone who is a fan of another team, but pretends to be a Lakers fan with "concerns".

[venturalakersfan]

[venturalakersfan]

[SGSD32]

[Hanging from Rafters]

[Polarbear]

It’s definitely not a worst roster, which is important because this team made the Western Conference finals last year

Whenever I look at terms of getting better, I also have to take into account what the team look like at the beginning of last season, not at the trade deadline. This roster was horribly and balanced. We had a Russell Westbrook problem, a rookie head coach, and because of all that we were losing games This year the roster goes into the season, balanced most of the players are back from the success that we had last year and they’re going to have a full training camp together which I think is equally important

People just seem to forget that the team was thrown together right before we had to head into the playoffs. What they did last year was miraculous beast just on that and then they made it one series away from the NBA finals. Very excited for this upcoming season.

[manlisten]