From the outside, the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2024–25 season will be just like every other. The purple and gold will be the center of attention, and the superstar talent there will solidify the long-standing belief that it will either be a championship or a bust.
But a new era begins with the 2024–25 season, and there are plenty of themes to fuel the discussions and narratives that will undoubtedly arise.
With the exception of newcomers Dalton Knecht and Bronny James, Los Angeles’ roster for 2023–24 will be nearly identical. Depending on whose circle you travel in, this decision has drawn criticism and acclaim. It has also sparked genuine curiosity because of the unusual circumstances.
Following a season marred by dubious rotations, injuries, and arguments between players and coaches in 2023–24, Los Angeles is offering its players an opportunity to rebuild.
Although the plot is interesting on its own, there are more levels to the conversation that need to be revealed. While some of those changes will put contentious choices in the public eye, others will disclose the roster’s true talent level.
The Lakers’ introspective phase has officially begun as they prepare for a 2024–25 season that may be more nuanced than first appearances imply. There are three intriguing topics to keep an eye on.
4. Is the starting lineup for the Lakers really the best?
Choosing to start every starting lineup imaginable in 2023–24 save the one that featured the team’s five top players was one of Darvin Ham’s most perplexing choices. After 50 games, on February 3, Ham made a final course correction by starting D’Angelo Russell, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, Anthony Davis, and Rui Hachimura.
The Lakers played at a truly exceptional level after that, and new head coach JJ Redick intends to investigate the legitimacy of their excellence.
For the 2024–25 season, Redick selected those same five players to start in his starting lineup. Los Angeles had a winning percentage in the top five from February 3 to the end of the season, so it’s understandable why they went 22-10 over that span.
Los Angeles not only defeated teams ranked in the top five, but they also scored points at will, finishing third in the NBA in terms of offensive rating in that same time frame.
Redick will be evaluating the durability of that starting lineup in 2024–2025. It seems as though the Lakers are hoping to realize the potential of a team that has competed at a high level during the regular season and advanced to the Western Conference Finals in 2023.
Determining whether the Lakers indeed possess a superior starting lineup will be a crucial first step in determining the strategy for the trade deadline and the composition of the rotation after them.
3. Can the Lakers contend with a robust second unit?
In an ideal world, the Lakers’ health won’t be nearly as problematic in 2024–25 as it was in 2023–24. Los Angeles will demonstrate to the NBA what it is capable of when Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent are at their peak performance, appearing in considerably more games than they combined in the previous campaign.
Assuming that the starting lineup is as good as it appears to be, the obvious question is how much stronger the Lakers would be with a healthy second unit.
After leading the Miami Heat to the 2023 NBA Finals with more than twenty points in six consecutive playoff games, Vincent inked a contract with the Lakers. Vanderbilt was able to demonstrate the competence of a real shut-down protection.
The Lakers would be a very different club than they were last season just by virtue of those two’s health, as they both offer the defensive ability that was lacking along the perimeter.
Christian Wood’s health is another major concern for Los Angeles; he missed 32 games in 2023–24 and recently had arthroscopic knee surgery. When healthy, Wood is the player who, from 2018–19 to 2022–23, shot.520/381/.694 to average 22.3 points and 10.9 rebounds per 36 minutes.
The Lakers’ second unit should be far superior than what it was the previous season if Vanderbilt, Vincent, and Wood have healthy seasons and the investment in Max Christie pays off.
Just how big of an influence that will have on a 47-win club hitting that elusive 50-win mark is still up in the air.
2. When will Dalton Knecht be able to outplay a starting pitcher?
Even while the starting lineup seems promising, it begs the question of how long it will be before JJ Redick is forced to make a change. He might just continue as is, but Dalton Knecht is a player who has the ability to sabotage those plans.
Knecht, who was chosen by the Lakers with the 17th pick overall in the 2024 NBA Draft, has the potential to be among the best players to come out of his class, and he is already displaying valuable traits.
Knecht has continued his strong play from the preseason, having excelled at Summer League. This includes his captivating 35-point effort against the Phoenix Suns, where he led the Lakers with 20 straight points.
It was a demonstration of how well Knecht’s game fits the NBA’s needs as an athletic three-level scorer with a potentially outstanding jump jumper.
Redick is likely to stick with the current rotation if the Lakers are performing well and Knecht is contributing off the bench. If he starts to perform better than one of the starters, though, Redick might have to adjust the lineup he utilizes to close out games.
It’s a prospect that might portend a more promising player development future for the Lakers than they’re used to, but it might also force Redick to make a tough choice.
1. J.J. Redick is getting ready nicely, but is he able to adapt throughout the match?
It appears that even the doubters are beginning to give Redick credit for how well he appears to have prepared for his NBA debut. Although he hasn’t shown much on the court yet, he seems to be building a strong rapport with his players and coming up with a novel set of priorities.
But the biggest obstacle of all will come from Redick having to demonstrate that he can make the necessary adjustments during a game and a season.
The most difficult thing about being an NBA head coach is having to adjust on the fly. This could be as easy as altering replacement patterns or as difficult as tending to the egos of players who don’t feel like they deserve more for the part they perform.
Since being hired, Redick has been acting and behaving appropriately, but the big test is about to start, and no one is sure what to expect.
Despite being the star of collegiate basketball and spending 15 seasons in the NBA, Redick has never coached above the amateur ranks. Although he has enlisted the assistance of seasoned employees like Scott Brooks and Nate McMillan to guide him through this strange land, he will unavoidably and reasonably make blunders along the road as he encounters new difficulties.
The culture that Redick creates in Los Angeles for the 2024–25 season—as well as the potential success of the Lakers—will be determined by his handling of hardship.