This would have been a joke less than two months ago. The Los Angeles Lakers went most of the season as the media’s and fans’ punching bag. They had an ill-fitting roster of non-shooters and weak defenders surrounding their superstar duo of Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
But in a series of moves at the NBA trade deadline, General Manager Rob Pelinka made alchemy out of anarchy, shipping off Russell Westbrook, Thomas Bryant, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Damian Jones, a 2024 second-round pick, and their 2027 first-round pick. The package they got back answered almost every one of their needs. As a result, they made themselves the scariest dark horse in the Western Conference by reshaping their roster around their superstar’s strengths and weaknesses.
Their spacing and depth improved dramatically by adding former Laker D’Angelo Russell, defensive jack-knife Jarred Vanderbilt and spark plug Malik Beasley. The trade was about what they gave up as much as it was what they got. Offloading Westbrook, described as a “vampire,” in the locker room was necessary. Westbrook’s lack of shooting hampered closing line-ups and
overall spacing. Switching him out with Russell gives the Lakers a 39 percent shooter from three. Since returning to L.A., Russell is averaging 17 points, 6.3 assists, and 2.6 rebounds.
With a bolstered bench, thanks to Beasley (averaging 10.6 points, 3.3 rebounds, .500 eFG%, and 35.1 percent from three), the Lakers are currently in seventh place with two remaining games. If they end up in 7th or 8th, that will guarantee a first-round matchup with either the Denver Nuggets (seeded first) or Memphis Grizzlies (seeded second). Neither team has ever made deep playoff runs with legitimate shots at a championship.
The Lakers, with James and Davis, won a championship in the 202 NBA Bubble. This is the most balanced roster they have had in James’ time with the team. You better believe they would be a match-up nightmare for either team looking to coast in the first round.
How Los Angeles Lakers could present matchup problems
The Grizzlies could use an easy first-round matchup to let Ja Morant, who has struggled since coming back from eight-game suspension for an incident at a Denver night club. This season, he’s shooting poorly from the field (46.5 percent) and three (30.8 percent). The Grizzlies have the likely Defensive Player of the Year in Jaren Jackson Jr. and dawgs in Desmond Bane and Dillion Brooks.
Still, with Brandon Clarke (Achilles) and Steven Adams (right knee) out for the season, they would struggle to contain Davis in the post and the Lakers’ perimeter plays in the paint. And who would guard James, the NBA’s career scoring leader? Adams was a massive part of the Grizzlies’ second-best defensive rating this year. How do they make that up while re-integrating Morant into their identity while facing a team that has an all-time great and won a championship?
And what about the Denver Nuggets? They have looked mortal in the last month. Their defense, especially through Nicola Jokic, one of the worst defenders in the NBA, is atrocious. They’re 1-4 in their last five games, dropping games to the Phoenix Suns (twice), Houston Rockets, and New Orleans Pelicans as they gear up for the playoffs. And no, they are not resting their starters. The starting five played against the last-place Rockets when they got smacked by 21 points.
The Nuggets lack long defensive wings outside of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Aaron Gordon, meaning James would have a field day posting up weaker defenders while punishing the Jokic-led frontcourt in the paint.
The Lakers have the right mix of veterans (Dennis Schröder, Russell, Vanderbilt) and young guns (Rui Hachimura, Austin Reaves, Lonnie Walker IV) to present a tough out by either of the top two West teams. The Lakers are 12th in defensive rating and 16th in net rating. They are also 11th in defensive rebounding %, 11th in turnover %, sixth in possession, and a surprising fourth in pace, metrics boosted by the deadline deals. Being a great defensive team is a cemented requirement for any contending team. In addition, Vanderbilt gives them a guy who can guard all five positions.
They have been well-coached by first-year coach Darvin Ham, who has established a pecking order sustained over the season. His “next man up” mentality has shined during injuries to Davis and James. They hit their stride exactly the right time before the playoffs start.
The Western Conference has never been more wide open, and neither of the top three teams can claim to have two superstars like the Lakers. Only the Golden State Warriors have a core that knows what it takes to win a championship. Now that they’re finally healthy, they could be a tough out.
Lee Escobedo covers the NBA for Sportsnaut. You can follow him on Twitter at @_leeescobedo