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WHAT DO THE NEW LOOK LAKERS NEED TO DO TO MESH?

It's a no brainer that any new look team with a bunch of stars would take time to mesh together. Besides Lebron James, Anthony Davis, and Talen Horton Tucker were on the Lakers roster from last season. Key role players like Rajon Rondo, Dwight Howard, and Avery Bradley returned this summer from the Lakers championship roster in 2020 but for everyone else, they'll have to adjust. Especially for the former MVP Russell Westbrook. 

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ROTATIONS

One of the biggest adjustments the Lakers need the make for this team to work its best is to fix its current problems with the rotations. Obviously coming into the season the biggest concern was spacing, specifically three point shooting when adding a player like Russell Westbrook. Which is why the Lakers went out and signed knockdown shooters like Wayne Ellington--who has not got a chance to play yet due to injury--, Carmelo Anthony, Malik Monk, and Trevor Ariza who also has missed time early with an injury. Spacing will not be a concern once everyone is healthy. But currently the rotations even with these players out have been questionable. Russell Westbrook is a player that needs shooters around him at all times. He needs to basically be rostered around as a big men. Which is why the 2020 Houston Rockets completely went full in and traded their only center in Clint Capela to center their team around Russell. Coming into this year it was said by Anthony Davis himself and reported he expected to play a lot more center this season. While so far yes he has, I believe he needs to start at center for them to be their best, not a spacing killer like Deandre Jordan. Even if he only starts for 10 minutes, Russell Westbrook is a player that plays into rhythm and flow and DJ always being on the court along with Russ interrupts that from the start. The Lakers need to start AD at the five and start another floor spacer at the four. Another wrongdoing the Lakers continue to do is play Rondo and Westbrook at the same time. Both are practically non shooters but yes they can make them from time to time. Teams still are not going to play tight on them. I've even seem minutes of Rondo-Russ-and Dwight or DJ out there together which is even worse spacing wise. 

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PROBLEMS ON OFFENSE

When you have superstars like Anthony Davis and LeBron James on your team essentially they are the system of the team in it of itself and there is not too much game-planning you need to do, but that does not mean no gameplan at all on offense either. So far in these Lakers games it has happened to often where the Lakers players besides the pick and roll man will be very stagnant and not move at all on offense. When you already have a bad lineup on the court, defenses can really just key in on the Lakers star players and in the paint. Especially the younger--compared to the seasoned veterans-- guys such as Malik Monk, Kent Bazemore, and Austin Reaves; they need to be running some type of sets. Rather its cutting or coming off an off ball screen, just give the defense something to look at and communicate on. Having Carmelo Anthony standing on the wing for 22 seconds then having to hoist up a contested three pointer is bad offense, rather it goes in or not. You want to generate easy looks, or at least work towards that. Russell Westbrook as well will need to be utilized as a screen and roll man and cutter since he is not much of a shooter. Him standing out at the three point line the entire 24 seconds does nothing for your offense. Westbrook needs to learn how to still be useful without the ball is in his hands.  

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SACRIFICES

Just like with any team with serious aspirations, sacrifices will need to be made. The two biggest players I think that will have to sacrifice the most are AD and Westbrook. Starting off with Russ, he's going to need to become a much much better decision maker and more of a guy that does little things that do not show up on the stat sheet too. The turnovers need to find a way to be cut down. The reckless boneheaded plays where they lead to a wild pass or a lazy turnover need to be cut down. Russ is one of the most talented and aggressive players in the league there’s no doubt about that obviously, but the shot and pass iq needs to be better. Russ also with his size for a point guard can be a really good pick and roll man as the roller. I've seen it be tested out in small sample sizes between him and LeBron but it really can be a play used often. When Russ does not have the ball on his hands on offense he needs to be doing anything but standing still on the three point line all possession. As for Anthony Davis he just has to start and play more at center when Russ and LeBron are on the court. I know the notion prior to this season was for AD to only play center in the playoffs and in crunch time during the regular season to have less wear and tear on his body but he’s gonna have to this year with Russ. The Lakers offense does a complete 180 when Deandre Jordan is taken out of the game and AD is at center. The Lakers can't manage this team like the 2020 Lakers having Lebron-KCP-Green-AD-and Javale starting like this current lakers team. I understand the love to go big but DJ can not play in that Javale McGee role on this team. AD as well has played knowing this is his team and he is the number 1 guy. LeBron in year 19 shouldn’t need to be that guy throughout the regular season and playoffs. So I hope Davis continues to keep his play up at this level because it's where it needs to be.

I am not worried about this Lakers team, at all. A team with a healthy LeBron and AD is never concerning to me. Once key rotational guys such as Wayne Ellington, Trevor Ariza, and Talen Horton Tucker return as well that surely makes a difference.  But I am excited to see how the rest of the Lakers adjust and mesh in order to win. This is a championship or bust type of season for them with majority of the players being up there in age. Westbrook out of everyone will need to do the most adjusting in order to win. It is still obviously still very early in the season, I hope come March all the current issues are solved. The league is always better when the LA Lakers are good.