Projected Lakers starting lineup after signing Carmelo Anthony, Malik Monk

The Los Angeles Lakers will have a star-studded starting five for the 2021-22 NBA season.

There is no doubt about it, as the Los Angeles Lakers are going for broke to win another NBA championship this upcoming season.

After winning the 2020 NBA Finals down in the Orlando bubble, the Lakers bowed out in the first round of the 2021 Western Conference Playoffs to the division rival Phoenix Suns in six games. With LeBron James not getting any younger, the Lakers have added several stars to its roster, including point guard Russell Westbrook and small forward Carmelo Anthony this offseason.

How do these additions, plus the signing of wing Malik Monk, impact the Lakers’ starting five?

Projected Los Angeles Lakers starting lineup

• Point Guard: Russell Westbrook
• Shooting Guard: Wayne Ellington
• Small Forward: LeBron James
• Power Forward: Anthony Davis
• Center: Marc Gasol

Westbrook should start at point guard because that is so painfully obvious. Where it gets a tad interesting is at shooting guard. Wayne Ellington probably gets the nod due to experience, but Talen Horton-Tucker really came into his own last season. James and Anthony Davis will be your starting forwards, with Marc Gasol almost certainly edging out Dwight Howard at starting center.

As far as Anthony getting into the rotation, he will be coming off the bench at forward with either James or Westbrook running the point. When it comes to Monk, he seems to be a deep rotation guy for the Lakers, but could get some time at shooting guard since that looks to be the Lakers’ biggest weakness when it comes to roster construction. This should be an excellent team, though.

What if we got a Lakers starting five that featured Anthony, Davis, Howard, James and Westbrook?