3 reasons to be excited about the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2022-23 season
By Ian Levy
2. A revamped Lakers supporting cast
The Lakers’ bench was wildly inconsistent last year but several big changes could smooth things out this year. Patrick Beverley is a veteran presence who should raise the Lakers’ floor with his perimeter defense and most importantly, intensity. Even if his biggest contribution is holding everyone accountable for playing with maximum intensity, it could be an important variable.
In the frontcourt, Thomas Bryant could be an enormous steal. He played just 37 games over the past two seasons recovering from an ACL tear but he’s still just 25 and an athletic, mobile big man with 3-point range and some scoring skill. He’s a very different look as a second big man next to Anthony Davis and could feature in more versatile offensive lineups.
The Lakers have a few other new faces but Lonnie Walker may be the most interesting. He clearly didn’t have good chemistry with Gregg Popovich and struggled with efficiency, especially last season. But he’s a dynamic shot-creator and athletic finisher who averaged 19.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per 36 minutes last season. He has immense physical tools and a versatile offensive skill set. With some positive reinforcement and the opportunity to play off two stars with enormous gravity like LeBron and Davis could really help him blossom.