Getting defensive: A surprising Lakers lineup that could play important minutes

The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most popular teams in the NBA for many reasons. They employ LeBron James, the most famous player of his era, for one. They also have a long and rich history that only the Boston Celtics can hope to compete with. More than anything though, the Lakers are a constant source of entertainment, which is fitting for a team that calls Hollywood home.

This year's Lakers are sure to dominate the NBA conversation once again thanks to having a new unproven coach in JJ Redick and the league's first-ever father-son pairing after selecting Bronny James in the second round of the NBA Draft. Unfortunately for basketball's glitziest franchise, the results on the court haven't matched the level of discourse, as they've made one conference final since winning it all in 2020, with two first-round playoff exits and a lottery finish to bookend it.

Redick's arrival could go many different ways, but the hope in L.A. is that he's able to shake up what has become a stale team around LeBron and Anthony Davis, his two All-NBA players. There will undoubtedly be experimentation galore in the early going as Redick tries to find his best lineups, and we thought we'd give him a little help by suggesting one that could make a difference.

The Lakers need to be able to succeed when LeBron isn't on the floor

Even at 39 years old, LeBron is still one of the best players in the NBA. He proved that this summer, as he was one of the main contributors to Team USA's gold medal run, and he's proven it repeatedly in recent years as he's put up stats that are unprecedented for a player his age.

The Lakers will be smart with how they use LeBron, but when he's healthy, he's going to get plenty of minutes. He's been incredibly consistent with his time on the court in recent years, as he's never averaged below 33 minutes per game. The issue though is that while LeBron's fanatical devotion to his body which allowed him to remain nearly injury-free for the first 15 years of his career hasn't been enough to completely fight off Father Time in the years since.

LeBron has missed a total of 143 games in the past six years, which means that Redick needs to have a plan in place to prepare for his inevitable absence from the lineup. Even when he is healthy, he'll still be sitting for around 15 minutes per game, so how can the Lakers thrive without him?

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The Lakers could play their best defensive lineup when LeBron James isn't on the court

PG: Gabe Vincent
SG: Max Christie
SF: Cam Reddish
PF: Jarred Vanderbilt
C: Anthony Davis

LeBron hasn't exactly been known for his defense in recent years, which has kept the Lakers from fully taking advantage of having Anthony Davis, one of the best defenders in the NBA, patrolling the paint. The Lakers also finished 15th in offensive efficiency last year, and although they have a new coach, they aren't substantially different on the court, so it's unlikely that they can hope to just outscore teams and win.

The Lakers need to be able to survive those minutes when LeBron is off the floor, and the best way to do that is by slowing the game down and throwing their best defensive lineup out there. The problem is that outside of Davis, most of the starting lineup is, how can we put this delicately, more offensively inclined.

Davis covers for a host of deficiencies when he's on the floor, and the fact that the Lakers can field anything close to a league-average defense should have already been enough to win him a Defensive Player of the Year award. This is a lineup that would do more than just rely on his skills alone, though. This is a lineup that could shut most opposing rosters down.

Vincent missed most of last year, but he can bring some of that #HeatCulture with him as he hounds opposing point guards. He's much more capable than D'Angelo Russell on that end of the floor, and much more disciplined, as Russell is prone to gambling and often struggles to stay engaged through long stretches.

Christie takes Austin Reaves' spot in this alignment. Reaves brings a lot to the table offensively with his shooting and playmaking ability, but he takes a lot off of it, too. There are so many shooting guards in the league that can fill it up, from Anthony Edwards and Jaylen Brown to Devin Booker and Desmond Bane, and Reaves does little to slow them down. Christie is a much better on-ball defender, and he's a stronger help defender and rebounder than Reaves, too.

Cam Reddish has had an up-and-down NBA career. The Lakers are his fourth team primarily because he's never been able to consistently find his outside shot, but he still has a reputation as a plus defender because of his length and switchability. When LeBron sits, he figures to be the primary beneficiary, and while he can't do a fraction of the things LeBron can do on the court, he can give a better defensive effort.

Jarred Vanderbilt may take some time to ramp up from his offseason foot surgeries, but once he's healthy, he's L.A.'s second-best defender behind Davis. Vanderbilt can guard any position on the floor, as he's fast, physical, and doesn't mind doing the dirty work. When he shares the court with Davis, the Lakers defense is elite.

Last but certainly not least is Davis, who has been a superlative defender since he led Kentucky to a national championship as a freshman in 2012. AD is the engine that makes the Lakers go on the defensive end. He blocks shots, he can lock up anyone from the post to the 3-point line, and he's made it a point to improve his rebounding so much that the past two seasons have been the best rebounding seasons of his 12-year career.

Davis would need to shoulder a tremendous offensive load with this lineup on the floor, but with the other four guys making his life easier on the defensive end, he should be able to compensate. Still, this isn't a lineup we'd recommend for long stretches, but when LeBron is sitting, it'll do in a pinch.