3 creative Lakers lineups JJ Redick can deploy to repurpose flawed roster

The Los Angeles Lakers were among many teams this offseason that promised to make key moves following a first-round series loss to Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.

After Lakers fans held their breath for another post-season free agency in hopes of landing Paul George, OG Anunoby or even trading for Zach Lavine, the team decided to resign 39-year-old LeBron James, draft his son with the 55th overall pick, and essentially run it back with hopes of returning players in Christian Wood and Gabe Vincent, Lakers fans seem to be puzzled as to what the 2024-2025 season holds.

Significant changes within the team began at the top with a complete overhaul of the coaching staff, triggered by Darvin Ham’s struggles to consistently deploy starting lineups that worked well together on the court. After Ham cycled through 19 different lineups with a combination of players that just didn’t quite fit, it became clear a different approach to creating the perfect game plan was needed.

The first order of business was to bring in JJ Redick as the newly appointed head coach, who has proven to fans that his outlook on the game mixed with his ability to understand how the modern-day NBA is played will be a key factor in the team's success. The Lakers additionally decided to use their 17th overall draft pick to select Dalton Knecht, a sharpshooting guard out of Tennessee who will look to produce impactful minutes straight out of the gate. The team looks to have higher hopes than last season as the days of LeBron being a Laker are winding down. With new assets to play around with, here are a few lineups fans could potentially see on the court. 

3. 3-Point Trauma

• PG: D’Angelo Russell - 41.5 3-point percentage
• SG: Austin Reaves - 36.7%
• SF: Dalton Knecht - 39.1% (Summer League)
• PF: Rui Hachimura - 42.4%
• C: LeBron James - 41%

This lineup poses the ultimate threat to opponents trying to guard the Lakers from behind the arc. During his opening press conference, Redick has his eyes locked on Dalton Knecht for more 3-point plays in hopes of creating not only better shots but a deeper arsenal of tools in his back pocket. With an average of 40.2 percent from beyond the arc last season, this small-ball group allows any given person the green light to knock it down with plenty of space for driving lanes.

2. Defense wins championships

PG: D’Angelo Russell
SG: Cam Reddish 
SF: LeBron James
PF: Jarred Vanderbilt
C: Anthony Davis 

The Lakers were pretty middle of the pack being able to defend their opponents. The team ranked 23rd in Opponent PPG, 19th in SPG, and dead last in Offensive RPG, giving themselves a disadvantage in creating extra baskets that were much needed throughout the year. These players were top five for the Lakers last season in steals per game, thus thrown together could create headaches for the defense. With an average balance all around per position, the ability to create points off fastbreaks looks enticing. 

1. The perfect debut

• PG: Bronny James
• SG: Austin Reaves
• SF: Dalton Knecht
• PF: LeBron James
• C: Jaxson Hayes

If there’s ever a lineup designed for Bronny James' debut, it’s one crafted to complement his playstyle. The sharpshooting duo of Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht allows Bronny the opportunity to facilitate and find open shooters from off-ball pick-and-roll plays. Bronny and Knecht developed strong chemistry during the Summer League, and if replicated could cause trouble. A lineup featuring Bronny James wouldn't be complete without his father, LeBron, who would create history as the first father-son duo to play together on an NBA court. LeBron could also serve as a primary ball handler, dishing out assists to his son and setting him up for success. At center, Jaxson Hayes would get the start over Anthony Davis capitalizing on his athleticism to finish lobs at the rim with authority.