The Los Angeles Lakers have assembled a roster that has the talent to compete at the highest level. Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves will lead a team that's flush with capable shooters, defensive-minded veterans, and a center who has started for a team that reached the NBA Finals.
For as intriguing as the assembly of talent may be, it's the players who may not start out in the rotation who could elevate the Lakers to being able to contend.
All signs point toward Los Angeles' starting lineup consisting of Doncic, Reaves, James, Rui Hachimura, and Deandre Ayton. The second unit is likely to feature defensive-minded veterans such as Marcus Smart, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Gabe Vincent.
Rounding out that group will likely be either Dalton Knecht or Jake LaRavia along the wings, and either Jaxson Hayes or Maxi Kleber at center.
In the event that such a projection proves true, up-and-comers Knecht and Thiero will be left on the outside looking in. It's already unlikely that 10 players will receive consistently meaningful minutes, particularly on a team with two superstars who will consume touches and playing time.
Thankfully, the Lakers are in an ideal position to shake things up as the season progresses and reward players such as Knecht and Adou Thiero for potential growth.
Lakers must reward younger players if they thrive in 2025-26
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Los Angeles has afforded itself a degree of flexibility in regard to creating space for potential overachievers. Vincent has an attractive expiring contract that could be utilized in a potential trade, which [a resurgent Smart could justify](https://lakeshowlife.com/marcus-smart-unquestionably-enters-lakers-training-camp-most-prove) if he can remain healthy and play at a reliable level.
Vanderbilt, meanwhile, has been mentioned in trade speculation pieces for years on end, which could resume in 2025-26 given his team-friendly $11,571,429 salary.
Regardless of which path the Lakers potentially choose, Knecht and Thiero represent something Los Angeles can't afford to undervalue: Untapped potential. The purple and gold have four players who are younger than 25 on the roster: Bronny James, Knecht, LaRavia, and Thiero.
Knecht and LaRavia may end up competing for a spot in the rotation, but it's equally as likely that they could learn to coexist and subsequently elevate the second unit.
James and Thiero, meanwhile, fit the respective archetypes of the players ahead of them in the rotation. In the event that they prove capable of providing positive value, competition could then sprout between James and either Smart or Vincent, as well as Thiero and Vanderbilt.
Nothing is guaranteed to transpire, of course, but the Lakers' younger players epitomize the appeal of their roster: Nothing is set in stone beyond the bigger names.
That may sound daunting, but Los Angeles' habit of relying on older players with a history of injuries isn't as absolute as it once was. The Lakers can suddenly reward internal development in real time, whether it's due to injuries or underperformance [ahead of the up-and-comers](https://lakeshowlife.com/jake-laravia-could-shockingly-pass-rui-hachimura-on-lakers-depth-chart-during-camp), or simply finding value in places they previously couldn't.
Perhaps the opening-night rotation will prove optimal in the end, but the Lakers have flexibility that permits them to make vital changes as the season progresses.