With training camp on the horizon and the roster looking set for now, it’s time to look at the 2025-26 Lakers and consider what the best starting unit is.
The first four spots are relatively easy to fill out. Los Angeles has an All-NBA player in LeBron James and a superstar in Luka Dončić, so clearly these two will be starting.
The next two shoo-ins are Austin Reaves and Deandre Ayton.
Despite Reaves struggling in the postseason, he’s still the best guard on this team after Luka. The Lakers’ signing of Ayton gives them a new lob threat at the five spot and he’s a clear upgrade from Jaxson Hayes.
Rui Hachimura certainly has a strong case to be a starter.
He started in 57 of the 59 games he played in last year. Hachimura had one of his best seasons of his career, averaging 13.1 points, 5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 41% from deep.
He was also one of the few players who performed well against the Wolves in the playoffs. That has to be factored in, given that those are the games that matter most.
While Hachimura was more good than bad last year, he certainly has his flaws. He struggles defending bigs, and he’s a bit too slow-footed to really keep up with quick guards. Hachimura can certainly get hot and dominate offensively, but he still struggles to crash the boards.
With the Lakers generally playing with just one big man on the floor in head coach JJ Redick’s system, everyone has to help on the glass. Hachimura has shown that the only consistency he brings to the rebounding department is inconsistency.
If the Lakers want to go with someone new for their last starting spot, an option they have is Marcus Smart.
The Lakers’ new point of attack defender signed with Los Angeles after the Wizards bought him out.
Smart spent the first nine years of his career in Boston helping bring the Celtics back to relevance. His ability to be a defensive irritant on the perimeter is a quality he brings that the Lakers were severely lacking last season.
His defensive prowess earned him the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2022, and he was named First Team All-Defense on three separate occasions.
However, those accomplishments are part of his past and not a reflection of who he’s been over the last couple of seasons.
In the past two years, Smart has had an extensive injury history. He played in only 34 games last year, split between the Grizzlies and Wizards, primarily due to finger injuries that kept him out of many contests.
The last time Smart played 60 or more games was the 2022-23 season, so if he can’t stay on the floor, it might not matter if he’s the desired starting option.
Still, you do begin on the positive side as the NBA season starts, so unless told otherwise, we should assume Smart is good to go. If he’s the top option, he should start on Opening Night against the Warriors.
If the final starting spot is only between Hachimura and Smart, then it becomes a question of who performs best in their strengths.
Is Hachimura’s size and offensive production so good that you’ll live with the defensive flaws? Is Smart’s wing defense so great that it’s fine he gives you very little on the other side of the ball?
We’ll have to see this play out over time, but it’ll be interesting to see what Redick’s initial decision is.
Starting lineups and all situations regarding the Lakers are always subject to change. Last season, Redick announced his starting lineup weeks before the season began.
Things quickly changed when it became clear that D’Angelo Russell shouldn’t have that spot, and the team tinkered with the best unit until Luka arrived.
So, while fans and the organization might have a certain mindset on things, once we go from theoretical to watching this roster play against the NBA, it’s likely the starting lineup adjusts with the new data we are viewing.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
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