It was a relaxed offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The purple and gold had a low-key offseason, besides drafting Dalton Knecht in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft and Bronny James in the second round.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis had a great offseason, helping Team USA win gold in the Olympic Games. Both played pivotal parts, as Davis was a critical defensive anchor. Watching James perform at a high level on the international stage was excellent, especially since that was likely his last time in an Olympic competition.
With the season starting soon, the Lakers find themselves in a weird place regarding their position in the Western Conference. While they have two of the best players in the league, their overall roster is on a different tier than other teams in the conference. The Lakers lost to the Denver Nuggets in two straight postseasons, going out in five games last season.
It will take more than what's currently constructed for the Lakers to compete seriously, not to mention the other teams outside that first tier that will be in the mix for the playoffs and play-in tournament.
What's for sure is both James and Davis will get their numbers and keep the Lakers in the mix. With the season starting soon, I will review season averages and pick a player I like for specific statistical categories, courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.
LeBron James
Averaging 28 Points Per Game (+700)
Listening to James' comments during his media day presser, he is confident going into his 22nd season.
"It gives you a lot of life when you're around the young guys," James said during his interview. "I had a lot of fun this summer with some of the younger guys on the Olympic team, and they give you a lot of energy. To be alongside Bronny gives me more life."
James had a boost this past summer during the Olympics in Paris, as not only did he help Team USA win the gold, but he also won the Olympic MVP. There's motivation going into this season, as James will have to continue to score a lot and win games if he wants to avoid the play-in tournament.
If Zion Williamson didn't get hurt late, the Lakers could have lost the 7-seed vs. 8-seed game in the play-in tournament.
James averaged 27.8 points in the first round against the Nuggets. What was great about James last season was him shooting 3s at a high percentage, converting on 41 percent of his shots from distance. If he can have percentages anywhere in that ballpark going into this season, he's in excellent shape to increase his average in points.
He's turning 40 in December, but that doesn't matter for King James. He's inspired going into this season, which means the aggression is still alive, and it will have to be for an 82-game season. While Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell can have games when they are hot, it will come down to James and his partner-in-crime, Anthony Davis.
Anthony Davis
Averaging 25 Points Per Game
Continuing in talking about the Lakers superstars getting their points, scoring production from Anthony Davis should be what we're used to seeing.
Regarding his points averages, in the last three seasons, Davis averaged 23.2, 25.9, and 24.7 points, respectively. He's been around the 25-points-per-game mark, so it wouldn't be much of a surprise if he reaches that average this coming season.
Davis is a dynamic big on offense and is hard to defend when he's in the post. He can draw fouls and has a great touch around the basket when putting up fadeaways and hook shots. He is also a great roll man and cuts to the basket, leading to easy dunks both in the half-court and transition.
It should be another year of Davis being a dominant interior threat for the Lakers.
