Alright, so I was sitting around the other day, just thinking about basketball, you know how it is. And my mind wandered over to the Lakers, specifically looking ahead a bit. Not like next week, but further down the road, say around 2025. It got me trying to picture who’d actually be starting for them by then. It’s tougher than you think.
First thing I did was pull up the current roster, just to see who’s even under contract or likely to stick around. Obviously, the big names jump out. You got LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But then you gotta think realistically.
LeBron will be getting up there in age by 2025. Forty years old! Can he still be a starter, playing heavy minutes? Hard to say. He’s defied expectations before, but father time catches everyone eventually. So, I penciled him in, but with a big question mark. Maybe he’s still starting, maybe he’s transitioned roles, maybe he’s not even on the team? It’s a huge variable you gotta consider right off the bat.
Then there’s Anthony Davis. Should be still in his prime, maybe the tail end of it. He’s gotta be the main guy, right? The cornerstone. So, I put him down as a definite starter, probably at the power forward or center spot depending on the rest of the lineup. Health is always the thing with AD, but for this exercise, you kinda have to assume he’s available.
Okay, so that’s maybe one or two spots filled, kinda. What about the rest? This is where it got tricky, like putting a puzzle together without all the pieces.
Figuring Out the Guards and Wings
Who’s running point? Do they still have Austin Reaves? I like his game, seems like a solid piece. He could definitely be a starter by then, maybe at shooting guard or even handling the ball more. So I tentatively put him in.
But they’ll need more. A primary ball-handler if LeBron isn’t doing it or isn’t there? Do they draft someone high? Make a big trade? Sign a free agent? This part is pure guesswork. I spent some time thinking about potential young players around the league, guys who might become available, but it’s all speculation. You just don’t know who they might target or what assets they’ll have.
Same goes for the wing spot. Need shooting and defense. Maybe Rui Hachimura is still developing and holds down a forward spot? Maybe they find a solid 3-and-D guy? I tried slotting in different types of players – a shooter here, a defender there – just to see how it might look next to AD and maybe LeBron/Reaves.
My Rough Guess
After going back and forth, moving imaginary pieces around, here’s kind of where I landed. And trust me, this is written in pencil, not pen.
- Point Guard: Maybe a younger player acquired via draft/trade? Or Reaves shifts here? Super uncertain.
- Shooting Guard: Austin Reaves seems like a good bet if he’s still improving and on the team.
- Small Forward: This could still be LeBron James, amazingly. Or maybe a new wing player they bring in.
- Power Forward: Anthony Davis. The most solid prediction, assuming health.
- Center: Could be AD if they go smaller, or perhaps a defensive-minded big they pick up.
So yeah, that’s the process I went through. Started with the knowns (AD, LeBron’s age), considered the maybes (Reaves, Rui), and then hit the big wall of unknowns (draft picks, trades, free agency). It’s fun to think about, but predicting a lineup that far out for a team like the Lakers, who are always looking to make moves? It’s a real shot in the dark. Things change so fast in this league. What looks plausible today could be totally different by next season, let alone 2025.
