The Los Angeles Lakers don’t expect to have a lot of trouble scoring the ball next year. With an offensive juggernaut trio of Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, Lakers head coach JJ Redick has multiple scoring options to choose from on any given trip down the court.
But while offense isn’t expected to be an issue, Los Angeles could have struggled massively on the other end of the court. The team did add former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart and big man Deandre Ayton, but neither is expected to drastically change their defensive potential.
Writing for Bleacher Report, Zach Buckley said defense will be the biggest problem for the Lakers all season.
It’s all too easy to look at this Lakers roster and wonder how it’ll ever generate defensive stops on the perimeter,” Buckley wrote. The Lakers are seemingly wagering they can overwhelm opponents with offense, and that isn’t the worst bet to make when said offense is led by the likes of Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves.
GettyLeBron James and Luka Doncic pose for photos during the Los Angeles Lakers media day at UCLA Health Training Center El Segundo, California on September 29, 2025.
James is expected to take a big role, as seen throughout his entire career, on the offensive end. But most recently, the Lakers got an update that could affect his availability to start the season.
Lakers On Defense
Neither Doncic, James, nor Reaves has been known for their lockdown ability on defense. Accordingly, general manager Rob Pelinka and the front office went out searching for players they believe will complement their stars on that side of the ball.
Smart and Ayton weren’t the worst options available, but they likely weren’t the best either.
“Marcus Smart, 31 years old and two full, injury-riddled seasons removed from contributing to a contender, is perhaps the only member of this perimeter rotation who’d consider the defensive end his most favorable side,” Buckley added. “Unfortunately, things don’t look a whole lot better when shifting over to the interior. While the Lakers did well to fill their glaring hole at the center spot with 2018 top pick Deandre Ayton, he’s not exactly regarded as a top-shelf defensive anchor.
The Lakers finished in the bottom half in defensive rating during the regular season and playoffs last year, and by no means were they considered a defensive-oriented team.
Los Angeles was killed in the paint by the Minnesota Timberwolves in their first-round playoff matchup, giving up an average of 50 paint points per game during that five-game series.
With Smart expected to take on a more perimeter-centric role, one that the Lakers’ other rotational players will likely help out with, Ayton will have a bigger task of protecting the rim. He hasn’t been known for his defense in the first seven years of his career, but Ayton believes he’s up for the task.
“It’s the biggest opportunity, I can say, of my career,” Ayton said at Lakers media day. “Some people say it’s my last leg, some people say it’s my last chance. Well, it’s the opportunity I can say I’m truly not going to take for granted.”
LeBron James’ New Injury
As previously mentioned, James’ status in the near future is now in question, as it was recently announced that the 21-time All-Star is dealing with a glute injury. James missed the Lakers’ first practice after media day, and Redick said the ‘goal‘ is to have him ready for their season opener against the Golden State Warriors.
“It’s probably a little bit longer of a ramp-up leading into opening night for him,” Redick said, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN. “Obviously in Year 23, it’s uncharted territory here.”
James himself also said he is ‘playing the long game‘ and didn’t commit to how much time he’ll spend on the court during training camp. Entering his 23rd season, James is set to break the NBA’s most games played record previously set by Robert Parish. As the oldest player in the league, he said it is a ‘process‘ getting healthy for the season.
“I‘m still ramping things back up,” James said. “I’m not where I want to be. But I mean, I don’t want to be where I want to be right now in September. So, I got some time and I’m looking forward to the process of getting there.”
According to ESPN, the Lakers will be ‘overly cautious‘ with James in the preseason. Redick said he’d like to see the 40-year-old on the court before the regular season begins, but it isn’t a guarantee.
Throughout his career, James has remained relatively healthy, but that has changed over the past few years, with injuries compounding as he ages. While the current glute injury appears somewhat minimal, he has three weeks to return before their season opener.
Along with their defense, James’ injury and future will likely be some of the biggest storylines for the Lakers next season.
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