The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most intriguing teams heading into the 2025-26 season. With Luka Doncic and LeBron James as their two bona fide stars, followed by Austin Reaves and the rest of their supporting cast, many hold high expectations for the Lakers this upcoming season.
While head coach JJ Redick and general manager Rob Pelinka did their best to add players that fit well with their main stars, as of now, their roster holds more questions than answers. Most notable of those is the question of the Lakers‘ starting lineup. Doncic, James, Reaves, and Deandre Ayton are all expected to start, but it leaves one spot that has yet to be filled.
Writing for Bleacher Report, Eric Pincus addressed this concern and highlighted the top candidates for the last starting spot. Among those were Marcus Smart, Jarred Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, and Jake LaRavia. Pincus expected that Hachimura would get the nod.
“Assuming Dončić, James, Reaves and Ayton are securely four of the five starters, who will Redick go with as a fifth (assuming full health)?” he asked. “Redick needs to maximize this roster, not just one player. Hachimura remains a viable option for what he brings to the court.”
The Lakers made multiple moves over the summer to ensure they don’t lose in the first round of the playoffs again. But even with their roster changes, Los Angeles is still a team in flux, potentially set to lose James and Reaves while entering their first full season with Doncic.
Lakers’ Last Starting Spot
For now, the battle for who will be the final starting spot remains a four-person battle between Hachimura, Vanderbilt, Smart, and LaRavia.
Pincus wrote as though Hachimura expects to get the role. Along with the size and spacing he provides, the Japanese forward has experience starting alongside James, Doncic, and Reaves last season.
Smart was one of the Lakers‘ biggest additions over the summer, as a former Defensive Player of the Year with vast experience in the league. He would take on a much greater perimeter defender role, picking up the slack for Doncic and Reaves.
However, his presence would also limit what Los Angeles could do offensively, as he averaged just nine points per game last year. As a guard, he would also put a strain on both James and Ayton defensively, meaning, despite his skillset, Redick is likely looking for a forward to take the role.
Another option is Vanderbilt, who has struggled with injuries since joining the Lakers in 2023. He remains similar to Hachimura, but with less experience and scoring ability. Redick said he hopes to use both Smart and Vanderbilt as defensive pests rather than committing to either in the starting lineup.
According to Jovan Buha, both Hachimura and Smart have said they don’t care if they’re starters or not. He reported that both want to be impactful on the roster regardless of their starting status.
LaRavia is likely Redick’s final option, but remains the least experienced compared to the other options. He’s young and put in a strong first few years of his career, with a ton of upside on defense, but has yet to show anything special on offense. He’s someone likely to become a starter as the year goes on and Redick experiments with different units.
Remaining Roster Questions
While the decision on who will be the final starter for the Lakers this upcoming season could come down to either of those four, it is by no means the only question surrounding the team’s roster.
Ayton himself remains an unknown, heading to Los Angeles after agreeing to a contract buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers. He’s shown signs of being a top center in the league, but his defense trails far behind his offense. After the Lakers were demolished in the paint in their first-round playoff loss, Ayton will have a massive burden on his shoulders.
“It’s been a few years since Ayton played meaningful basketball; many wonder if he’s still capable of doing so,” Pincus wrote. “Overall, everything is in place for Ayton to have a career year on a team that needs exactly that from him. Now he must prove the skeptics wrong and deliver.”
Other unknowns around the Lakers‘ lineup include the other reserve players who will see regular playing time. Among those are Jaxson Hayes, Maxi Kleber, Gabe Vincent, and Dalton Knecht.
Hayes and Kleber will be backup big men, but could earn larger roles if Ayton doesn’t pan out as originally planned. Vincent and Knecht will likely play similar backcourt positions with relatively limited playing time. Los Angeles has a ton of wing depth, but if either can prove themselves as worthy shooters, they could see their roles elevate.
As Pincus wrote, nobody is completely sure how the 2025-26 NBA season will go for the Lakers. They could win a title or fail to make the playoffs. Doncic and James have proven to be a good duo, but as seen last year, it’s the supporting cast that matters even more.
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