Lakers newsletter: The three players with the most to prove this season

Hey everyone, this is Dan Woike, and welcome back to the Lakers Newsletter, where the debates are pet free and you can donate to our very important campaign here. We’re barreling toward training camp, and soon, there will be actual preseason games and then honest-to-goodness meaningful Lakers basketball to break down.

Until then, there’s still some projecting that can be done and while the roster hasn’t changed, some other stuff probably needs to.

The Prove-It List

The pathways for the Lakers to get better this season existed outside of roster-altering trades. And even if the team didn’t make the coaching changes it did, internal development was going to be a big part of the Lakers’ plan.

The stage is set for these three Lakers, coincidentally, all guards, this upcoming season. Let’s rank the three players who have the most to prove on this team.

3. Austin Reaves

This could’ve been Rui Hachimura on this list, but Reaves’ season, honestly, is just more interesting to me.

Three years into his career and Reaves has already achieved way more than you could hope for an undrafted free agent. He’s won the Lakers’ playoff games, he’s on what’s considered to be one of the best contracts in the NBA and he’s one of the most efficient scorers at his position.

But, for Reaves to be as untouchable as he’s been in every trade conversation to date (and surely for the ones to come), there’s still more ground that needs to be covered.

Some of the indication coming out of the Lakers’ facility this summer is that Reaves is in line for a big opportunity this season, with another uptick in usage headed his way.

Despite the starter/sixth-man/starter yo-yo last year, Reaves did have the ball in his hands more and saw his production go up. But he also committed more turnovers and saw his efficiency tick down.

If the Lakers can get Reaves to move another step forward (and they do believe he can), a few things have to flip.

One, he’s got to shoot more. Two, he’s got to get back to getting to the free-throw line, a huge tool for him two seasons ago that took a 20% dip (in terms of attempts per game) last year. Three, he’s got to handle the two-way demands that the Lakers need him to take on if the team is again light on perimeter defenders.

The good news is that Reaves is set up to succeed this year. He had his first true offseason since entering the league and should get real chances to showcase more of what he can do under JJ Redick.

2. Gabe Vincent

Vincent is the last big free-agent deal Rob Pelinka got done (not counting LeBron James re-signing this summer). When we last saw Vincent, he was working his way back into form after missing most of last season with a bothersome knee injury that lingered and eventually required surgery.

When the Lakers opened 2023 free agency by getting Vincent on board in the opening minutes, it’s not totally clear whether they envisioned him as a third guard with Reaves and D’Angelo Russell or whether the team thought he could ultimately be the starting point guard like he was in the NBA Finals with the Miami Heat.

The injury-lost season has taken a lot of shine off from the good vibes from last summer. But Vincent is still a winning player, someone who can affect the game defensively with his physicality and who can provide some offensive scoring punch.

Vincent has another year on his contract following the upcoming season, the clock feverishly ticking on a healthy, bounce-back season the Lakers and Vincent both need.

1. Max Christie

Christie has been talked about a lot in Lakers’ circles, a player who, depending on your mood, is either representing the Lakers’ scouting and development strengths or their weaknesses.

On one hand, Christie’s flashed enough to justify the Lakers’ aggressive signing of him in restricted free agency to a four-year, $32-million deal. He’s got prototypical NBA size, a projectable three-point shot and the right attitude to find a real role on the team.

On the other, he hasn’t carved out consistent minutes as of yet. Some of that can be put on the coaching staff and a crowded backcourt, but some of that can be attributed to the inconsistencies that you should probably expect from a 21-year-old.

This year, especially after the contract and the coaching change, opportunity probably won’t be an issue for Christie. He’s on track for real minutes at the start of training camp, a first for him as a pro.

The keys for him are going to be on the defensive end, where he’s going to have to show he can be competitive against primary scoring options. He’s shown, at times, that he can be effective.

The next step is for “at times” to no long be an applicable qualifier.

Song of the week

“Wristwatch” by MJ Lenderman

This is a MJ Lenderman celebration space, and the new album, “Manning Fireworks,” is going to get a lot of play this season for me inside my headphones on airplanes and in rental car speakers. “Wristwatch” is just one of my favorite tracks on this album, as Lenderman continues to be one of the few people who I’m actively excited about listening to. If HE had anything to prove, this record proves it. This dude rules.

Let’s chat

Any other questions you might have about this offseason? Players you want to have me dig in on? Let me know. Email me at daniel.woike@latimes.com with your questions and we’ll answer as many as we can next week.

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