GREAT UNKNOWNS
Can Westbrook, James figure out how to mesh ball-dominant styles?
LOS ANGELES
The Lakers open the season tonight against Golden State, beginning the season with an aging team that has injury problems. Here are the five biggest storylines for the team this season:
Will Russell Westbrook fit in with Anthony Davis and LeBron James?
It was the biggest news of their offseason, the team pulling off a draft-day shocker by dealing for Westbrook while sending out key role players and longtime Lakers — Kyle Kuzma and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope — in a wide-ranging trade that ended up including Montrezl Harrell. It set the Lakers on a path to a huge roster overhaul, a gamble any time but more so considering James’ aging legs and closing window.
Immediately, the move had league sources buzzing about potential “fit” problems — two players in James and Westbrook who are relentless attackers but substandard floor-spacers. Scouts doubted that either could find a way to contribute by playing off the ball while the other dominated possessions.
The preseason provided limited clues to how it will work, save for maybe the most important one — that Westbrook, James and Anthony Davis are all committed to figuring out the right sharing model. From coaches who have witnessed it to players who have participated in it, buy-in is the most important part to figuring things out.
Can Davis bounce back?
Following the championship run in the bubble, Davis had answered most of his critics, the big man committing to winning, hitting big shots and looking like a player who fully understood how to utilize his otherworldly talents.
Yet after he came into training camp last season out of shape, he got off to a slow start and was inconsistent until an Achilles injury cost him most of the season.
Now, entering his third year with the Lakers, some of those questions have resurfaced, with league scouts and executives wondering about Davis’ consistency and his competitiveness. He played in five of the Lakers’ six preseason games, averaging 14.6 points and 6.0 rebounds.
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