Los Angeles Lakers Roster 2020 Lakers Roster

2019-2020 Top Questions Facing the Lakers Roster

Is AD the answer for LA?

After an uneventful ending in New Orleans, Anthony Davis heads to Los Angeles as he hopes to finally get them back to the glory days. Last season was a bit of a mess for Davis who received plenty of DNPs due to his trade demands. There was constant uncertainty in both clubs’ locker rooms as players theorized who was to be traded for each other. In the end, the trade never happened until the offseason with the Lakers preferring to part with the #4 overall pick rather than Kyle Kuzma. That likely slots Davis at the power forward position as Lebron James shifts to point guard.

For Los Angeles, Davis brings a nearly automatic double double machine with the ability to be a huge presence in the paint. Even with a shortened season of playing time, Davis still averaged 25.9 points, 3.9 assists, and 12 rebounds per game. He’ll continue to be a young developing player in his prime. Expect him to remain a dominant force at both sides of the ball and re-emerge as one of the best players in the league.

How will Demarcus Cousins fare on another “Super Team”?

Demarcus Cousins joined the Golden State Warriors last season with the goal of recovering from his injury while winning his first NBA Championship. Neither of those really happened as he played just 30 games and was once again injured early in the playoffs. In his playing time, he was used as a scoring center that never really found his footing on the defensive end. With the Warriors scheme of playing small, Cousins was often left off the court in the game’s final minutes and didn’t really factor much into crunch time.

Nevertheless, he still averaged 16.3 points, 3.6 assists, and 8.2 rebounds in each game. That’s a steep fall from the 24.8 points, 4.7 assists, and 12.7 rebound average he had while in New Orleans. With him and Davis now teaming backup, I expect very similar numbers as they once again form one of the best 4-5 combos in the league. It might take a while for him to get back in the swing of things, there’s no doubt Cousins is an elite center when in full health.

Are the Lakers the best team in LA?

After the Lakers traded for Davis, most people proclaimed them the clearly better team in Los Angeles. For starters, they had arguably the best player ever in Lebron James, Kyle Kuzma, and now Anthony Davis. While that certainly left them strapped for cash, the acquisition of Demarcus Cousins and subsequent deals for nifty veterans left the Lakers with a lot to be happy about. However, their plan to form a big three with Kawhi Leonard failed when he and Paul George decided to team up with the Clippers.

Now, there appears to be two of the best teams in the West in the same exact city. While the Clippers have two great forwards in Leonard and George, the Lakers have possibly the best players at three different positions in the league. James could be a top point guard with his size and ability to distribute the ball. Davis is a dominant power forward who has both the shooting and defensive abilities to be a superstar. Cousins added a three point shot to his game and possess a threat for any team looking to drive into the paint. Whereas the Clippers have two great players and young, developmental pieces, the Lakers simply look like the more experienced team and should run away with the title for best team in LA.