Los Angeles

Lakers

It’s always good news that a roster is fully healthy heading into training camp, especially when Anthony Davis and LeBron James are among those marquee players. Neither Lakers star has appeared in at least 60 regular season games since the 2019-20 season, and that was one interrupted for more than four months by the coronavirus pandemic. On paper, the Lakers will be deeper than they were last season due to the work done by Rob Pelinka in free agency. But if this team is to be a title contender, they’re going to need Davis and James to avoid any major injuries. Davis should again provide 1st-round fantasy value, while James is in that 2nd-to-3rd round range in most leagues.

There shouldn’t have been a question regarding Russell’s place within the rotation, especially after the Lakers re-signed him to a two-year deal in July. Russell didn’t play well in the Western Conference Finals, leading to some openly questioning if he would move to the bench. Ham made it clear that D’Lo remains his starting point guard, likely providing a confidence boost with the proclamation, especially with Gabe Vincent being signed in free agency. While he was a top 75 player in 9-cat per-game value for the entire season, Russell ranked outside the top 150 after the February trade deadline. There should be a greater level of comfort in playing alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis than there was after he was traded, so look for Russell to provide greater fantasy value in 2023-24.

Vando averaged 7.2 points, 6.7 rebounds and 1.2 steals across 24.0 minutes after being dealt to the Lakers at last season’s trade deadline. It’s unclear who will start at PF for Los Angeles in 2023-24, but it will likely be one of Vanderbilt or Rui Hachimura. In either case, Vanderbilt is a much better option on the court in real life than in the realm of fantasy hoops. He’s nothing more than a late-round flyer in deeper leagues.

The timing of this report is interesting in that it comes one day after the United States finished fourth in the FIBA World Cup. James being “in” on the Olympics, and other NBA stars being in a similar position, comes as no surprise, as recruiting for that event has never been a problem for USA Basketball. The World Cup, on the other hand, has been, especially after FIBA changed its calendar to play its world championships in the summer prior to the Olympic Games (as opposed to the two-year separation between events). Among the other names mentioned for the Olympics are Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Anthony Davis, and Jayson Tatum. Kyrie Irving, Damian Lillard, De’Aaron Fox, and Devin Booker are also said to be interested in making a commitment to playing in the Olympics.

Davis has long maintained that he prefers to serve as the power forward rather than the center, and his desires apparently impacted the Lakers’ approach to free agency. Having already signed Jaxson Hayes, the Lakers recently inked Christian Wood to a two-year deal, adding another body at the five. After playing 99% of his minutes last season at center, according to Cleaning the Glass, Davis appears poised to see that number drop considerably. The Lakers are expected to go with a starting frontcourt of Davis, LeBron James, and Rui Hachimura, but the additions of Hayes and Wood should help limit some of the wear and tear that Davis has to take on a nightly basis. Regardless of position, AD shouldn’t get out of the first round in fantasy drafts. But a happy Davis can be an even more productive Davis for fantasy managers.

Wood’s ability to space the floor and hit three-pointers at a high clip should give him a sturdy floor when it comes to playing time, so don’t expect his minutes to fall off a cliff in Los Angeles. He’s averaged 16.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 1.0 blocks across the last four seasons, and Wood is worth a late-round flyer in redraft leagues.

Wood waited a long time to sign a contract after Dallas made it clear that they would be moving one. He’ll likely fit in as the backup center behind Anthony Davis. That doesn’t leave a ton of minutes, but he shouldn’t have an issue playing some power forward or stepping up when AD is out of the lineup. This isn’t a bad landing spot for Wood, and he could have some fantasy success in LA, even if it isn’t to the extent that he has had over the past few years.

After a strong finish to last season, Reaves has made a lot of noise and turned a lot of heads this summer with strong play for Team USA. He’ll be a popular pick inside the top-100 in 2023-24 fantasy drafts, with his ADP likely to keep rising if he continues to play well in the World Cup. Team USA’s next game is Wednesday against Jordan.

AD’s $62 million annual extension is the richest in NBA history, according to Woj. Davis had a resurgent 2022-23 season, averaging 25.9 points, 12.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 2.0 blocks across 34.0 minutes and playing 56 games. He should be a consensus top-10 pick in redraft fantasy leagues for the 2023-24 season.

There haven’t been any rumors of AD potentially moving on from the Lakers, but he’s expected to prevent them from starting. He currently has a player option for the 2024-25 season, though an extension would likely keep him in LA through the 2026 season. If that’s the case, Laker fans should expect him to be their franchise cornerstone even after LeBron James leaves.