It’s obvious that the Lakers lack athleticism. At some point, a roster move is required. But something has to be done between now and the deadline in order to stay afloat. Before the Lakers add help, they have to manage what they already have. Here are five ways the Lakers can address their issues right now.
1. Fix the Starting Lineup
A starting group of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, and DeAndre Ayton has plenty of size and skill. It’s a lineup designed to win with execution, not force. This leaves very little room for error.
This makes Hachimura the clear odd man out. His production with the starting lineup isn’t enough to make up for his mistakes or the athletic deficit of his teammates.
Clearly, Marcus Smart should be starting in his place. He would easily be the best defender of the starting five, being better than Rui at chasing around the perimeter. One tone-setter won’t completely erase the athletic gaps, but it can prevent early momentum swings that begin at the source.
2. Manage Minutes
Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves rank near the top of the league in minutes played. That workload doesn’t just affect shot-making, but also drains energy for the defensive end.
There is only a finite amount of energy a player can expend. When asked to carry a heavy offensive load, effort on the defensive end becomes selective by necessity. Players conserve energy without realizing it, and that’s when missed shots turn into runouts and live-ball mistakes become automatic points for the opponent.
Before any roster move, the Lakers can help themselves by simply cutting down the minutes. Giving Luka and Reaves two to four fewer minutes a night allows everyone to play harder and stay locked in defensively.
3. Better Shot Selection
Early shot-clock attempts — especially from above the break — often lead to long rebounds and numbers going the other way. The floor balance has to be tighter. This isn’t a talent issue; it’s a discipline issue. You don’t fix athletic disadvantages by allowing the more athletic team to play their style. You fix them by preventing advantages before they start.
4. Play Your Athletes!
Believe it or not, the Lakers do have athletes on their roster. The issue is that those athletes come with clear limitations in their games. Jarred Vanderbilt is a complete non-factor on offense. Adou Thiero is a rookie who’s still learning the game. Bronny James still has a long way to go in his development.
It’s clear JJ Redick wants to play a specific style, and these players don’t always fit it. For the most part, it’s worked — but there are matchups where you don’t have much of a choice and have to at least attempt to match the opponent’s athleticism.
5. Prepare for the Inevitable Trade
It feels like the Lakers are one legitimate playoff rotation player away from being a true contender. That player isn’t on the roster yet, but the Lakers need to prepare for when that moment comes.
Between now and then, the Lakers need to clarify what that player needs to do: defend in space, recover in transition, rebound through contact, and impact the game without needing the ball. Playing Smart, Vanderbilt, or even Thiero in more defined roles now helps identify the exact archetype the front office needs to target.
When the trade comes, it should feel additive — not corrective — because the groundwork was already laid.
The Bottom Line
The Lakers don’t have to solve all their athleticism issues today. They just have to stop letting it decide games automatically. The team can stay competitive now while positioning itself to truly fix the problem when the roster finally changes.
