Why Lakers Favoring 'Depth Over Stars' is the Wrong Move

The Lakers shouldn't prioritize depth over keeping stars.

Dec 8, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Scoot Henderson (00) and forward Jerami Grant (9) defend a rebound by Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers are not short on star power. LeBron James and Anthony Davis are the two guys who make everything with this team go. Both are still extremely good players. Davis is playing at an MVP level, while James is still making a case to be an All-NBA player.

Despite the fact that these two players are playing so well, the Lakers are near the bottom of the Western Conference standings. They are just tenth at the moment despite the James/ Davis combination averaging 50.3 points per game.

There have been multiple reports that Rob Pelinka is looking at adding depth to the Lakers's roster. Doing so could potentially keep them from being able to acquire a third star to pair with James and Davis. It would be the wrong move to get depth instead of angling for a third star.

Adding depth to the Los Angeles Lakers would not make them an NBA title contender. They haven't played well enough when either James or Davis have missed games this season because the other star has had to carry a heavy burden. Adding a third star would alleviate that burden.

James and Davis are not exactly pinnacles of health at this stage of their careers, either. James has historically been very fit but has started to break down more as he has aged. Davis has never been someone who has been known for his durability. Betting on either player to be healthy is a bad gamble.

The Lakers are also known for their ability to trade and sign stars. That's their identity.

Changing that to get depth pieces would anger fans who are already mad at Pelinka. They know that the title window is shrinking with every passing moment. Adding a third star gives them the best chance to win it all.

Whether it's adding Jimmy Butler or Zach Lavine, the Lakers have some options to help bolster the roster with another star player. If they need to throw in future first-round picks to get it done, Pelinka shouldn't blink. The rest of the organization shouldn't blink, either.

D'Angelo Russell's contract is the one that will likely get used in any potential trade for a star. He has been dropped to the bench, so that wouldn't hurt the Lakers much. They need a star, no matter what the cost might be.

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