LeBron dedicating season to Bronny & more Lakers Media Day takeaways

The Los Angeles Lakers held their media day on Monday, where the players and coaches were interviewed about the upcoming season.

Lakers star LeBron James said he is dedicating the season to his son, Bronny James, who is recovering from a cardiac arrest. James stated, “Bronny is doing extremely well. “He has begun his rehab process to get back on the floor this season with his teammates and USC.”

James is entering his 21st season in the league and will look to lead LA to their 18th title in dedication to his son Bronny. The 38-year-old forward averaged close to 30 points per game last season and is still playing at an elite level.

Outside of James’ dedicating the season to Bronny, there were a ton of storylines.

Anthony Davis has taken a more prominent leadership role heading into this season. Davis is becoming more vocal in the locker room, which should help the Lakers more.

He is also committed to being on the floor. Davis’ goal is to play all 82 games this season. The 30-year-old signed a three-year extension in the offseason, tying him to the franchise for years to come. Davis stated, “They offered the extension. I accepted it. That was basically it.”

The star big man will play a pivotal role in LA’s championship odds.

Another Laker that will have a crucial role this season is Austin Reaves. Reaves has arrived, as he had a breakout campaign last season. In the playoffs, he averaged 17/4/5 while shooting 46.4% from the field and 44.3% from three.

The 25-year-old re-signed with the team on a four-year $54 million deal. He is a guard on the rise and could be the “third star” for LA. Reaves played well in the FIBA World Cup this offseason and is destined for a great season ahead.

Rui Hachimura is another young piece who stepped up in the playoffs. Hachimura signed a three-year $51 million deal after averaging 12/4/1, shooting 55.7% and 48.7% from behind the arc.

He is a good young forward who has been working out with James this offseason.

Hachimura credited Lakers assistant coach Phil Handy for coming up with the idea of working with James on workouts. James stated, “I see a lot in him. I see his potential, not only for him individually but also for our ball club. I call him my Daniel-san and I’m Mr. Miagi.”

Hachimura should play well and is improving by working with one of the All-Time greats. It will be exciting to see how he has improved in the offseason.

Head coach Darvin Ham has named four of the starters for this season: D’Angelo Russell, Reaves, James, and Davis. This leaves one spot open for competition: between Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, Christian Wood, and Jaxson Hayes.

It will come down to who plays well in training camp and what the most versatile lineup is. Hachimura showed what he can do in the playoffs, while Vanderbilt is a great defender.

Wood was an addition this offseason who could play a huge role. He is a talented offensive player who would space the floor well as a big.

Hayes is another option that could be a lob threat and rim protector. The question for Ham is: Do you start Davis at center and have Hachimura or Vanderbilt start? Or do you move Davis back to power forward and start Wood or Hayes?

Whatever decision Ham makes, the clear takeaway is the Lakers have a ton of depth and potential lineup combinations.

James and Davis are motivated to face the Denver Nuggets after a ton of trash talk. Davis said, “It was just a lot of talking. We get it, y’all won, but me and Bron had some conversations... we can’t wait [to play them].”

Denver is one of the toughest teams they will face in pursuing a championship.

LA is a team in title contention this season. The star duo of James and Davis is surrounded by a ton of depth. Reaves stated, “I think we have the most talented roster in the NBA 1-14."

The Lakers will be one of the favorites to win the title this season as they come together as a team pursuing the 18th championship in franchise history.