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Los Angeles Lakers: Why LA is the perfect team to play positionless

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 04: Brandon Ingram #14 steels the inbound ball from Cameron Reynolds #13 of the Sacramento Kings as rest of his teammates cheer on at end of the game at Staples Center on October 4, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 04: Brandon Ingram #14 steels the inbound ball from Cameron Reynolds #13 of the Sacramento Kings as rest of his teammates cheer on at end of the game at Staples Center on October 4, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

2. The Los Angeles Lakers are an elite rebounding team

On paper, this really does not make any sense. The Los Angeles Lakers are an elite rebounding team without having an above-average center to rely on. Typically, being thin at the center department is a death wish when it comes to rebounding.

However, the Lakers are coming off a season in which the team finished second in total rebounds, only trailing the Philadelphia 76ers. And while the Lakers may have lost some pieces in the offseason, especially down low, it did not take a hit in the rebounding department.

Los Angeles lost Julius Randle to the New Orleans Pelicans and Brook Lopez to the Milwaukee Bucks. First and foremost, Lopez was not a key factor in that rebounding tally. The seven-foot center averaged only four rebounds per game last season.

Randle was a presence on the glass and did finish the season with eight rebounds per game. However, the Lakers got better at the power forward position with LeBron James, who averaged 8.6 boards per game last season.

New signing JaVale McGee will put up at least as many rebounds as Lopez did last season per minute and the rest of the roster is only getting better.

Ball has shown he is an elite rebounding point guard, Hart will be one of the best rebounders off the bench and Brandon Ingram is only going to improve from an already respectable average.

Having this kind of rebounding skill will make the team more comfortable in running smaller guys on the court, which will keep McGee from playing crunch time over Kyle Kuzma in big situations.

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