The Los Angeles Lakers were on track to compete with the top teams in the West before injuries to Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves derailed their season at the start of April. 

After a memorable March that saw the team go 15-2 with Doncic, Reaves, and LeBron James finding a chemistry that they had been searched for all season, injuries to Doncic and Reaves halted their momentum going into the playoffs. 

Unfortunately for the Lakers, Doncic was unable to return from his hamstring injury, missing the entirity of the playoffs, which saw the Lakers best the Houston Rockets in the first round before being swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in round two. 

Reaves is expected to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason after he declines his player option that is worth $14.8 million. Reaves will command nearly three times that amount on the open market. 

Outside of making a decision on Reaves, the Lakers will be waiting for LeBron James to decide his future, and they have been linked to Giannis Antetokounmpo as they are always looked to add star power. 

An executive in the Western Conference told Heavy, “Luka Doncic is 27, he just turned 27. Austin Reaves is 27. That’s what they’re looking for, guy in their early prime who can grow alongside those two."

The executive stated that the Lakers would be looking for the right role players to put around Reaves and Doncic to emphasize their strengths rather than adding an older player. 

LeBron proved himself to be a good fit alongside Reaves and Doncic in March when he willingly took a step back and became the third option on the team. He allowed Doncic and Reaves to handle the ball more, playing off ball and acting as a playmaker rather than looking for his own shot. 

Reaves and Doncic proved to be one of the best duos in the league when they shared the court, posting a +11.6 net rating during the regular season. 

Their creation from themselves and others led to the Lakers having plenty of offense, and the defensive scheme held up around them despite their shortcomings. 

The right role players would be low maintenance two-way players who can clean up any defensive mistakes and knockdown open shots, which are sure to come given the attention both men command on offense. 

First, the Lakers have to retain Reaves, who is sure to have offers from other teams who might be able to offer him a starring role.