The Los Angeles Lakers’ 24-25 season was full of highs, lows and hidden numbers that tell a deeper story. From unexpected strengths to concerning weaknesses, here are four surprising facts that could have a major impact on their 25-26 season.
DFS IS THE LAKERS’ BEST TWO-WAY PLAYER
Dorian Finney-Smith posted the best offensive rating (120.2) and defensive rating (109.1) among all regular rotation players last season. When he’s on the floor, Los Angeles also recorded an impressive net rating of +11.1—the best mark in the team. They also won most of the scoring battle, ranking second in the team in plus-minus per game at +6.2, just behind Doncic.
Most of his impact comes from defense. In fact, according to @The_BBall_Index, he ranked No. 1 in the league among rotation players in defensive positional versatility, meaning he was the best player in guarding every position. Offensively, he was just as effective, finishing as the Lakers’ second-most productive three-point shooter, connecting on 39.8% of his attempts and their most efficient scorer with a true shooting percentage of 61.9%. That said, DFS’s departure was a big loss for the team. He was a crucial part of their success last season, impacting the game in many areas. Without him, the Lakers’ small-ball lineups could quickly turn into a weakness. Considering they already ranked among the league’s worst defenses last season, things could get even tougher moving forward.
VANDERBILT LED THE LAKERS IN REBOUNDING
The Lakers struggled on the glass last season, ranking 27th in offensive rebounds and 26th in total rebounds. Davis was easily their best rebounder, finishing in the top 10 in both defensive and total rebounding while also posting one of the best rebounding percentages in the league. His departure will significantly hurt their interior defense. However, Vanderbilt could help fill part of that void. He not only posted an offensive rebounding percentage of 11.4%, the highest in the team and among the best in the league but also leads all returning players in total rebounding percentage. He also has the second-best defensive rebounding percentage in the team at 19.4, Doncic is slightly better at 19.6. That means Vanderbilt was just as productive on the boards despite playing much fewer minutes. With some of their key defensive players gone, his importance in defense and rebounding will only increase in the upcoming season.
THE LAKERS’ OFFENSE IS AT BEST WHEN REAVES IS ON THE FLOOR
Reaves had a significant impact on the Lakers’ offense last season. When he was on the court, the team averaged 30.5 made field goals while shooting 49.1% from the field. However, when he was not playing, those numbers dropped to a team-worst 13.8 field goals made while their offensive rating fell by as much as 9.8 points to 107.3—the lowest on the team. The Lakers also moved the ball better with him playing, recording a team-high 19.6 assists per game.
Last season, Reaves also made a major leap in his overall game, increasing his scoring average by 4.1 points while also posting career highs in rebounding and playmaking. If Reaves can keep this up, the Lakers could be in for a much stronger season.
THE LAKERS STRUGGLED WHEN JAMES IS ON THE FLOOR
LeBron James posted one of the lowest plus-minus marks on the Lakers last season, finishing at -54, ahead of only Knecht and Reddish among regular rotation players. A negative plus-minus means the team was generally outscored during his minutes on the floor. In contrast, fellow starters Austin Reaves (+195), Luka Doncic (+176), and Rui Hachimura (+158) ranked among the team’s best. Similarly, the Lakers recorded one of their worst net ratings (-1.3) with James on the court, suggesting the team struggled to stay efficient on both ends whenever he played.
Offensively, James remains a major contributor. He led all returning players in field goal percentage (51.3%) while maintaining one of the highest scoring volumes, and also leading the team in assists. However, the team still had a difficult time on offense with him playing, recording their highest turnover rate at 10.2 per game. His defensive impact has also been questionable. In fact, the Lakers posted their best defensive rating last season at 108.4 when he’s off the court. That said, his efforts on defense will be crucial for the team after ranking just 17th in the league in the previous season.
