A number of wise decisions were made by the Lakers during their successful free agency weekend, which hasn’t always been the case for this front office during the offseason. The Lakera added depth in the form of Gabe Vincent and Taurean Prince in addition to keeping major free agents Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, and D’Angelo Russell.

The signing of the first one is particularly intriguing. Following a successful postseason run, Vincent took advantage of his success and moved from Florida to California to join the Lakers.

One of the postseason’s standout players was Vincent. In contrast, Russell’s performance against the Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals marked the postseason’s low point.

As a result, there have been discussions about who will start at point guard for the Lakers to start the season. It’s a topic that will undoubtedly come up throughout the offseason, during training camp, and maybe even during the regular season. D’Lo is currently in charge of the clubhouse, according to Jovan Buha’s recent article from The Athletic.

The anticipated lineups can change. Vincent might win the starting point guard job if he outperforms Russell in training camp, according to team sources who spoke to The Athletic. However, Russell is now the early favorite.

It makes sense that the Nuggets series has received a lot of attention. The Lakers’ season’s largest and last stage were both present. But before that, Russell played a significant role in the Lakers getting one step closer to the Finals.

Russell, LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Austin Reaves were the most-used lineup during the first two rounds, playing 251 minutes together, and had a net rating of +11.7. The regular season saw little use of the lineup, but it was similarly effective, posting a +19.3 net rating in 102 minutes.

D’Lo was unreliable during the playoffs, but he was still a significant factor. He also had a significant role in the Lakers’ ability to reach the postseason. However poorly things turned out, what Russell did to bring them there shouldn’t be changed. And that ought to be sufficient for him to at least begin the season as the starting point guard.

He will, however, face competition, and that rivalry will be fierce. He will be pushed by Vincent, which will only benefit the Lakers in the long run. At the end of the day, the Lakers’ depth means they won’t need to depend on just one supporting actor.

The Lakers are in a wonderful position right now thanks to some excellent work from the front office this weekend.