4 major deals are released, Lakers have changed, James will realize his dream, blessing, the Suns abandoned him become a puzzle for the championship

In the 2020 Orlando Bubble Park, the picture of the Lakers holding the championship trophy is still the brightest starlight over Staples Center. However, this hard-won championship trophy unexpectedly became the "comfort zone" of the team's management. In the following three seasons, the Lakers stopped in the first round in a row, pushing the management led by Pelinka into the whirlpool of public opinion. When competitors Clippers, Suns and other teams continue to strengthen their competitiveness through precise reinforcement, the Lakers are trapped in the dual dilemma of "James dependence" and "superstar nursing home".

This strategy is lost at the peak of the 2023-24 season. Faced with the Nuggets' bombardment of the inside double towers, no one in the Lakers' proud forward group could provide effective frame protection; when Curry opened the "Sunday Mode" in the final quarter, the defensive loopholes in the back line were exposed like a sieve. The cruel reality revealed by the data is more convincing: the Lakers have long ranked in the top fifteen in the league, and their three-point shooting percentage has always hovered in the bottom ten of the league. These numbers are the accumulation of more than 20 failed signings by the management in five years.

When Ayton unveiled the Lakers No. 22 jersey at the press conference, this jersey carries not only personal honor, but also a self-proof of an underrated center. The No. 1 pick, which was questioned by "soft eggs" during the Suns, has improved its rebounding skills to the top level in the league after two seasons of Portland. Behind his average of 12.8 backcourt rebounds per game is the defensive deterrent that directly blocks opponents' shots out of bounds 3.2 times per game. This change is particularly evident in the Lakers' interior - when Davis gets off the court, Ayton can provide the top 20% franchise protection efficiency in the league, which has never happened in the Lakers' interior rotation in the past five seasons.

exchanged the second round pick + marginal player for Dausum, who averaged 12.3 points per game. This operation is the most underrated deal this season. The 25-year-old defender has a real plus-negative defensive value of +1.8, ranking in the top 15% of all point guards in the league. More importantly, he has the most scarce "positionless defense" ability in modern basketball: he can not only switch to outside shooters, but also complete a one-stop fast attack after stealing through prediction. Data shows that when Dausum was on the court, the Lakers back line was reduced from 1.12 points per game by opponents to 0.89 points, which is equivalent to winning the team an additional 3-5 points per game.

The Grizzlies' three-point shooting percentage of 38.7% makes Laravia the "no-ball mover" that James' system needs the most. His three-point shooting percentage reached 41.3%, and more than 60% of his shots came from open opportunities. This trait has strategic value in the Lakers' existing system: when Davis attracts double-teams at low posts, Laravia's outside restraint can force the opponent's center to expand defense, thus creating a more comfortable breakthrough space for James. What is more noteworthy is that the 23-year-old rookie has a defensive rebounding rate of 12.3%, ranking among the top wingers.

Looking back at the 2020 championship season, the Lakers' code to win the championship is far more than the dominance of the James and the Eyebrow combination. Howard averages 18.5% offensive rebounding rate, Rondo's tactical value per game of 6.5 assists per game, and Caruso's +1.7 defensive victory contribution value, together these data build a complete framework for the championship puzzle. Today's management obviously understands this philosophy: Ayton's rebounding position (2.8 offensive rebounds per game) corresponds to Howard's blue-collar value, Dosum's steal prediction (1.8 per game) replicates Caruso's defensive wisdom, and Laravia's three-point stability (41.3%) upgrades Danny Green's spatial attributes. This kind of inheritance has begun to emerge in the training ground. According to the team's training video, the success rate of Ayton and Davis's inside cooperation reached 73%. The pick-and-roll of this double tower combination threatened by 15 percentage points higher than the combination of McGee and Davis in 2020. More subtle changes occur in the locker room. When Dausum took the initiative to point out the loopholes in the defensive rotation in the video class, this increased voice of the role players is an important sign of the recovery of the championship culture.

Pellinka's recent appearance at a Greek restaurant in Los Angeles adds more room for imagination to this transfer window. Considering that the agent of Almighty Brother happens to be Greek and his contract is only 3.2 million yuan a year, the tactical value of this potential contract cannot be underestimated. As a 3D forward with championship experience, the defensive efficiency of Album 106.3 can further improve the Lakers' wing depth, and its 40.2% bottom corner three-point shooting percentage is perfectly matched with James' breakthrough pass system.

The more profound significance is that this "checking out the missing" signing strategy marks that the Lakers have completely gotten rid of the "superstars first" thinking pattern. While other teams are still struggling with the luxury tax line, the Lakers used a total of 23 million salary space (Aiton 12 million + Dosum 7.5 million + Lalavia 3.5 million) to complete the all-round upgrade of the inside, outside and space. This operational efficiency is comparable to the classic case of the Clippers' "aircraft carrier" in 2019.

Looking back at the threshold of the 2025-26 season, the Lakers' operations this summer can be regarded as a textbook-level lineup reconstruction. Ayton's rebounding guarantee allows Davis to appear more in the fourth position, Dosum's defensive resilience makes up for Reeves' lack of experience, and Laravia's three-point firepower releases James' organizational pressure. This interlocking lineup design reminds people of the precise calculations when the Celtics formed the "Big Three" in 2008.

When the lights in the Staples Center light up again, fans have reason to look forward to this scene: Ayton built a wall in the penalty area, Dosum entangled the opponent's core like a ghost, Laravia set up an anti-aircraft gun outside the three-point line, and 37-year-old James is using his pass that has gone through vicissitudes but has become more and more experienced, connecting all this into the championship music.. This may be the real light flashing in Pelinka's eyes when she raised her glass at the press conference - not an apology for the past, but a determination for the future. It is only a matter of time before James can realize his dream of the general manager again.