The defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers got busy this offseason, adding new faces to their already star-studded roster. This going to be a long one, if you’re curious. Before we get into the new acquisitions, first a shout out to the returnees.

LeBron James and Anthony Davis resigned long-term, cementing the Lakers as championship contenders for the next 3-4 years, at least. I don’t expect the two of them to come out of the gates swinging at full force with the short offseason, so health and longevity will once again be the biggest question marks for the league’s most lethal duo.

The oft-maligned Kyle Kuzma survived another offseason of trade rumors, and although his new deal is still adrift in space, I’m expecting a much better campaign for him this time around. With the Lakers bench becoming much deeper, all eyes won’t zero in on every move and mistake the young Laker makes in his time on the floor. His defense also took a significant step in the right direction last season, and he should continue to build on that.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope got paid, and rightfully so. He was pivotal in the Lakers title run, and has proven time and time again to be a perfect fit alongside James and Davis in the starting lineup. The issue now will be whether or not his production is worth the price we paid.

Quinn Cook, Jared Dudley, and Markeiff Morris, three key veterans on the Laker bench who’s contributions both on the off the court are well documented, are back on vet-minimums. I was going to be livid if Dudz got lost at the wayside, and Morris was bigger down the stretch than any of us could’ve foreseen.

And finally, rookies Kostas Antetokounmpo and Devante Cacok are back on two-way contracts to crutch any major injuries at the forward spots.

But let’s dig into the new guys.

Dennis Schröder-PG

The departures of Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley left the Lakers thin at the point guard position. Rondo’s playmaking and veteran presence was an integral part of the Lakers success last season, and Bradley anchored every defensive assignment on tricky guards with poise and consistency. Filling both these voids was a tough task for GM Rob Pelinka, but he was more than able to find his man. He acquired Dennis Schröder from the Oklahoma City Thunder for Danny Green and the 28th pick, a player LeBron himself has said he’s admired for years for his tenacity, and all-around game. True to the King’s words, Schröder has been the complete package for a majority of his career; a guard that can create his own shot, create for others, shoot admirably off the catch, and defend with high-energy.

Part of me envisions a starting lineup of KCP, Wesley Matthews (more on him soon), Bron, AD, and Marc Gasol (same thing), recreating the lineup that won them a title last season minus Bradley, and either Javale McGee or Dwight Howard. This because Schröder and Montrez Harrell (…) could wreak havoc on second units as a pseudo-version of the Clippers’ Harrell and Lou Williams from last season. Also, as much as I would take a bullet for Alex Caruso, his playmaking abilities still have lots of room for improvement. But the new Lakers guard has stated he expects to start, and just as the case of last season, these first few games should serve as trials with all these new faces on the squad for head coach Frank Vogel to see what works, what doesn’t.

All in all, this is a massive pick up for the purple and gold, getting a player who is both a win-now addition and one they could eventually sign to run alongside their big 2 for years to come. And only for the cost of Lakers Twitter’s most criticized player next to Kuzma, and a late first round pick, this is a home run for Pelinka and the front office.

Montrezl Harrell, F/C

Perhaps the most stunning move of the offseason, former Clipper Montrezl Harrell decided to clean out his locker, and then put everything right back, just with some color changes. Once McGee was tendered and Dwight left for Philly, I was certain the likes of Tristan Thompson and/or Demarcus Cousins were locked in as Stuperman’s replacement on veteran minimums. But instead, the Lakers added Harrell, the reigning 6th Man of the Year, and stealing him from their annoying roommate all at once.

Harrell is a tornado of energy and effort inside, something the Lakers leaned heavily on the aforementioned vet centers of last season. But with his much more versatile offensive repertoire, Trez has now moved the Laker bench from average to elite. Alongside fellow scorer Kyle Kuzma, potentially Schröder but most likely fellow spark plug Alex Caruso, and Matthews and Keef stretching the floor on the perimeter, the Laker second unit is one of the league’s best.

My only concerns come defensively, as Harrell was bullied by the likes of Nikola Jokic and other true big men late in games, outweighing his offensive contributions and leaving him virtually unplayable at times. But having him in the lineup with defensive anchors like AD or Gasol should help shoulder those shortcomings, and with word that the Clippers weren’t too keen on bringing back the literal 6th Man of the Year winner, I can’t wait to see him exact his revenge on them. Another absolute stellar move.

Marc Gasol-C

Despite their defensive prowess in the paint, Dwight and Javale, among others, brought a veteran presence to the club that will be sorely missed. Rob Pelinka sought to fill this void, and again, I was certain longtime LeBron counterpart Tristan Thompson or Demarcus Cousins in a redemption role was surely the way he would go. But he decided to dig just a little bit deeper into the Lakers’ pockets and grab Marc Gasol, who is the epitome of veteran savvy and leadership.

Without Rajon Rondo’s ability to play floor general with LeBron on the bench, enter Gasol, a perfect candidate to replace him, just at the center slot. What Gasol lacks in athleticism and power in comparison to Howard and McGee, he makes up for with his basketball IQ and ability to stretch the floor. Not to mention he’s still a more than capable paint defender against the likes of Nikola Jokic and other strong Western bigs. Despite a dismal shooting performance in the bubble playoffs, I expect the once Laker draft pick to shine as a Laker, being able to accept a much lesser role at his age.

McGee and Howard essentially provided the same things to the Lakers in their minutes, being rim-protecting enforcers that are lob threats on offense. Now with Gasol and Harrell, the Lakers have the ability to give teams two distinctly different looks any given night when they aren’t sliding AD to the five spot, providing versatility and stability whatever unit Gasol finds himself in with.

Teams that go small could render Gasol useless in certain scenarios, and his lackluster bubble could be signs that father time is catching up with the 3-time All Star. Too bad they don’t have an Anthony Davis-type to slide to the five spot in those situations…

I hate to be a broken record, but another great grab from the Lakers front office.

Also, Pau reunion? You know you want it.

Wesley Matthews-G

It’s typical for ring chasing vets to insert themselves onto championship-caliber rosters to fulfill. Wesley Matthews did so last season in Milwaukee, but ran into Jimmy Buckets instead. This time around, he’s joining the reigning NBA champs, who look poised to win another with his arrival. Matthews’ duties will follow those of Danny Green’s last year: provide strong perimeter defense and knock down open three pointers at a high clip.

Despite his postseason woes, Green did this incredibly well in the regular season and in playoff games past, furthering the notion that the injuries he played through were the root cause of his struggles.

Matthews is as seasoned as they come, already committing to defensive excellence in interviews. And his 3-point shot, which has never averaged under 36% for a season in his career, is more than spoken for.

At a friendly cost, Matthews proves to be a perfect replacement for Green. The only question will be whether or not he will start. Again, do the Lakers run a copycat of last year’s starters with the new guys replacing the departed old guys, in this case Matthews instead of Green alongside LeBron, AD, Gasol instead of Javale/Dwight, and KCP? Or do they start Schröder and let Matthews bring some true sniping abilities to the second unit? Both seems plausible and sensible, so only time will tell.

Alfonso McKinnie-F/G

Acquired in the deal that banished Javale McGee to Cleveland, Alfonso McKinnie beat out other former Golden State dud Jordan Bell to survive the waiver wire. McKinnie serves to provide the Lakers wing depth towards the end of their bench.

Despite being on my list of former Warriors whose only NBA success is because they had Steph, Klay, KD, and Dray as teammates, McKinnie should be in line to benefit similarly from LeBron and AD in catch and shoot situations. His defense is anything from solid, but he has good size for a perimeter player at 6’8″, as the Lakers did lose some length on the wings with the departure of Danny Green. Unless Wes Matthew sees significant health or performance issues, McKinnie will be pressed to find consistent minutes this season.

Not bad considering the salary dump of McGee to make Gasol work, and of the two they got in return, McKinnie is lightyears better and more sensible to the Lakers than Jordan Bell.

So as the Lakers get set to kick off the preseason later this evening, this is the most confident I’ve been in a Laker squad before opening night since they acquired Steve Nash and Dwight Howard (the first time).

Let’s hope it goes better than that did.

To good health and another ring.

Cheers.