What Are the Lakers Going To Do With Six Guards?

The Los Angeles Lakers re-signed guard Dennis Schroder to a one year $2.64 million contract. Schroder is returning to the Lakers after spending last year with the Boston Celtics. His return does beg the question, what are the Lakers going to do with six guards?

A Full Back Court

Currently, the Lakers have six guards including Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley and Austin Reaves. Westbrook’s future with the team has been in question since the end of last season. His name has been tied to many trade deals, but none has come to fruition. If a trade is not agreed upon, he is not expected to be the starting point guard this season. Instead, the nine-time all-star could potentially come off the bench, or be sent home while the team pays out the rest of his contract. 

The Patrick Beverley trade came as a bit of a surprise to many, as the veteran guard and Westbrook have notoriously had beef for nearly a decade now. It has been rumored that the two are putting that in the past. They have been in contact with one another since the trade. Beverley has even tweeted his support of Westbrook this season. 

If this trio of guards were not enough, the team also has to figure out where Austin Reaves, Kendrick Nunn and Lonnie Walker IV fit in. Coming off of his rookie season, Reaves is trying to prove himself as an everyday player. Kendrick Nunn signed with the Lakers in 2021. Due to multiple injuries, Nunn has yet to play a game with the team. The hope is he can prove himself to be the same if not an even better player than he was with the Miami Heat. Lonnie Walker IV signed with the Lakers this offseason, after the San Antonio Spurs allowed him to hit the free agency market. 

Having six guards will make it difficult for many of them to get consistent playing time.

History With the Team

Schroder is no stranger to the Lakers, having played on the 2020-21 championship-winning team. He turned down an $84 million contract extension with the Lakers, opting to test the free agency market. He signed a one-year deal with the Celtics. After falling short of a championship with the Celtics last season, he signed a one-year deal to return to Los Angeles. 

The Lakers hope that having six guards will add depth and variety to the team, instead of overwhelming

them with too many similar players.

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