LA Lakers depth chart: What could be the team's starting 5 after adding D'Angelo Russell and letting go of Russell Westbrook?

The LA Lakers depth chart has changed dramatically in the past 24 hours. On Wednesday night, the team executed a three-team deal that landed them D'Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, and Jarred Vanderbilt. Among the key pieces going out in the trade was Russell Westbrook.

After having a questionable supporting cast to open the year, the Lakers now have a full roster of contributors. Between this blockbuster deal and the Rui Hachimura trade, they've greatly improved the group of players around LeBron James and Anthony Davis.

With all these new pieces, debates have ensued about what the Lakers' starting lineup should be going forward. To put it simply, they have multiple routes they can take when it comes to their opening five.

Looking up and down the LA Lakers depth chart, they have flexibility when it comes to the starting group. The only locks are D'Angelo Russell, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis. After that, Darvin Ham can build countless different lineups.

If the Lakers want to go offense-heavy, they could start Malik Beasley and Rui Hachimura with the new big three. There is also the idea of putting defense around them and starting Patrick Beverley and Jarred Vanderbilt. In reality, with this new group, the starting lineup could look different on a night-to-night basis.

Can the new-lool LA Lakers depth chart make a playoff push?

Even if they don't make any more moves before the deadline, the LA Lakers depth chart is strong enough now to push for a playoff spot. After two trades, they've managed to fix their glaring issue.

Moving on from Russell Westbrook allowed the Lakers to completely restructure their roster. Most importantly, they were able to add pieces that fit. D'Angelo Russell and Malik Beasley are two knockdown shooters from deep, and Jarred Vanderbilt is a high-IQ defender.

It's not an exact replica, but this Lakers roster draws similarities to the group that won a title in the bubble back in 2020. The supporting cast around LeBron and AD is littered with defense and three-point shooting.

This new-look LA Lakers depth chart is impressive, but they have their work cut out for them. Landing a spot in the Western Conference playoffs is not going to be easy. The standings were already air-tight, and teams are only getting better before the deadline.

With the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns adding Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant, there are two juggernauts in the mix now. This arms race in the West should lead to a fun final few weeks of the regular season.