The Los Angeles Lakers decided not to make a big splash in free agency this summer. Instead, they pursued role-players to surround LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Now that we know that James will return for his 21st season, we can safely assume that the Purple and Gold will be working hard to be competitive throughout the season and in the playoffs.

The process of getting there, however, could be a long one, and the latest reports out of LA suggest that lineup changes are to be expected within the first few weeks. Namely, Lakers newcomer Gabe Vincent has a chance to push D’Angelo Russell to the bench.

“Point guard is one of two starting lineup spots that are up for grabs. Russell and Vincent will compete for the spot, with Russell projected as the early favorite to start,” wrote Lakers insider Jovan Buha. “With all that said, this is an open competition, and Vincent has a legitimate chance to steal the starting job. He is the better defender than Russell and a more natural off-ball fit as a lower-usage catch-and-shoot threat. Unlike Russell, Vincent’s defensive chops prevent him from being played off the floor in the postseason, as he showed during the Heat’s Finals run.”

D’Lo is a bit of a controversial figure for Lakers Nation. On one hand, he was huge in helping the team bounce back from their nightmarish start, on the other hand, he can be unreliable at times due to a lack of focus.

When the Lakers brought him back, it was widely believed that Russell would go uncontested as the starting guard for LA, but the signing of Gabe Vincent has put a healthy level of competition at the position.

During Miami’s trip to the Finals, Vincent played above expectations with an average of 12.7 points per game on 37% from three.

Are Lakers Title Contenders Next Season?

After essentially running it back with last year’s team, Lakers GM Rob Pelinka is choosing to best on his guys and what they can become with more time together.

This past season, they made the Conference Finals despite only a few weeks of playing together. So with more time to gel and learn each other’s game, who is to say this Lakers team can do even better next year?

We will find out soon enough, but the point guard battle between D’Lo and Vincent will be one of the biggest keys to their success one way or another.