Losing one of the greatest players in basketball history is never easy, much less finding a way to replace him. But after LeBron James's departure for the Philadelphia 76ers closed an eight-season chapter of Los Angeles Lakers history, the franchise has used the summer to build a roster specifically constructed around its new centerpiece, Luka Doncic, entering his third season with the team.

James's exit removed both a locker room leader and a player who averaged 20.9 points, 7.2 assists and 6.1 rebounds last season. The scale of that departure has fueled some skepticism about the Lakers' ability to compete among the NBA's best teams this coming season, particularly given that several of the team's new additions are either coming off injury-plagued campaigns or remain unproven in significant roles. Even so, an examination of the full roster suggests the Lakers have emerged from the offseason younger, deeper and better equipped to complement Doncic's game than at any point since he first arrived in Los Angeles.

The most important move of the Lakers' offseason was retaining guard Austin Reaves, who signed a four-year, $180 million contract, the largest deal in league history for a player who went undrafted. Reaves averaged a career-high 23.3 points across 51 games last season, making his return as a secondary scoring option alongside Doncic a clear organizational........

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