This season so far, James and Davis have been on the court together for 809 minutes with a net efficiency of 4.4. In comparison, Tatum and Brown have a net efficiency of 9.1; Mitchell and Garland have 8.3; Doncic and Irving have 9.7; Jokic and Murray have 11.1; Durant and Booker have 3.6.
From the comparison of these data, James and Davis are still one of the best duos in the league today. However, does the Lakers need a third star player?
For this, I believe there are two points to consider:
First, Reeves. In the last 10 games, he has averaged 21+5+8, which indicates that Reeves is increasingly resembling a dual-guard and is close to the level of a star player. Additionally, his performance against teams like the Cavaliers, Warriors, and Rockets, where he scored 20+5, demonstrates his ability to perform well in tough matches.
However, during crucial moments in the same period, Reeves' shooting percentage was only 33.3%. Apparently, after becoming the team's main offensive player, Reeves has not yet adapted to the high-intensity defense. In other words, despite being malleable, he still has room for growth.
Second, Davis. This season, whether it's his mid-range shooting rate of 44.2% or his three-point shooting rate of 31.8%, both are the highest in recent seasons. Potentially, Davis has the possibility of regaining his mid-to-long-range shooting touch from the championship-winning season.
In such a situation, how to make Davis play easily and efficiently is the top priority for the Lakers. On one hand, James' age is a factor, and more importantly, Davis has become the new leader of the Lakers.
Based on these two points, the Lakers still need a third star player at this stage, especially since Reeves has not yet fully "matured." Of course, this third person does not necessarily have to be a star. To be precise, someone who can share the offensive and defensive pressure on Davis is needed.
Just like Sohan of the Spurs —— he defends opponents' shots within 6 feet in 38.7% of defensive plays, reducing their shooting percentage from 62.0% to 51.3%. In other words, Sohan's presence greatly reduces the rim protection pressure on Wembanyama. Based on this, the latter can focus more energy on the offensive end —— scoring 40+ against the Wizards, Knicks, and Hawks.
Meanwhile, according to the NBA China official website, the Blazers plan to trade Ayton but the market response is lukewarm. From this news, we can conclude that Ayton is tradable.
In 389 NBA career games, Ayton averages 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds. For the data, there are two good explanations:
First, mid-range shooting. His career mid-range shooting rate is 45.6%.
Second, big two-pointers. His career shooting rate is 42.6%.
Looking at the data separately, although Ayton does not possess the three-point shooting ability of players like Towns and Markkanen, his shooting ability does not hinder space. In fact, his shooting ability is very similar to Mirotic and Cousins during Davis' time with the Pelicans. To be precise, their shooting ability can create space for Davis' offense.
For James, Ayton can finish the offense by rolling down or popping out for a shot after setting a pick-and-roll. Moreover, considering the Blazers are actively seeking trades, it can be said that the Lakers have a very good chance of getting Ayton.
Finally, considering the Blazers are actively seeking trades, congratulations to James and Davis for welcoming a good helper.