Los Angeles Lakers: Power ranking the team’s top players after Week 1

Gil Alcaraz IV

Photo by Harry How/Getty Images

We’re a week into the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2017-18 campaign, so let’s look at the first round of player power rankings following the team’s 2-2 start.

We’re just over a week into the 2017-18 NBA season, and the Los Angeles Lakers sit at 2-2 after four contests. While it hasn’t been a spectacular start to the year for the purple and gold, there have been signs of promise that suggest the future is bright for this franchise.

This young roster has certainly flashed the upside so many have been talking about over the last few months. The rookie class is getting the job done, and the Lakers’ other prospects have also shown significant improvement. Despite the solid record, there’s still much ground to cover before we can start calling this team a contender.

Expectations should be tempered, though. You’re welcomed to get slightly excited about this team’s potential. Unfortunately, it could be another year before we see them truly work their way into the playoff conversation.

With that being said, let’s focus on right now. So who are the top Lakers at this very moment, and what have they shown us so far? It wasn’t easy putting this list together — there were legitimately 7-8 players worthy of a spot in the top five. Whittling it down took some time, but I made it work.

So without further ado, let’s take a look at my player power rankings for the Lakers after the first week of the 2017-18 campaign. It’s been fun watching the Lake Show through four games, and it only figures to get more entertaining as this young roster develops some chemistry.

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5. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

The main reason Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finds himself at No. 5 here is that he missed the first two games of the season due to suspension. Since his return to the lineup against the New Orleans Pelicans, he’s been a positive presence for the Lakers.

In his first game back, he dropped 20 points for Los Angeles while making a significant impact in the 3-and-D role. Although his scoring wasn’t as dramatic in his second outing, Caldwell-Pope made several outstanding defensive plays down the stretch, allowing the Lakers to stay within striking distance of the Washington Wizards.

As he gets back into the flow of things, I’m assuming we’re going to see more and more excitement from the Lakers’ top free agent signing. He’s already delivered in the clutch on a couple of occasions, and has made the most of his opportunities from deep (41.7 percent from downtown).

Magic Johnson knew he was getting a good one when he spent big bucks on Caldwell-Pope this offseason. Let’s just hope that he can deliver on a consistent basis, which wasn’t always the case during his days with the Detroit Pistons.

It won’t be long before we see KCP much higher on this list. I can assure you of that.

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4. Kyle Kuzma

I bounced back and forth between Jordan Clarkson and Kyle Kuzma for this spot. Both have performed tremendously well off the bench, but one always seems to be in the game when it matters most. That would be the rookie, who has clearly earned the trust of this coaching staff.

3. Larry Nance Jr.

If it wasn’t for the fact that the Lakers need to get Julius Randle minutes too, Larry Nance Jr. may be higher on this list. The third-year pro has been a lightning rod for this Lakers team, although it’s a bit strange they seem to keep him on the bench when it comes down to crunch time.

Still, the damage he does when he’s on the court is undeniable. He’s cleaning the boards with ease, making heads-up plays on defense and using his athleticism and basketball IQ to create quality opportunities on offense. There’s a reason he’s the starter, and it’s not just because he’s a terrific dunker.

On top of all of that, I love how efficient he’s been from the field. While it makes sense considering most of his shots come from in close, Nance is connecting on 62.2 percent of his field goals. He also happens to be second on the team in rebounds (7.8) and steals (1.3) per game. Put simply, he’s getting it done in just about every aspect of the game.

Is there room for improvement? Of course. I’d love to see him make a few more plays on defense and up his rim protection a bit. As a whole, though, Nance has been a pleasant surprise in his new role as the starting power forward. It’s great to see him being more than just a high-flying dunk specialist.

If Randle continues to steal minutes from Nance, we could see him tumble down the rankings in the coming weeks. For now, he’s earned the right to sit comfortably at No. 3.

2. Lonzo Ball

Part of me wanted to put Lonzo Ball atop this list. Through his first four games, he’s made plenty of “wow” plays and nearly pulled off a triple-double. Unfortunately, the lack of effectiveness as a shooter/scorer soured me on that idea.

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Following his lackluster shooting effort against the Wizards, Ball now owns a 31.6 field goal percentage on the season. What’s worse is he’s connected on only 22.6 percent of his 3-point shots. I appreciate and approve of the confidence he’s playing with when it comes to shooting, but the inefficiency is a definite issue.

With that being said, Ball has still been the savvy playmaker Lakers fans were hoping for. He’s averaging nine assists per game, putting those uncanny passing skills on display on a nightly basis. On top of that, his rebounding has been superb, as he’s currently leading the team with nine boards per game. The scoring may not be there yet, but he’s finding other ways to make his presence felt.

Speaking of which, he’s been a sneaky good defender as well. There have been a few instances of him losing his man, but he does a great job of recovering, looking for opportunities to impact the shot from behind, and is always finding ways to get his hands on the ball.

I want to see two things from him moving forward: 1) Sinking a higher percentage of his shots and 2) Cutting down on turnovers. If he can do both of those things, he’ll be atop this list where he should be.

1. Brandon Ingram

Since this is a power ranking and is largely based off of the most recent action, I had to go with Brandon Ingram here. It’s partly due to Ball’s struggles from the field against the Wizards. It’s also partly due to the fact that Ingram had a huge game against D.C. and is quietly coming into his own.

On Wednesday night, the Lakers called on Ingram to be the man in the fourth quarter. He responded with a barrage of points that culminated in the game-tying second-chance bucket to send it to overtime.

BRANDON INGRAM pic.twitter.com/zkhEwSjldT
— Gifdsports (@gifdsports) October 26, 2017

It seems like every game he’s improving. Ingram is cutting down on the ill-advised shots, using his body better to get into the lane, and making impact plays across the board. Although his averages aren’t going to wow anyone, 15.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game is a good start for a guy who needs to break out in 2017-18.

In the end, though, it’s that deadly fourth-quarter performance from Ingram that lands him atop this week’s power rankings. He’s still got a lot of work to do this season, but he should be well on his way to a ridiculous sophomore campaign if he keeps improving at this pace.

Next: Lakers who already appear expendable in 2017-18

I’ll admit I was skeptical coming into the season, especially after the way Ingram played during the preseason. Through four games, though, I’m feeling much more confident in his ability to be one of the stars of the Lake Show.

Gil Alcaraz IV

NFL expert, self-proclaimed craft beer connoisseur and proud husband/father.