Frank Vogel Denies Report That LeBron James Has Been Named Lakers' Starting Point Guard
By Scott Rogust
While the NBA #FreeAgencyFrenzy has slowed down of late, that doesn't mean the excitement is gone in the run up to next season. One report that created significant buzz contended that LeBron James will be the Los Angeles Lakers' starting point guard this upcoming season.
On Wednesday, however, coach Frank Vogel put the kibosh on the report during an appearance on ESPN, saying he has not yet made any decision regarding the team's starting lineup man-for-man in 2019-20.
Frank Vogel on ESPN 2 now: There are no decisions on the starting lineup. There’s been no decision on LeBron starting at point guard. It’s too early to decide/make determinations on who will start and where.
— Darius Soriano (@forumbluegold) July 11, 2019
Once reports surfaced of James playing at the No. 1 spot, nobody was really surprised, given the ball has run through him for the majority of his career. However, it made more sense after the team traded for Anthony Davis, and signed the likes of DeMarcus Cousins and Danny Green, with the championship window wide open for this upcoming season.
If Vogel is steadfast on pumping the brakes on anointing LeBron the automatic choice at the point, as the Lakers have brought back veteran Rajon Rondo and signed Quinn Cook, formerly of the Golden State Warriors, to respective two-year contracts. It does make sense to see how those guys fare alongside LBJ and Anthony Davis before making any serious decisions.
Yahoo Sources: Los Angeles Lakers intend to move LeBron James to the starting point guard position. https://t.co/is6BPo5W0q
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) July 8, 2019
Given the Laker organization's fondness for forward Kyle Kuzma, LeBron starting at point guard does make the most sense. Of course, the NBA has moved increasingly toward a sort of positionless basketball in the last few years, so at a certain point, we're splitting hairs.
The Los Angeles Lakers are built to contend this upcoming season. LeBron is going to be on the floor with the ball in his hands no matter what. That's the most important takeaway here and now.