What will the Lakers do without James? Four starters are confirmed for the opening game, and Ayton is the one who should step up.

On October 11, there are still 11 days left before the start of the new NBA regular season. Lakers star James will miss 3-4 weeks due to right sciatic nerve pain, which has caused trouble for the Lakers' lineup. It is reported that the Lakers have confirmed four starters, and Ayton is seen as the one who should step forward.

According to Forbes reporter Evan Sidery, four starters for the Lakers' opening game have been confirmed, including Doncic, Reeves, Rui Hachimura and Ayton. Evan Sidery pointed out that they will choose the last starter among Smart, Laravia, and Vanderbilt to replace the injured James.

In this regard, Lakers reporter Buha gave a similar view. He said: "Doncic, Reeves and Ayton are the definite starters, and now, it is more mainly the competition between Hachimura, Vanderbilt, Smart and Laravia for the remaining two starting positions. If I have to make a prediction now, according to the Judging from the preseason and training situation, I might say that Hachimura and Vanderbilt are currently the most likely to become the Lakers' fourth and fifth starters."

In the absence of James, someone in the team will definitely need to step forward. Besides Doncic, who can provide stable performance, who will be this person? Andy Bailey named Ayton. Andy Bailey pointed out: "The person who needs to step up the most during James' absence is Ayton. He needs to resolutely cut to the basket and actively fight for offensive rebounds to make up for the large number of scoring gaps left by James. In addition, Ayton has the ability to help the Lakers tide over the difficulties on the defensive end. When he is switched outside, When he is on the line or pulled out of the penalty area by a more peripherally inclined big man, his footwork is also quite good. He is capable of averaging 20 points, 10 rebounds, 2-3 assists and 1 block per game."

Do you think the Lakers can successfully survive the period of James' absence? Welcome to give your opinions in the comment area.