2022-23 Phoenix Suns vs. 2022-23 Los Angeles Lakers Full Comparison
Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers are huge winners for the 2023 NBA trade deadline. Now it's time to compare them and see which team is better: Phoenix Suns with Kevin Durant, Devin Booker, Chris Paul and Deandre Ayton or Los Angeles Lakers with LeBron James, Anthony Davis and D'Angelo Russell.
Credit: Fadeaway World
The NBA trade deadline is a magical time of year and 2022-23 has been no disappointment. This is a time for playoff teams and middle-of-the-pack teams to begin to make a push toward contention. This is a time for tough business decisions and major moves to come to fruition, slightly adjusting the power struggle in today’s NBA. Even before the deadline approached, the Western Conference was deemed to be up in the air and there for anyone’s taking. As the deadline comes to a conclusion, the Western Conference has shifted massively, more than anyone could have ever expected.
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At the center of these huge deadline deals, have been two teams, the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers have been at the center of trade discussions for over a year now with all of the pressure on General Manager Rob Pelinka. They got the ball rolling earlier this month with the acquisition of Rui Hachimura from the Washington Wizards. Wednesday afternoon, they made an even bigger splash by trading point guard Russell Westbrook out of town and acquiring D’Angelo Russell from the Timberwolves along with Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley. They also added some much-needed frontcourt depth by sending away Patrick Beverley and a second-round pick for Magic center Mo Bamba. The Lakers currently sit at 25-30 and 13th in the Western Conference so they are hoping these moves can energize a franchise that missed the playoffs one year ago.
As for the other team making headlines at the deadline, the Suns made the biggest splash of the entire year in the wee hours of Thursday morning. The Suns shipped out Mikal Bridges, Jae Crowder, Cam Johnson, and four first-round picks to Brooklyn in exchange for superstar Kevin Durant. The move makes a “Big 4” in Phoenix essentially, adding Durant to a lineup that already includes Chris Paul, Devin Booker, and Deandre Ayton. Does the move make Phoenix a title contender? Your guess is as good as mine but they should and will be considered favorites from this moment forth.
How do these two teams stack up against each other? Well, this is the full comparison of the 2022-23 Phoenix Suns and the 2022-23 Los Angeles Lakers.
Starting Lineups
Credit: Fadeaway World
Phoenix Suns: Chris Paul, Devin Booker, T.J. Warren, Kevin Durant, Deandre Ayton
Los Angeles Lakers: D’Angelo Russell, Malik Beasley, Rui Hacimura, LeBron James, Anthony Davis
The Phoenix Suns’ starting lineup gets a lot more explosive with the addition of Durant. He brings nearly 30.0 PPG on 60.0% shooting and dominating scoring from all three levels. Along with Durant’s likely debut after the All-Star break, Phoenix has welcomed back Devin Booker from injury who was already among the NBA’s brightest young guards. Chris Paul, who is having a down season by most standards, will be tasked with running the offense as one of the league’s best playmakers still at this stage. The Suns also acquired TJ Warren who will have ample space to work with considering the attention that Booker and Durant will draw. This also bodes well for young big man Deandre Ayton who will serve as the Suns’ frontcourt go-to guy. Phoenix has a clear advantage here.
Aside from LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the Lakers’ starting lineup looks completely different than it did just three weeks ago. Russell Westbrook is out and in comes D’Angelo Russell who most fans and analysts seem to think is a better fit. Also incoming is Malik Beasley who gives the Lakers some shooting and Jarred Vanderbilt who will be a great addition to the Lakers' frontcourt. LeBron has been on a tear in his 20th season, keeping the Lakers somewhat in things as far as the playoffs go. Anthony Davis is back in the lineup as well and as long as his health stays consistent, this Lakers team causes a ton of issues for opponents moving forward.
Advantage: Suns
Bench
Credit: Fadeaway World
Phoenix Suns: Cameron Payne, Damion Lee, Josh Okogie, Landry Shamet, Torrey Craig, Darius Bazley, Jock Landale, Bismack Biyombo
Los Angeles Lakers: Dennis Schroder, Lonnie Walker IV, Austin Reaves, Max Christie, Troy Brown Jr., Jarred Vanderbilt, Mo Bamba
The Lakers did a tremendous job overhauling their roster at the trade deadline to give them a slight advantage over the Suns here. The Suns did trade Dario Saric at the deadline to pick up Oklahoma City forward Darius Baxley who brings some size to a depleted bench. Torrey Craig and Cameron Payne are their two best remaining bench player barring another move to shore up the bench at the deadline. With the Suns seemingly done adding to their roster for now, their depth will be one of the issues moving forward in 2022-23.
The bench for the Lakers we are looking at from this moment forth is completely different than the one we saw the night LeBron James broke the scoring record. Jarred Vanderbilt is someone who can crack the starting lineup at some point, giving Anthony Davis some reprieve on defense. They have also added even more frontcourt help with the acquisition of Orlando center Mo Bamba who, after serving his suspension, gives the Lakers even more depth up front. Dennis Schroder, Austin Reaves, and Max Christie all remain in Los Angeles, for now, to shore up the rest of their bench. Reaves will be a solid minutes filler when he returns from injury and Schroder has already shown he can thrive in the backup role.
Advantage: Lakers
Monty Williams vs. Darvin Ham
Credit: Fadeaway World
The Phoenix Suns gain another point for their advantage in the coaching department. Monty Williams is an experienced, well-spoken, and respected basketball mind that will draw the respect and adoration of his new superstar. If there were any coach who can get things turned around with a “Big 4” within his grasp, it would be Monty Williams and the Phoenix Suns. Williams is already an NBA Coach of the Year and has NBA Finals experience under his belt as well which is far more than Darvin Ham could say at this point in his career.
Darvin Ham was given the keys to a team that was in the midst of utter turmoil and dysfunction headed into the 2022-23 season. At the trade deadline, Rob Pelinka became a hero in Los Angeles by completely revamping the roster and depth of the Lakers lineup, making Ham’s job just a bit easier. Now is the real test of Ham’s coaching repertoire as the Lakers welcome a completely new look and what should be an improved team. Ham will be celebrated if the Lakers turn things around in their final 27 games or he will be the scapegoat if they continue to fail, unfortunately.
Advantage: Suns
Phoenix Suns Advantages
The Phoenix Suns have a few advantages over the lakers here as do the Lakers over the Suns. The first Phoenix advantage has to be their offensive firepower. The addition of a scorer the caliber of Kevin Durant along with the already-established Devin Booker and Deandre Ayton is a dangerous combination. Teams will have their hands full trying to keep up with the scoring from the wings that will be coming from the Suns. This is all tied together by the playmaking and leadership that Chris Paul can still provide as well as the continued improvement from Deandre Ayton.
Another advantage for Phoenix will be in the coaching department. Both rosters are sporting a completely new look but I trust Monty Williams to get things figured out far before Darvin Ham does. Ham doesn’t have a lot of time to work with his new roster while Williams has the Suns in fifth in the West and right in the thick of things. Williams is already a coach with NBA Finals experience and with the addition of Durant, had a ton to work with from an offensive standpoint.
Los Angeles Lakers Advantages
The Lakers would give the Suns a run for their money if all works out well with their revamped roster. A big reason for that is their first advantage and that is the depth of the rest of their roster around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The Lakers did an incredible jump of doing a complete 180 and addressing many of their glaring needs at the trade deadline. Additions such as Jarred Vanderbilt, Malik Beasley, D’Angelo Russell, Mo Bamba, and Rui Hachimura were about as great as a deadline that the Lakers could have and makes them one of the deeper teams in the West after the deadline.
Another advantage for the Lakers is the presence of LeBron James and Anthony Davis themselves. When they are at their best and healthy, Davis and James are among the best duos in basketball. Giving them a completely new supporting cast is only going to elevate their play as they hunt for a play-in or playoff spot. James and Davis have been here before and know what it takes to win an NBA championship. Only Kevin Durant is familiar with that feeling on Phoenix’s side.
Who Is The Better Team After The Deadline?
At first glance, the Phoenix Suns look like the clear winner of the 2022-23 NBA trade deadline. When a team is able to acquire a superstar the caliber of Kevin Durant, there isn’t much that can be done to top it. Durant immediately made the Suns the team with the third-best odds to win the NBA championship upon the announcement. With the other three main parts of their 2021 Finals team remaining in town in the deal, it is fair to say that Phoenix takes the cake when it comes to who got better at the trade deadline.
That being said, the Lakers were also winners at the deadline. They added defense, and shooting, and rid themselves of what, they think at least, is the root of all of their problems in Russell Westbrook. They added depth behind Anthony Davis in case another injury comes to light over the next two months and also surrounded LeBron with the pieces to compete at a high level. The Lakers are not the same as they were one week ago. They are better and the team brass, fans, and players should all be excited and breathe a sigh of relief should everything else fall into place and their plan comes together.
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