With the addition of LeBron James and Rajon Rondo to the Los Angeles Lakers, fans can expect the purple and gold to be a well-oiled passing machine, especially with Lonzo Ball already entering his sophomore season.

Combined statistics reveal that James, Rondo, and Ball out-assisted 25 other NBA teams last season. Combined, the three tallied 24.2 assists per game.

Last season, the Golden State Warriors was the most unselfish team with 29.3 assists per game, followed by the Philadelphia 76ers with 27.2, the New Orleans Pelicans with 26.8, the Washington Wizards with 25.2, the Denver Nuggets with 25.1, then the Toronto Raptors with 24.3.

And in today's NBA, this stat might prove critical. Over the past few years, the league seems to be leaning towards a more team-oriented style of play. The San Antonio Spurs were popular for this type of gameplay and they managed to win several championships over the past two decades.

Article Continues Below
More Los Angeles Lakers News
Byron Scott during the Jerry Colangelo Golf Classic on September 13, 2024.
Former Laker Byron Scott reveals Kobe Bryant’s ‘most gangster s**t’ everMiguel La Torre ·
Coco Gauff of the United States poses with the trophy after winning the women’s singles final against Aryna Sabalenka on day 14 at Roland Garros Stadium.
LeBron James erupts with huge reaction to Coco Gauff’s French Open winLorenzo J Reyna ·
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Kobe Bryant, Oklahoma City Thunder, Los Angeles Lakers
How Shai Gilgeous-Alexander draws ‘influence’ from Kobe BryantTomer Azarly ·
LeBron James, Stephen (Steph) Curry, who may be heading to an ESPN NBA broadcasting booth after they retire, after Lakers-Warriors game on December 25, 2024.
ESPN has ‘hopeful’ LeBron James, Stephen Curry wishAndrew Korpan ·
Chris Paul rescinded NBA trade Lakers Hornets
Chris Paul shuts down Hornets-Lakers trade conspiracyJulian Ojeda ·
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) celebrates with Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) during the fourth quarter.
Luka Doncic’s offseason body transformation has Lakers fans hypedJedd Pagaduan ·

The Warriors, too, despite housing the likes of Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry — both of which can easily beat their foes 1-on-1 — have opted to design a playbook that involves tons of off-ball movement, passing, and misdirection.

And last season, the Lakers ran set plays reminiscent of that of the Warriors. The focal point of their offense was Ball — whose passing ability has received praise from critics and teammates alike. This is no surprise given that their head coach Luke Walton spent a significant amount of time with the Warriors' Steve Kerr.

In the upcoming season, fans should expect a lot of ball movement, precise passing, and a whole lot of baskets from the new and improved Lakers squad.