As we move into 2024 the Lakers have some good and bad problems that need settling. Injuries, a travel-heavy schedule after the IST has slow whatever momentum that was generated by winning said tournament. Here are five ways to augment the good and mitigate the bad.
1) Put one of a Reaves or Russell back in the starting lineup and, barring injury, make it as permanent as possible. The new-lol starting five has a high ceiling defensively but its floor on offense is quite low. It needs another shooter and playmaker. Either player makes sense and I don’t much care which one.
2) This would bump one of Cam, TP or Vando to the bench. At this point Prince seems pretty entrenched as a starter and I like his shot making with LeBron and AD to at lest try and soften the paint. Between Cam and Vando I’d say Cam’s played better this season but has also been out with a groin which may end up being a lengthy recovery injury but hopefully not. If balancing the bench is a major concern (it is) Cam off the bench makes sense, too. Whichever one gets the nod needs to be in-point defensively and rebound better than either player has done for most of the season while also looking for their offense in the moments it’s required.
3) Whenever he plays DLo needs to play more than 20 mpg. If you want to get anything out of him on the court or in a trade nothing’s being helped by playing him meager role minutes. He’s either part of what we’re trying to do or a future trade chip but neither scenario is aided by sitting him for more than half the game. While he won’t likely outplay his rep, if anything the need to bench him likely solidified it, but you still want to give him a chance to shoot his way into a better role or trade scenario.
4) Switch everything, zone up, trap, or full court press one-on-one but whatever defense we’re using has to adjust and correct when the other team is shooting 50%. I like the length we can deploy but bits meaningless if we’re not contesting shots or stopping drives and forcing tough mid range jumpers. We’re giving up the kind of shots coaches want so whatever’s being deployed isn’t working very well.
5) LeBron and AD are healthy and playing really well. While that in and of itself may not be quite enough to hang with the best in the west it means the coaching staff can focus on what players work best around then and when in whatever combos they prefer. Guys not named LeBron and AD shoulda known what they were signing on for: all in on a banner. If that means starting, so be it and good job. If it means coming off the bench then you do it and you do it well. If you’re riding the pine, stay ready and don’t squander the opportunity when the light shines in you. Champions are not won by the stars alone. Lakers history is filled with guys who could have started, didn’t and excelled off the bench and swung games for the better. It’s impossible to think of the Bubble Banner and not remember Dwight and JaVale, reduced to mere garbage time players by the end, cheering their teammates on all game long. You can contribute without playing, even if that’s not the path envisioned.
All in all I think some minor changes can help some but most of this comes down to coaches coaching a little better and the players executing a little better. Also, everyone needs to stop with the passive aggressive finger pointing. Stop blaming the replay center, the rotations, the health, and just go out and play your hardest and your best. That has a funny way of solving problems and it really could be as simple as that.
I pretty much Agree Jamie. I will say that this starting units defense has a chance to be really good if they ever have the chance to play together for a while. But as usual injuries is preventing that. Still I agree that it’s probably better to have a guard in the starting lineup. While the new line up has unleashed AD, the only thing that stopped him last game was foul trouble, you need another play maker, another that can collapse the paint. Both Austin and DLO can do that. Prince is not good attacking the paint. Vando doesn’t even try. Cams a little better at it. It would also give us another shooter. Still the key to anything we try is going to be health. We have to have guys together long enough to develop some chemistry. And unfortunately we are starting 2024 the way we ended 2023 with 3 important players fighting injuries. Hopefully at least one or two of them will be available against the Heat.
HAPPY NEW YEAR, JAMIE. GOOD FIVER!
1) Think Reaves will replace Rui in the long-term starting lineup that lasted half of 1 game. It’s the logical move now. Might have to start doubling and trapping more to help Austin on D and he will have to get better if he wants to remain a starter. In the end, I think this is the right move but Reaves starting is only temporary.
2) I’ve changed minds on Prince and like that he’s letting it fly. C/b better on D but he still starts. Front office is not going to let Ham play 2 non-shooters. My choice is like yours Cam because his overall O is livable whereas Vando as is is not. Guy gets blocked at the rim and throws air balls from the corner.
3) Man, we need to see a trade on Jan 15, not Feb 5. The less I see of DLO, the better. This team needs to play fast and physical and DLO is the antithesis of both of those.
4) We should still switch everything, even with Austin starting, just need to give him help and not leave him on an island 1-on-1. Change up, double, trap, help. That’s how team defense works. Switch everything fits better with drop coverage. We get killed by floaters and midrange jumpers. Lot harder to get those when the opponent switches everything.
5) My biggest criticism of Ham is too much experimenting. It’s like Rob gave him too many toys to play with which cost us valuable time and we’re still not done. Find specific roles that work for everybody. Wood spot up 3-ball shooter, rebounder, and good perimeter defender with help. Max pretty much same thing, He’s not a point guard or playmaker. Guys are too ofter asked to do what is not their strengths. Build smart rotations that work. NOW!