Overlook good. The Lakers need to be nice.
That was coach JJ Redick’s halftime message Friday evening to the Lakers, his frustration with the staff’s lack of consideration to defensive particulars boiling over first into a few rage-induced timeouts and later right into a problem to his group to be higher.
The timing, which got here with the Lakers main a sport they’d ultimately win 119-102 towards Atlanta, signifies one thing that’s been percolating behind the scenes over the past month, that the Lakers may truly be on to one thing price investing in.
Because the staff moved Max Christie into the beginning lineup on Dec. 8, the Lakers are 8-3. They’re sixth within the NBA in defensive effectivity throughout that stretch. Over the past seven video games, their offense has awoken. And their acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith, one of many premier function gamers accessible on the commerce market, not solely offers clues to the kind of staff they’re making an attempt to construct, but in addition cleared a runway for Austin Reaves to attempt to turn out to be the staff’s third star.
All of it has type of uncluttered issues for Redick, common supervisor and vp of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and the group. With a month till the NBA commerce deadline and a positive schedule, the following transfer has individuals across the league inquisitive about what course the Lakers will go within the construct to the Feb. 6 commerce deadline.
As an alternative of frantically trying to find a 3rd star or pushing chips in on a starting-caliber middle, the Lakers, rival executives imagine, will transfer in numerous methods than it’d’ve appeared earlier this season.
The emergence of third-year guard Max Christie (12) as a starter has allowed Austin Reaves (14) to turn out to be extra of a 3rd weapon on offense.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Instances)
Christie has given the Lakers the type of defensive velocity and capturing they needed of their backcourt, enjoying himself out of any marginal commerce conversations. And the Lakers’ resistance to a 3rd maximum-salary contract has solely gone up since their failed Russell Westbrook expertise, the constraints of the brand new salary-cap guidelines making that type of roster development extra of an albatross than a luxurious. (Sorry, Jimmy Butler followers.)
There had been some early-season consensus that the Lakers can be aggressive of their pursuit of a middle to both play with Anthony Davis or behind him, however the Finney-Smith acquisition makes that appear unlikely.
Lengthy linked to a participant like Washington’s Jonas Valanciunas, a goal for the staff this summer time in free company, it’s turn out to be clear that the Lakers’ must get larger aren’t as necessary to them as their needs to get quicker, extra athletic and extra dynamic.
Whereas groups have expressed curiosity in Utah middle Walker Kessler — the Lakers included — the idea in NBA circles is that he’s not accessible in any sensible commerce eventualities, Utah electing to maintain one of many NBA’s high rim protectors by the deadline.
The staff additionally in all probability used its most sensible commerce chip — D’Angelo Russell’s expiring contract — within the Finney-Smith deal.
A number of rival executives have mentioned that they don’t assume the Lakers ought to make investments a few of their restricted draft capital (and tradeable contracts) for a participant who slows them down — and one who, in a playoff sequence, would have a restricted function contemplating the overwhelming bulk of middle minutes will nonetheless fall to Davis.
Whereas the Lakers, and Redick has mentioned it, do want extra toughness, discovering it on the perimeter as a substitute of within the paint appears to be the aim.
Even because the Lakers’ offense has spiked over the past seven video games, they’ve finished it whereas nonetheless being within the backside half of the league in three-pointers tried and made. Concentrating on capturing and athleticism on the perimeter — significantly within the type of a participant who can function off the ball — is one thing the Lakers ought to have their eyes on. Rival scouts and executives who agree with which are at all times fast to level out that just about each contending staff is making an attempt so as to add athletic shooters to their roster.
As an alternative of speeding right into a deal for a backup huge man, the Lakers do have an actual want to see what their second unit appears to be like like as soon as Jared Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent are on the courtroom collectively — one thing that occurred simply as soon as a season in the past.
And Finney-Smith is a tricky, switchable, defensive-minded participant who could make nook threes at a excessive quantity. He’s very a lot the type of participant Redick desires to have in his system, and even after three video games (and 0 actual practices), it’s apparent how comfy Redick is in teaching his former teammate in Dallas.
He challenged him by title after the win over the Hawks, immediately holding him to accountability for his first-half protection whereas going out of his method to reward him for the way he recovered within the second half.
There’s additionally the current run of play from LeBron James to contemplate, his week absence initially of the Lakers’ 8-3 stretch resulting in a run of All-NBA-level play from him whereas passing his fortieth birthday final week. If this degree is sustainable to a point, the Lakers’ possibilities at working themselves right into a “great” staff go up.
“We’re a ways [from being great] to be honest with you,” Reaves mentioned after the Lakers beat Atlanta. “But everybody’s working in the right direction to becoming that.”
Sunday’s sport at Houston will probably be an actual problem, the Lakers having to beat what’s turn out to be a foul matchup due to the Rockets’ dimension and athleticism. And Tuesday, towards a short-handed Dallas staff enjoying with out Luka Doncic, the Lakers’ protection should constantly deal with the varieties of particulars they tousled early on Friday.
After that, the Lakers play their subsequent eight video games in Los Angeles — an actual probability to cement these final 4 weeks as greater than a blip of their season.
The modifications the Lakers have already made to their roster will in the end dictate the methods they resolve to maneuver subsequent — in the event that they transfer in any respect.
