Running it back with the same team. Should we expect them to be worse?
This was quite the unusual off-season for the Los Angeles Lakers. Outside of drafting Dalton Knecht, Bronny James and picking up Blake Hinson undrafted, the entire team is relatively the same. D'Angelo Russell, Jaxson Hayes, Cam Reddish and Christian Wood have all opted into their player options and the team re-signed Max Christie and LeBron James. The Lakers biggest off-season move was the hiring of first TIME head coach JJ Redick and his assistance Scott Brooks and Nate McMillan. So what should we really expect from this Lakers team next season? I have a few ideas that I'm looking forward to.
Anthony Davis will officially take the reigns as the Lakers best player
Now we know LeBron James is still on this roster. But in order for LeBron James to maintain this level of dominance heading on age 40, he has to let go of the reigns and give this team to Anthony Davis. AD is square in his prime heading into 31 years of age and has proven to be the Lakers most dominant force on both ends. Evening showing up in the Olympics as the team's most feared defender. The big question for AD this year is will he remain healthy?
D'Angelo Russell will force the Lakers again to NOT trade him
D'Angelo Russell is easily the most polarizing player on the Lakers and the clear scapegoat to their fans. After having an extremely impactful season with the Lakers, they came up short against the Denver Nuggets in the first round. Russell failed to string along consistent games against the Nuggets, leading him to be the target of hate between the media and fans. But it is irrefutable that DLo wasn't a dominant figure to the Lakers success this year and that they wouldn't even be in the playoffs without his services.
While already being one of the league's best pick and roll players (perfect for Anthony Davis), he became one of the league's and the Lakers deadliest shooter of all time, shattering the Lakers all time 3 point record in made threes for a season. Someone like DLo who is known to be very alert to his performances and how he is being talked about in the media, I believe he will come back this season maybe returning to his All-Star form. In a new system (hopefully) under JJ Redick that will be tailormade for someone like DLo, I expect his play to be so good that Rob Pelinka again refuses to trade him and could possibly even earn an extension. (They're not going to find a better guard on the market at his value)
Dalton Knecht earns a big spot on the Lakers rotation
Much has been said about JJ Redick's viewpoint on the 17th pick Dalton Knecht. As a rookie, Knecht will have to earn his way into the rotation. Showing in Summer League that he is a talented scorer and shooter, his abilities can be very useful off the bench as sort of a replacement for Taurean Prince. I believe Knecht has the chance to become similar to Joe Harris or Bogdan Bogdanovic.
Lakers trade for Steven Adams
The Lakers have been on the hunt for a bruising big that will help take physicality pressure off of Anthony Davis. No knock on guys like Christian Wood or Jaxson Hayes but they aren't bruisers. Names that have been brought up for the Lakers have been guys like Robert Williams in Portland, Jonas Valanciunas in Washington or Wendell Carter Jr in Orlando. My biggest target would be Steven Adams in Houston.
Adams is coming off a season where he didn't really play due to injury and was dumped by Memphis to Houston to clear roster spots. He is the definition of a bruiser in the NBA. A stellar defender and rebounder and even though his offensive game isn't eye-popping. His work on the offensive glass and being an extremely good screen setter would do wonders for guys like D'Angelo Russell and LeBron James.
I just don't see any reason for the Rockets to keep him since they want to go younger. What would be a good package for Adams? Perhaps a 3 team trade that would likely chip Rui Hachimura elsewhere and sending Jaxson Hayes to Houston.
DLo and AR's chemistry as a backcourt will grow to insane heights
Much has been said about the fit with Austin Reaves and D'Angelo Russell as the starting backcourt. Due to defensive concerns, many believe this backcourt doesn't work and me? I believe that is a load of crap. Reaves and Russell bounce off of each other extremely well both being talented ball handlers and crafty scorers. The Lakers offense explodes to a +5.3% efficiency rating when both are sharing the floor. The defense also does not take a huge hit like many believe.
While Russell and Reaves aren't talented on ball defenders, both have unconditional strengths on the defensive end that nobody really talks about. Russell is a very stellar off ball defender. Him being able to roam off ball with his 6'10 wingspan allows him to basically play free safety off the ball and both shooters. His problem is over helping. Reaves's strength is being a good secondary chaser. Now I said, they have strengths defensively but recognize they aren't good on ball defenders. This is helped by putting an active defender along side them aka Jarred Vanderbilt. Vanderbilt's energy and activity will cause whoever he is guarding to make mistakes, which allows the rest of the team to fall on those mistakes and capitalize. Learn defense people. Everything is not just one on one or contesting shots.
JJ Redick will have a system that looks similar to the Warriors and Nuggets
If we know anything about JJ Redick, we know he tends to like systems that heavily values shooting - which is why it is completely idiotic everyone wants D'Angelo Russell gone. That being said, Redick has been on record being very enamored with systems like the Steve Kerr Warriors or the Michael Malone Nuggets.
My biggest concern with a first time head coach like JJ Redick is keeping the locker room. One of the reasons the Lakers failed to be consistent last season was the team's falling out with Darvin Ham and his very weird decisions throughout the season (even admitting he has no idea what he's doing most of the time). JJ Redick has been said to have an extremely big ego and has the arrogance of "I'm always the smartest in the room" personality. That usually doesn't fly in this day due to the sensitivity of most players and even assistant coaches. We will see if JJ can put that ego aside and be more of a players coach.
