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Early Takeaways from the Lakers Preseason Games

Hannah Kulik
Hannah Kulik

Lake Show Life

Oct 8, 2015; Ontario, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant (24) and forward Julius Randle (30) react during the game against the Toronto Raptors at Citizens Business Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Over the summer, Laker players were frequently observed training and scrimmaging together for the purpose of building camaraderie and getting in great physical shape for the Lakers preseason campaign.

Some players lost weight, some sought to perfect their mid-range jump shot, while others worked on strength and conditioning. This led to optimism that the team might start faster than expected, leaving behind the bitter taste of the past two years.

Unfortunately, the first three preseason games ended in defeat.

The team was blown out in the first contest by the Utah Jazz, a painful reminder that while many of the faces have changed, the team is very much still a work in progress and it may take months of playing together before we start to see the real potential.

After a rocky start, the last two games have been entertaining and competitive, with nearly all 19 men on the roster seeing time on the court. Some have looked surprisingly good while others have struggled.

That said, the games have provided room for encouragement and concern.

Next: The Good

1.  The Good

Oct 8, 2015; Ontario, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Julius Randle (30) before the game against the Toronto Raptors at Citizens Business Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

The most encouraging news is the emergence of Julius Randle, who played two very strong games in a row on both ends of the court. After slow starts, at times he was nearly unstoppable, playing with devastating power and surprising speed. He finished with 16 and 17 points, respectively, grabbing five rebounds in both contests, and also passed the ball with skill. Also, he seems vastly improved on defense from what fans saw last year.

This is the Randle everyone was hoping to see. If these games were a turning point for him, it is indeed great news for the entire franchise.

Kobe Bryant shot well, moved well, and provided a spark on offense in limited minutes. He will benefit from playing off ball and allowing others to set him up for solid shots. It greatly reduces the wear and tear on his body when he doesn’t have to bring the ball up the court against quick, pressing guards. So far Bryant hasn’t shown much lift on his jump shots nor has he driven to the basket, but he has played two strong, measured games.

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Lakers fans should also like what Roy Hibbert has shown so far. He may turn out to be the biggest difference between last season’s team and this one, as he is a dominating presence in the middle who alters shots and protects the rim.

He has played with energy and passion on both ends of the court, particularly in game two where he had 16 points and 11 rebounds. Additionally, he has hit his free throws, and it was encouraging when he came to Randle’s defense when the latter got into it with a Jazz player.

Brandon Bass looked good in the second game before suffering an injury that caused him to miss the next contest. He has a knack for being in the right position to pick up a key rebound or make a big basket. Bass plays with energy and enthusiasm on offense and defense, but he is always under control. Whether he starts or comes off the bench this season, Bass looks is going to be an important contributor.

Jordan Clarkson has not dominated as some thought he might, but his play has been solid. Against the Jazz, when the Lakers started the second half down by a point, it was Clarkson who emerged from the locker room with a burst of scoring that gave the team the lead.

In the third game, he came out firing from the start and got the team going, working hard on both ends of the floor. While Clarkson is supposed to play shooting guard this season, he may end up playing more than expected at the point especially if D’Angelo Russell continues to struggle.

Lou Williams has not played as well as the above mentioned names, but he is quick, fearless and a great free throw shooter. He is a streaky scorer like Nick Young, but unlike Young, who is pretty one dimensional, Williams handles the ball, distributes it well, penetrates into the lane, and works hard on defense. Williams is also said to be a great locker room guy, which will greatly benefit the young Lakers.

When Metta World Peace was signed shortly before the start of training camp some thought it was only a short term situation, that he would stick around for training camp to mentor the young players. If that was the plan the Lakers may have to reconsider. World Peace turned the second game around with his energy and hustle, especially on defense and definitely looks like he has some game left in him.

The Lakers are dangerously thin at small forward, and based on the last two games there is every reason to believe that World Peace will make the roster and contribute as long as he remains healthy.

Next: The Bad

2. The Bad

Oct 8, 2015; Ontario, CA, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Terrence Ross (31) guards Los Angeles Lakers forward Nick Young (0) in the second half of the game at Citizens Business Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Despite the positives, there is also evidence of trouble ahead that should temper expectations. The team has developed a culture of losing the last two years, and losing, even in the preseason, can become a habit.

The biggest concern for the Lakers right now should be Russell.  Most fans were hoping the Summer League was an aberration, but first impressions may have been accurate as he does not appear to be NBA-ready at age 19.

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Russell resembles Kendall Marshall, another left-hander who had great court vision when he played briefly for the Lakers two years ago. He had a lot of assists and when he was wide open knocked down three point shots at a good clip.

The Lakers ultimately gave up on him because he was not quick enough to get to the rim or create his own shots, and he was too soft to match the intensity of the league’s swift and powerful point guards.

Despite this early assessment, merely by virtue of how high he was drafted, Russell is going to play this year no matter what assuming he stays healthy, which thus far has been an issue.

Right now it is hard to imagine that he is ready to have a major impact and in the end might be better coming off the bench at least to start the season. He needs time to mature physically before anyone will be able to assess his full potential.

To the casual fan, it’s a mystery as to why Ryan Kelly and Robert Sacre are still on the roster, or how they got so much playing time last year.

Wednesday night was a typical performance from Kelly, who played 16 minutes while contributing little, to none, on either end of the floor. Sacre played 15 minutes in the first game and sparingly in the second, but the fact remains he is little more than a good sized body to fill up the lane.

Young looks serious so far, which is a good sign. What is not a good sign is that he still takes unadvised shots, missing more than he makes, and contributes little elsewhere.

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To his credit, Young looked better in the third game, and it is scary to think that he’ll be the team’s starting small forward when Bryant does not play, but currently there is no alternative.

Larry Nance, Jr. received attention this summer when the team drafted him in the first round, which surprised many.

Nance is a high energy player who performed pretty well in the third game, but he has limited offensive skills and may have issues defending the stronger power forwards in the league. It is hard to see him playing more than a few minutes a night once the season starts, if he plays at all.

Anthony Brown has been a huge disappointment so far. The team is in desperate need of three point shooters, which is one of their most serious deficiencies, and Brown was supposed to fill that role. Yet he has been almost invisible in the summer league and preseason.

Currently he has been given very little playing time which could reflect what the coaches think of him, and at this point he does not appear to factor into the team’s plans for this season. That said, tonight he is getting the start for the Lakers where he’ll hopefully demonstrate some of his 3-D proficiency.

Michael Frazier III got a good chance to showcase his skills Tuesday night when he played plenty of minutes in the decisive fourth quarter and in overtime. Unfortunately, he looked like he was afraid to shoot and did not contribute much. This was a golden opportunity for Frazier who did not take advantage of it, which does not bode well for his future with the squad.

His primary competition for the final guard spot is Jabari Brown. Brown should have the edge but right now looks like a player who knows he is on the bubble. His shooting is hot and cold, but he is always in attack mode and puts in a good effort on both ends of the court. That said, he looks nervous and less confident than last season.

Next: The Unknowns

3. The Unknowns

September 28, 2015; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach Byron Scott is interviewed during media day at Toyota Sports Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

At the top of the list of unknowns is Coach Byron Scott, who came to the Lakers with a losing record and immediately led the team to the worst record in franchise history.

There is much debate about whether Scott’s old school approach to the game can succeed in the modern NBA. He runs his players to death in the preseason, but does that lead to injuries? He is constantly shuffling line ups and giving a lot of minutes to players who, statistically speaking, don’t deserve it.

The Lakers are only three games into the preseason but two players who are of particular interest to fans, Robert Upshaw and Jonathan Holmes, got no playing time until the third game. Both had solid moments, especially Upshaw, but each needs more minutes to show what they can do.

Tarik Black is a high energy player who showed much promise last season and in summer league, yet he didn’t play at all in the last two games which is puzzling.

A big concern right now is that Los Angeles is very thin at the point guard and small forward positions.  The situation is so precarious that they may need to address it prior to the start of the regular season, which could mean making a trade.

It may turn out that the veterans play more minutes than expected this season, while the all-out youth movement fans have heard so much about could be put on hold. Right now, the young players, with the exception of Randle and Clarkson, don’t appear NBA-ready.

The problem with trying to find time to play 19 men means there are fewer minutes to go around, thus some of the young players vying for the final slots don’t get the time they need under game conditions to show what they can do.

The preseason goes quickly, and soon Coach Scott will have to turn his attention to the players who will be in the starting and reserve rotations once the season starts. Unfortunately, while the first seven players are set, the playing time seen by the others has been so brief and uneven that the remaining roster decisions seem no clearer today than they were when training camp opened.

What has been the biggest surprise for you through the first three preseason games?

Let us know in the comments below.

Next: Would Bringing D'Angelo Russell Off the Bench Benefit LA?

Hannah Kulik

Hannah Kulik

I attend Loyola Marymount University where I have been an on-air radio and television personality. I am a passionate Lakers fan and hope to work on-camera for Time Warner Cable Access Sportsnet Lakers channel in the future.  Aside from my interest in the Lakers I have been a competitive equestrian in the Arabian horse world for a number of years.