The current iteration of the Los Angeles Lakers are stacked with several types of players, but defensive gems are few and far between.
The Lakers, first and foremost, are absolutely loaded with scorers. Kobe Bryant, Jordan Clarkson, Nick Young, and Lou Williams, are all perfectly capable of leading an NBA team in shot attempts. Of course, the quality of that team would be questionable at best, but the fact still remains, these guys like to shoot. Even Julius Randle is proving his ability to score effectively and in volume.
The Lakers are similarly loaded with playmakers, with some of the scorers listed earlier serving a dual purpose. D’Angelo Russell, Marcelo Huertas, Clarkson, Bryant, Williams and even Randle will, at times, be asked to handle the ball and facilitate the offense for other players. This plethora of ball-hungry players can be viewed negatively or positively, but that is beside the point.
Instead, focus will be placed on the type of player which is far more scarce on the current Lakers roster. Players who can enter the game and have a positive impact on the defensive end. These players are few and far between for Los Angeles but they are critically important to any team’s success.
The best defender on the Lakers roster is, by far, Roy Hibbert. One of the league’s premier rim protectors, he is capable of covering for a lot of the mistakes made by perimeter players. However, Hibbert can’t do it alone, and beyond him the Lakers are starved for defensive contributors. Clarkson and Randle have shown flashes of impressive defense, but they are clearly still developing on that side of the court.
Among the Lakers vets, very few of them are known for their defense. Even Kobe and Metta World Peace, once dominant perimeter stoppers, no longer possess the foot speed and endurance to consistently defend wing players. Players like Young, Williams, and Huertas have also never been known for their defensive aptitude.
The Lakers do have two players known for their defense however, recent draft picks Larry Nance Jr. and Anthony Brown. Both of these players possess fantastic tools that can make them exceptional defenders at the NBA level. Larry Nance Jr. is a strong, athletic forward who possesses both the strength to defend inside, the athleticism to block shots, and the speed and quickness to guard the perimeter.
Anthony Brown is a lanky wing out of Stanford who has good on-ball defensive instincts. Brown fits almost perfectly into the role of a “three-and-D” player, which is both popular and valuable in today’s NBA. Although he started off slow in the preseason, he finished strong, shooting the ball well and playing with improved aggressiveness.
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The Lakers could certainly use all the help they can get, as their lack of defense has been the deciding factor in their 0-4 start.
Despite having a coach who heralds himself as defensive-minded, through the first four games Los Angeles has had a league-worst defensive efficiency rating of 113. While Nance Jr. and Brown can’t possibly fix that sort of problem by themselves, they can certainly help.
Perimeter defense especially has been a weakness of the Lakers, with ball handlers breaking down the Lakers seemingly at will.
Another problem has been the rotations, with players often late on their switches, or simply unable to protect the rim when they get there. Brown however, possesses defensive traits that can allow him to keep offensive players out of the paint, while Nance Jr. has the size and athleticism to serve as a secondary shot-blocker after rotations.
These young players can help the Lakers offensively as well. Three-point shooting has been a glaring weakness for the team so far, and Brown’s smooth stroke could go a long way to improving that facet of the team’s attack. Fans don’t need to be reminded of Nance Jr’s potential on the offensive end, as his dunk against the Golden State Warriors may have been the most impressive play by a Laker this year.
The type of energy that can be created by highlight plays like that one should not be overlooked, especially for a team who has already lost four games in a row. If Nance Jr. can shore up the defense, and provide a spark on offense, he will definitely represent an improvement over Brandon Bass, who has been consistently flat for the Lakers.
There is another important argument for giving playing time to Nance Jr. and Brown, the need for development. These two players are both rookies, who may have bright futures in the NBA. They can definitely benefit from getting playing time and experience, while the players currently ahead of them in the rotation are veterans with little value to the Lakers future.
the Lakers should devote this season to developing their young talent.
With playoff contention a distant dream, the Lakers should devote this season to developing their young talent. Anthony Brown and Larry Nance Jr. are players who could develop into valuable parts of the Lakers growing young core. The Lakers would be wise to cultivate their young talent by allowing them the playing time they need to grow.
The Lakers can definitely benefit by giving these two promising young players minutes. Especially with those minutes coming from defensively limited players like Brandon Bass, Ryan Kelly, and Nick Young, the move could improve the Lakers on the defensive end immediately. While these players won’t completely fix the Lakers defense overnight, investing in their development may be the key to making the Lakers a good defensive team in the future.
Next: Nick Young Has Been LA's Best Player So Far
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