Lakers 2015-16 Season Roster Grades: Lou Williams
. G. Los Angeles Lakers. LOU WILLIAMS. B
At the end of the day, Lou Williams did exactly what he was brought here to do: score.
Even though the Lakers finished near the bottom of the league in several statistical categories, Lou managed to scrap together consistent scoring performances the entire year, something no one else on the team can boast.
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Further, despite being primarily a spot up shooter during his award-winning year in Toronto, Williams showed the same play making ability that he exhibited earlier in his career as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers. His shot selection wasn’t perfect, but his pull-ups early in the shot clock became a relatively reliable scoring option.
His attempts often came in isolation and in semi-transition, but he continued to produce despite, or perhaps as a result of, his penchant for operating outside of Scott’s offensive sets.
Unfortunately, his value still doesn’t translate to the defensive end, where he continues to be a glaring liability. The 11-year-veteran is undersized, especially as a two guard, and he’s never had particularly quick feet or a penchant for defensive effort.
In the past, his shortcomings as a defender have been tolerated, since he functioned mostly as a bench player and more than made up for it with his sharpshooting. However, there has been nowhere to hide in the Lakers’ league-worst defense and Williams consistently gets burned by opposing guards.
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Nonetheless, the fact that Kupchak snagged him until 2018 for just $21 million over three seasons really magnifies his value. If the Lakers choose to optimize his trade value before the end of next season, he’ll be an enticing offer for playoff contenders looking to upgrade their bench.