Off-Ball Awareness
Nothing about the Lakers’ defense was good last season but Russell’s off-ball lapses still stood out.
To a certain extent, this was to be expected. After all, he was a touted offensive rookie on a team with zero defensive identity. Yes, he looked lost on numerous occasions last season and more than occasionally fell asleep while his man scored on a back cut, but that says more about coaching than it does talent for a kid his age.
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Sure, Steph Curry, Kyrie Irving and Damian Lillard are all below-average perimeter defenders, but their individual roles and surrounding rosters allowed for more leeway than what Russell could afford.
Seeing as teammates Julius Randle, Roy Hibbert, Kobe Bryant, and Jordan Clarkson all ended the year with worse defensive ratings, the 6’5″ sophomore guard will need to be a factor defensively whether he likes it or not.
On ball, he actually showed nice improvement over the course of last season. Over time, he learned to utilize his height advantage and quickness to compensate for his lack of elite athleticism. Considering the complete absence of lockdown ability between backcourt mates Clarkson and Lou Williams, there is nowhere for Russell to hide from the onslaught of point guard talent that the Lakers will face next season in the Western Conference.
And this is truly why his help-side defense becomes so important. When Curry, Russell Westbrook and Chris Paul are darting around screens and penetrating through the Lakers’ defense, it will be Russell giving chase.
Taking a backseat on that end of the floor won’t be an option. The second-overall pick will need to learn how balance those responsibilities with his leadership role on the offensive end.
Next: Limiting Turnovers and Leadership Ability