3. They have lots of good/great 3-point shooters
The biggest difference between the Lakers’ roster right now versus last season is the addition of several reliable 3-point snipers. Danny Green, Quinn Cook, Jared Dudley, Avery Bradley and Troy Daniels are all reputable outside shooters.
In today’s NBA, the best way to get a good, open look from downtown is early in the shot clock before the other team fully sets up their defense, either on the fast break or secondary break. Such good looks are harder to get the deeper you get into the shot clock.
To take full advantage of these new players, not to mention to improve on being next-to-last in the NBA in 3-point shooting percentage as they were last season, the Lakers need to push the ball consistently and look to strike either on the break or in early offense.
In addition, a quicker pace can help a guy like Caldwell-Pope, who had a wildly inconsistent 2018-19 season after a very solid 2017-18 campaign. Caldwell-Pope is a rhythm player, as well as a good finisher at the rim in transition, and it would be wise to help him out by giving him more good looks from downtown, as well layup and dunk opportunities.
I’m not necessarily saying the Lakers should outright try to copy what Golden State did so successfully the last five seasons. But most teams have adopted some of what they have done into their own offensive schemes and overall philosophy.
After all, the Warriors took that pace-and-space approach from the Steve Nash-led Phoenix Suns, who in turn based what they did on the Rick Adelman-coached Sacramento Kings teams of the early 2000s.
Obviously, the Lakers need to find the right balance between pushing the pace and doing their thing while showing patience in their halfcourt sets when they can’t or won’t run.
But pushing the pace should be an integral part of what they do offensively.