Los Angeles Lakers: Quinn Cook’s shooting is just what the team needs
After signing with the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason, Quinn Cook made an impact against the Warriors with his shooting ability.
The Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Golden State Warriors 126-93. Anthony Davis and LeBron James continued their strong play during the preseason, but it was Quinn Cook that had much of social media taking.
Quinn Cook had missed all of the preseason recovering from a sore left calf and Wednesday night he made his Lakers debut in spectacular fashion. Cook had 16 points while shooting 6-for-9 from the field and 4-for-5 from 3-point land in 15 minutes of action. He also proved to be very effective in the pick and roll, setting up teammates with 3 assists.
Cook shot the ball without hesitation and with confidence, proving how valuable shooting is from your guards. He’s a 42% career 3-point shooter on 2.7 attempts per game. James and Davis will draw double teams whenever they are on the floor, so it’s likely Cook’s attempts will improve.
Cooking. Quinn Cook is an ELITE shooter. 42% from 3 for his career, 97th percentile in spot-up situations per Synergy. He's going to miss at some point, and his defense has been his Achilles heel, but the dude can shoot and run the PnR at a high level
— Trevor Lane (@Trevor_Lane) October 17, 2019
Cook is accustomed to playing with superstars. In Golden State he played with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Kevin Durant. In his rookie season, he played with Davis briefly in New Orleans, so he has some built in rapport with the superstar big man. Playing in Golden State, he won a championship and doesn’t seem overwhelmed by the bright lights of Hollywood.
All of this is a plus for a Lakers team who last year tried to put playmakers around LeBron instead of shooting. In Wednesday’s game, the Lakers shot 15-for-30 from deep as a team, and Cook’s shooting seemed infectious.
Much has been made about who will start at point guard for the Lakers. Up until Wednesday, it seemed the Avery Bradley would start due to his ability to pressure the ball and be a good defensive backcourt with Danny Green. Rajon Rondo has seen a lot of minutes this preseason due to his playmaking ability and because James and Davis trust him, but neither Bradley or Rondo shoot like Cook.
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The floor spacing Cook provides the Lakers will give James and Davis plenty of room to operate and a lock down shooter to kick it to when doubled. If Cook can keep this up, it’s likely he’s going to be in Frank Vogel’s rotation. Furthermore, he just might find himself as the first guard off the bench or starting.