Talking out your problems can usually be the best way of solving them. When it comes to the brutal defensive issues of the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2025-26 season, that is exactly what their team leaders are suggesting be the vehicle driving them towards a much-needed fix.
"Five guys being on the string," LeBron James said of what the defense needs. "Obviously, you can't do it individually, by yourself. It has to be five guys on the string. Communication, always at an all-time high, letting you know what's going on behind you and things of that nature."
James was not the only one who thought communication would be important for the Lakers' quest to fix their biggest problem. Marcus Smart, who returned after missing the last six games due to a back injury, immediately jumped to make that same point when asked about the defensive deficiencies.
Smart said, "Our lack of communication, ... we just didn't do a good job of getting back and communicating with one another, and we got to fix that. That's going to be key for us when we can get people in the halfcourt, set our defense, it makes it easier on us."
Lakers must talk their way out of defensive issues
The Lakers have often been criticized for simply not having the personnel to be a great defensive team. That is why conversations of external help have been rampant with the Dec. 15 mark on the NBA calendar rapidly approaching.
Whether a Herb Jones or Andrew Wiggins walks through that door should not change the fact that what James and Smart said is completely irrelevant of the players' actual defensive talents. Communication is a controllable area for the Lakers that has nothing to do with an external savior.
Perhaps it is easier to be a great defensive team when the players on the roster are all suited to that. The Oklahoma City Thunder offer a tremendous example.
However, communication would help the Lakers bridge the gap from being lackluster to, at the very least, passable on that end. It's not like Los Angeles has not shown signs of that ability.
The Lakers had a memorable stretch last season of being the top defensive group in the NBA. Their switch-heavy approach required plenty of talking to one another for the orchestration of that set-up.
That was never going to be the full-time norm in Los Angeles. However, even the Lakers defense in the clutch this season shows they are not completely clueless on that end.
Holding each other accountable for talking out the defensive coverages should be a great way for Los Angeles to properly recalibrate. Otherwise, these ugly losses where the defense gets completely exposed will only grow more frequent and concerning.