The Los Angeles Lakers made a risky investment when they signed Quentin Grimes to a four-year, $60 million contract. Most agreed that he was worth his annual cap hit, but the long-term contract he was given was a leap of faith considering he's never played for Los Angeles.
If skeptics are looking for an explanation as to why the Lakers were so willing to bet a fairly large portion of their future on Grimes, Luka Doncic's preferred type of player holds the answer: One who can "guard," "shoot," and "put the ball on the floor."
2026 marked the first offseason of the Doncic era during which the Lakers had the roster and financial flexibility to build a team that suits his preferred style of play. That inevitably resulted in Doncic outlining what his ideal teammates would look like.
As Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated described it, the Lakers spent the offseason acquiring "Luka-friendly talent." Doncic and Lakers team president Rob Pelinka supported the statement.
"And this season? The Lakers spent the first few weeks of the summer collecting Luka-friendly talent. 'He likes guys that really think the game at a high level,' says team president Rob Pelinka. Dončić calls his type of guys ones that 'can really guard and can really shoot and can put the ball on the floor.'"
Though Grimes might've struggled to shoot from an overall three-point perspective in 2025-26, his skill set rather perfectly aligns with Doncic's preferred type of talent.
Luka wanted players who can "guard," "shoot," "put the ball on the floor"
Grimes comes to Los Angeles as one of the most complete guard defenders in the NBA. He's tenacious on the ball, active and committed away from it, smooth at navigating screens, and willing to pick opponents up from 94 feet.
Much of that was reflected in the fact that Grimes finished the 2025-26 season ranked in the 87th percentile in perimeter isolation defense, the 90th percentile in off-ball chaser defense, and the 93rd percentile in ball screen navigation, per Basketball Index.
That alone makes Grimes worth the risk, as the Lakers desperately needed a point-of-attack defender who could take on opposing teams' best guards. Doncic is more of a passing-lane defender than an on-ball specialist and Reaves excels more in an off-ball capacity at this stage.
Compounded by how heavy their offensive workload is, the Lakers needed a player who could specifically excel against guards. Thankfully, Grimes spent 61.15 percent of his possessions defending guards in 2025-26.
Quentin Grimes checks every "Luka-friendly" box for the Lakers
The question mark with Grimes is his shooting after he buried just 33.4 percent of his threes in 2025-26. He's a career 36.6 percent shooter from beyond the arc, however, and he still managed to convert 38.3 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes this past season despite his overall inefficiency.
Considering Grimes ranked in the 29th percentile in three-point shot quality in 2025-26, playing with a generational playmaker like Doncic should help his efficiency rise and his impact follow.
As for putting the ball on the floor, Grimes shot 53.6 percent on 6.6 drives per game in 2025-26. If he can produce with similar volume and efficiency in Los Angeles, he should fit the bill of an excellent third offensive option in the starting lineup.
There's still much to be proven in a regular season and postseason setting, but Grimes fitting Doncic's preferred type of teammate is a valid explanation for why he was signed.
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