The Los Angeles Lakers finally got Collin Sexton on the floor in their 125-117 win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night, and he immediately solved their second-unit ball-handling issues. This wasn’t the best version of Sexton. He missed the entire preseason, and the rust was easy to see. The 27-year-old struggled to make shots and even had a goaltend by not letting the ball fall completely off the rim. It wasn’t the veteran’s best game, but he is exactly what LA needs behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
Fans saw the ball-handling and shot creation issues throughout the preseason. The Lakers went without a backup point guard in the opener after Bronny James, Jaden Hardy, and Chris Manon failed to impress in the ramp-up games. They desperately needed someone else behind their stars.
It is why they paid Sexton, and he filled the role against the crosstown rival. Sexton only had two assists and one turnover in 16 minutes, but moving Quentin Grimes to a tertiary role helped him get four dimes. Turnovers were still an issue, but it was because Doncic and Reaves combined for 17 of the team’s 21. It wasn’t the second unit that was the problem.
Collin Sexton gives Lakers another trusted creator
Sexton is a bucket. He averages 18.3 points per game for his career. Fans know him as a scorer, but he can handle the ball and make plays. The Lakers desperately needed another trusted option throughout the preseason and in the regular-season opener.
Sexton finished with five points, two assists, one rebound, three steals, and one turnover in 16 minutes. The Lakers lost by nine points with him on the floor, but most of it came in Kevon Looney's minutes. LA’s backup big man was a disaster and only lasted five minutes after Brook Lopez absolutely cooked him.
Sexton was scoreless, and the Lakers lost his 7.8 first-half minutes by seven. He was better in the second half and gave head coach JJ Redick a trusted option.
The Lakers only gave minutes to nine players against the Clippers. Injuries to Jake LaRavia, Cameron Carr, and Adou Thiero were a factor. They needed Sexton, and he delivered even with the rust from his first game of the year.
The issue was solved, but it will pop back up.
Lakers need a fourth creator to survive the regular season
The Lakers can’t survive the 82-game regular season with just three creators and trusted ball-handlers. It was already a problem with Sexton out. Doncic and Reaves will miss time. Sexton is unlikely to play 81 contests this season. The Lakers will be down to two of these options or fewer on occasion.
Rob Pelinka must find an option, or the purple and gold need to grow someone into this role. Hardy is a score-first guard who isn’t known for finding his teammates. Manon is a defense-first option. He can’t be trusted as a shot creator. Bronny isn’t a point guard and completely lacked an offensive game in the preseason.
The Lakers' best bet is making a trade, but they only have three second-round draft picks and one first-round swap available to trade. Their assets are limited. LA may decide to use them to get a reserve center over filling this hole. The Lakers would be hoping for health in the postseason if they don't address it, which is risky. Pelinka should go out and find someone before the Feb. 11 deadline.
Collin Sexton will be significantly better than his rusty debut
Sexton has shot 47.2 percent from the field and 38.9 percent on his 3-point attempts in his eight-year NBA career. Fans won’t see him shoot 33.3 percent from the field often. The fact that the 6’3 guard had three steals and made a positive impact after missing multiple weeks was a great sign.
The Lakers struggled in the first and fourth quarters against the Clippers, but their offensive potential was on full display in the second and third. The purple and gold scored 76 points in 24 minutes. That is beyond elite. The Clippers have strong defenders in Derrick Jones Jr., Kris Dunn, and Brook Lopez. This isn’t a pushover team, and the Lakers shredded them for 125 points.
They go to another level with a healthy Sexton. He is another shot creator and scorer capable of bending a defense. With Walker Kessler cleaning up misses, this is going to be one of the best offenses in the league, and fans have seen that JJ Redick makes the whole be better than the sum of the parts on defense.
The Los Angeles Lakers are happy to have Collin Sexton back. They needed another creator behind Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves. Sexton brought it, despite being in his first game back after weeks on the sidelines. The Lakers still need a fourth option, but their offense is elite when the current three are healthy. Fans saw that against the Clippers, and it was just the beginning.
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