Los Angeles Lakers' preseason star could become team's secret weapon

The Los Angeles Lakers are off to a promising start to the 2024-25 season. Despite playing four games in less than a week and encountering opponents that all won at least 46 games in 2023-24, Los Angeles is 3-1.

The unsustainable aspect of that success, however, has many pondering how long the Lakers can continue adding to their win column.

Los Angeles has been as top-heavy as any team in the NBA. That's inspired faith in a starting lineup that appeared certifiably elite in 2023-24 and continues to play at said level in 2024-25, but it's also established how underwhelming the second unit has been.

The return of injured players such as Jarred Vanderbilt and Christian Wood should strengthen the quality of the reserves, but the search for answers will persist in the interim.

Up to this point, the Lakers rank dead last in the NBA in points per game via the second unit. There are players who Los Angeles should trust to right the ship, but if JJ Redick is open to adding a new player to the mix, then there's a promising option to consider.

Fresh off of a preseason during which he became the talk of the NBA, rookie scoring guard Quincy Olivari should be considered for a role in the rotation.

Quincy Olivari can provide the instant offense Lakers' second unit needs

Olivari is an unproven commodity in terms of NBA experience, but bringing him into the rotation would provide a jolt of energy on offense. He's an aggressive scoring threat with a lethal jump shot and a fearlessness that the team would undoubtedly benefit from.

Olivari is also a productive rebounder who can continue the trend of the Lakers corner crashing to create second chances.

During the preseason, Olivari began to showcase that ability when he posted 11 points, five rebounds, and two assists in just nine minutes against the Milwaukee Bucks. It was his showing against the Golden State Warriors, however, that earned him a two-way contract.

Olivari erupted against a Warriors team that played a vast majority of its key players, posting 22 points, seven rebounds, two assists, and five three-point field goals made.

It was a small sample size, but Olivari's performances aligned with what made him an intriguing player at the collegiate level. His jump shot is all but automatic, and his ability to put points on the board varies between proficiency as a shot-creator and off-ball value in catch-and-shoot situations.

Gabe Vincent has provided value on defense early in the season, but Olivari's offense would help address the veteran's current shortcomings on the other end of the floor.

It's admittedly possible that Olivari would struggle in the short term, but getting him reps could help before he heads to the G League. It would give him an early look at what the pace of the NBA is really like and what areas of his game he needs to work on the most.

By playing Olivari, Los Angeles would be making a long-term investment in a player who could provide the necessary influx of bench scoring and overall production at a time when the current players are struggling to execute.