The Los Angeles Lakers have largely avoided pressing under head coach JJ Redick, but should get Quentin Grimes to do it when Walker Kessler is on the floor. The NBA has seen teams picking up fullcourt more and those squads have largely seen their defense be better than the sum of its parts. The Lakers finally have a rim-protector on the backline and should look to wear the opponent down by letting Grimes press.
Los Angeles gave up two first-round picks and two swaps to sign-and-trade for Walker Kessler. They finally got the big man Luka wanted, but it came at a massive cost. Kessler is an elite rim protector and will finally get a chance to prove his worth on a contender. He is a massive upgrade over Deandre Ayton, but coach Redick will have to alter the schemes to maximize the defense.
Grimes signed a four-year, $60 million contract this summer to be the Lakers’ 3-and-D wing. He will draw the toughest defensive assignment on most nights and is at his best as a pesky option. It is possessions like this one where he wreaked havoc on Jaylen Brown that show Redick should lean into Grimes picking up fullcourt when Walker Kessler is anchoring the defense.
Quentin Grimes needs to be a pesky defender for the Lakers
Grimes is not a traditional defensive stopper. The 6’4 wing isn’t going to be Ausar or Amen Thompson, but he could be a chaos creator in the vein of Luguentz Dort. Picking up fullcourt and forcing the offense to get into their sets a bit later has done wonders for the Indiana Pacers and Portland Trail Blazers. The Lakers could get in on the trend with Grimes.
The defensive metrics have been inconsistent for the 26-year-old. He was a plus option in 2023 when he started for the New York Knicks, but has dropped off the last two years. The Lakers will be Grimes' fifth team in four years, so it is difficult to judge. A lot of defense is being in the right role and scheme.
Grimes has felt undervalued for years. The Lakers paid him to be a key piece and need to find the role that maximizes his skill set. That includes being an impactful defender.
Pressing only works with Walker Kessler on the backline
The Lakers need Kessler’s rim protection to lean into pressing. Sandro Mamukelashvili and Kevon Looney figure to handle the backup minutes at the five. Los Angeles can’t gamble when the reserves come in. If Grimes gets blown by, it will be an easy bucket for the opposition.
The Lakers will play a ton of drop and zone coverage with Kessler anchoring the defense. They want the 7’2 big man deterring shots at the rim as often as possible.
Pressing with Grimes should slow down offenses and give Kessler time to get set up in the paint. The wing has the athleticism and foot speed to do it. The Lakers don’t want Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and whoever else is on the floor flying around on defense, but creating a bit of havoc could do wonders.
The Lakers are relying heavily on Kessler to boost their defense. Doncic and Reaves are viewed as subpar options. That isn’t totally accurate. Reaves is just fine when put in the right situations. Luka’s size and IQ help. Redick may have to embrace some junk defenses, including pressing fullcourt to make up for LA’s deficiencies.
Lakers fans should trust JJ Redick to figure it out
Redick has overachieved in his two seasons leading the Lakers. They finished third in the West in 2025, despite the Luka trade completely shaking things up midseason. The purple and gold were bounced in the first round of the playoffs, but it was Redick’s first experience as a head coach. This year, LA looked like serious contenders after a 15-2 March. It was derailed by injuries to Luka and Reaves, but they still reached the second round without Doncic playing in the postseason.
Redick has done well maximizing his talent. The Lakers had a passable defense late last season with Deandre Ayton anchoring. It will be significantly better with Walker Kessler, and it should give the head coach more freedom to experiment.
The Los Angeles Lakers should embrace pressing fullcourt with Quentin Grimes sometimes. This won’t be the every-possession defense, but it is just another curveball to throw at the best teams. Slowing down their offense and forcing them to think through another layer of defense is valuable. The Lakers need Kessler on the floor to do it, but the new-look roster should use the wrinkle to create some havoc.
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