The Los Angeles Lakers have committed to the polarizing hiring of head coach JJ Redick. Redick lacks coaching experience at the NBA or collegiate levels, but has also captivated the masses as the analyst at the forefront of a shift towards the educational in the mainstream sports media realm.
Mere days after his hiring was reported, it appears as though Redick has already left his fingerprints on the Lakers' vision of an ideal roster.
Los Angeles has a strong foundation to build on with Anthony Davis, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves acting as the proverbial franchise players. It also has limited cap space and a roster that needs improvement in several key areas.
According to Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, the Lakers have identified an area in which they're hoping to improve by expressing interest in Washington Wizards guard Landry Shamet.
"Wizards reserve guard Landry Shamet has also drawn exploratory trade interest from several teams, including the Clippers, Lakers, Mavericks, Jazz, Raptors, and Magic, league sources told HoopsHype. "
It's an intriguing development that seems to speak to Redick's vision for the offense, albeit while requiring a slight leap of faith.
Lakers have expressed interest in Landry Shamet
Los Angeles enters the 2024 offseason as one of the most confusing teams in the NBA. It won 47 games and the In-Season Tournament, but was on the wrong end of a gentleman's sweep against the Denver Nuggets in the first round of the Playoffs.
One of the primary areas in which the Lakers fell short was three-point shooting, as the team ranked 24th in three-point field goals made and 28th in three-point field goals attempted.
Shamet, meanwhile, is a career 38.4 percent shooter from beyond the arc on an average of 4.9 attempts per game. He struggled mightily in 2023-24, converting a career-worst 33.8 percent of his attempts from distance, but the Lakers seem to think it was the outlier that it appears to be.
On a team with playmakers such as James and Reaves, as well as a post presence in Davis who collapses opposing defenses, Shamet could rediscover his form.
Shamet is owed $11 million for the 2024-25 season, with a team option worth $11.75 million for 2025-26. It's purely speculation, but Gabe Vincent could be the player shipped out in exchange for Shamet given their identical salaries.
Due to the Lakers' financial restrictions, the organization would need to match any incoming salary, if not ship out more money than they're receiving.
Regardless of how a potential deal would be executed, there's an emphasis being placed on improving the team's consistency from beyond the arc. It's an encouraging sign considering Los Angeles was self-destructive in 2023-24, neglecting the outside shot despite ranking eighth in efficiency.
It may or may not be Shamet who's ultimately added to the roster, but the Lakers clearly understand how important it will be to find consistency from beyond the arc.