The Lakers‘ success has helped to mask their defensive deficiencies, but they’ve been a concern all season long, writes Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times (subscription required). Even though L.A. is off to a 17-7 start, the team ranks 18th in the league in points surrendered at 116.8 per game, 22nd in opponents’ field goal percentage at 48.1% and 27th in opponents’ three-point shooting at 38.2%.
Jarred Vanderbilt, who has made just one brief appearance in the past 10 games, is hoping he can help improve those numbers. A spot is the rotation has opened up while Austin Reaves recovers from a mild calf strain, and Vanderbilt could be called upon, beginning with Sunday’s game at Phoenix.
“Oh, yeah, I’m pretty eager,” he said after Saturday’s practice. “I mean, obviously, I think a lot of the stuff we lack, I think I can help provide on that end.”
The Lakers were hoping to be in Las Vegas this weekend for the NBA Cup semifinals, but they were eliminated Wednesday in a game where they gave up 132 points to San Antonio. Vanderbilt is averaging just 4.3 PPG and shooting 43.1% from the field, so his limited production has kept him on the bench, but his value could rise if coach J.J. Redick decides to place a greater emphasis on defense.
“It’s been a trending thing even when we was winning, so I think like you said, the defense still wasn’t there, but we was just outscoring everybody,” Vanderbilt told Turner. “So, I think obviously during the loss, it’s an appropriate time to address certain things just so it won’t keep lingering and get worse.”
There’s more on the Lakers:
- Redick said the team will be careful with Reaves’ recovery, but he doesn’t expect it to turn into a prolonged absence, Turner adds. Reaves played nearly 40 minutes on Wednesday before the issue was discovered. “It’s a mild strain, Grade 1, and he’ll be out for a week,” Redick said. “I would venture to say every player is a little bit different, but players now are becoming more cautious — to use that word again — more cautious when they get those diagnoses with the calf. Everything looks clean. It’s not in the deep part.”
- Marcus Smart said defense was the primary topic during a team meeting on Friday (Twitter video link from Khobi Price of The Orange County Register). “It exposed us a lot, which we already knew,” Smart said. “… The scouting report against us is we’re not guarding people. And if we want to be great in this league and do what we’re trying to do, you have to be able to guard.”
- After being removed from their front office roles with the Lakers last month, Joey Buss and Jesse Buss may consider investing in Major League Baseball’s Athletics franchise, according to Bill Shaikin of The Los Angeles Times (subscription required). Two sources confirmed to Shaikin that discussions took place, but they’re described as preliminary. The Buss brothers still have their ownership stakes in the Lakers.
Jebron Lames defense? Lol
You’ve got next to no defence from Bron Luka and Reaves throw in Ayton as your centre then yeah good luck but because Luka and AR have been so good they have made it work.
They don’t lack good defenders Smart is a former DPOY, Vando is a great defender, Rui plays defence, Vincent is known for his defence coming from Miami and so on it’s just the roles they play and how bad these guys are on offence which stops them getting minutes and the team being better.
Hard to make a trade for anyone and expect a drastic improvement too cause when you have multiple bad defenders out there teams will always have someone to target.
Unless you trying to get back a couple guys and give up a couple then yeah it’s going to be tough to really improve on that end.
I’d be looking at Jermaine Grant, Mattise Thybulle and Rob Williams over there in Portland. Those three are all really good defenders, while not being liabilities on offence. Problem is salary matching and lack of young talent to give up, without losing all your picks.
I wonder if either team would be interested in in doing this..
Lakers: Jermaine Grant and Rob Williams
Blazers: Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber and a protected first round pick
Portland gets out of Grants contract and instead have 3 expiring deals. They also get back a first. I’m sure LA would rather do Vando instead of Rui but because of the expiring money vs Vandos 3 year deal it would be a hard sell.
Still get that across the line I think it does make a difference.
Luka AR Grant Bron Ayton
Smart Knetch LaRavia Vando Williams
Grant is a solid 3 and D or two way forward and he can play either forward spot which helps next to LeBron depending on your match up. Rob I also think would be a good back up to Ayton instead of Hayes.