1. PLAYMAKING TO FREE LEBRON TO PLAY OFF THE BALL
Lakers #1 goal this offseason was to find a ‘difference-making playmaker’ so LeBron could evolve from the team’s defacto point guard and to full-time power forward to save energy and extend his career.https://t.co/ePkkGvhwug pic.twitter.com/4LRmDxpZCh
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) September 7, 2021
1. PLAYMAKING TO FREE LEBRON TO PLAY OFF THE BALL
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September 7, 2021 6 Comments
There’s a reason this was at the top of my list of the six areas where the Lakers dramatically upgraded their offense. The Lakers absolutely had their primary offseason goal exactly right: they needed elite playmaking.
The additions of two elite point guards in Russell Westbrook and Rajon Rondo is going to transform the Lakers into an offensive juggernaut. If you watched last season, one of the Lakers’ biggest shortcoming was not have an elite playmaker when LeBron was on the bench.
A unappreciated benefit of Russ taking over the one is LeBron moving to the four and AD to the five, which finally allows the Lakers two superstars and the team itself to finally roll out their best lineup. LeBron and AD are a dominant front court.
How important do you think having Russ and Rondo as playmakers will be for the Los Angeles Lakers?
I think having Rondo on the bench will be a boon for our young players as I feel that if Rajon is averaging major minutes it will be to the detriment of our young players. It’ll mean far fewer minutes for Nunn and Monk, both of whom could be potential future building blocks if Frank handles this right.
I know all the focus is on how AD doesn’t want to play the 5 and, lordy lordy lordy he just GOTTA play more 5 because we won’t win if he doesn’t! I see LeBron at the four being more of the impediment to that which was why I was hopinh we’d corral Millsap, regardless of how the rest of the NBA media feels about it. Having another option at the 4 unlocks a line up with AD at the 5 and James at the 3. LeBron wasn’t lying when he said he’d never be 100% again because, as far as the NBA goes, he’s old. The grind of that style of play at his age cannot be ignored or simply glossed over. Might he play at the 4 for 5 (or fewer) minutes to end a needed basketball game? Sure, of course. Can we pencil him in for 20 mpg at the power forward slot every night? No, I don’t think we can and I don’t think we should even want that.
We saw a Laker team staying afloat with LeBron and without AD but once the King went down so, to, did the ship and all it’s crew. You cannot replace what LeBron brings to the floor and so the number one goal for the season is a simple one to say but much harder to attain: keep LeBron healthy for the playoff run. If that doesn’t happen it won’t really matter who else is ready to go, it won’t be enough.
So, in that regard, I really do hope (but honestly don’t expect) to see The King play off the ball a lot. I rather expect to see a lot of staggered minutes between he and Westbrook, which makes all kind of sense. I’m quite curious to see if Russ ends up playing a lot of crunch time minutes, to be absolutely honest. Frank has a propensity to go with something he thinks works and sticks with it come hell or high water. So I expect Russ to get the nod at the beginning of the season. How that evolves, if the Lakers can unlock a really positive combination of players around AD, LBJ and RW will define this season.
I agree. Playmaking is such a difference maker. We saw that last season as the Lakers struggled whenever LeBron was on the bench. That was the problem with most of the roster last season. They couldn’t get their own shot and thus couldn’t play their best without someone setting them up. This year we have added Russ and Rondo to LeBron, which is a massive upgrade in team playmaking.
I also agree that the time has come when AD has to play more five. There is no way we win unless he does. When you look at what has happened to the center position, there really aren’t many centers left who are capable of bullying and banging to the extent that AD would be a bad matchup. For guys like Jokic and Embiid, we’re going to double them to force the ball out of their hands anyway. Lakers need the best versions of LeBron and AD and the team. To do that, LeBron must play the 4 and AD the five. No way around it the way the league is stacked.
Which isn’t what I said but I get it: you have tunnel vision on this point right now. I said, and will repeat for clarity, is that NOT signing another player that can play the 4 means it is more unlikely…not more…that we see line ups w/AD at the 4. After AD it’s an old and under-sized Melo and LeBron at the 4. That’s not happening for 20-25 mpg, my man. That’s happening for 3-4 minutes at the end of close games. At best.
I think everybody is underestimating how good LeBron can be off the ball playing the four and posting up. We saw some stretches of it this season and it was lethal. Playing LeBron and AD closer to the basket will only make them even better and harder to defend. People forget how good a rebounder and put back pair Bron and AD are. They can dominate most teams’ front courts.