Why aren't the Lakers playing Marc Gasol more? https://t.co/kdWmFT8kVN
— LakerTom (@LakerTom) May 5, 2021
Why hasn’t he gotten more burn?
From my view, the case begins with age. The decline in foot speed makes Gasol a questionable-at-times option in the Lakers’ defensive scheme. They like to play their bigs to the level of the screen, if not higher at times; he can’t do that at high volume.
Drummond is more physically equipped to handle that scheme. It’s understandable (even if you disagree) that the Lakers would give him more of those reps, to acclimate him to their system as well as take some of the load off of Gasol at this stage of his career.
Where Gasol struggles playing higher up, he can still navigate in drop. The sense for playing the gap — not allowing too much space for pull-ups, not leaving himself open to lobs behind him — is still there. With less space to navigate, he’s able to commit and contest a little easier.
Add in Gasol’s strength as a post-up defender, and you still have a guy that provides plus value. The Lakers’ defense is stingier — nearly three points per 100 possessions — with Gasol on the floor.
Offensively, Gasol’s role is a bit easier to visualize. His role is to invert the offense as a high-post playmaking hub, a handoff threat in Delay sets or otherwise, or a perimeter spacer when his teammates run the show.
Gasol can make sweet music as a passer. Basic reads can be made out of set pieces — the Lakers love pitching the ball to the elbow and running flex action for cutters. Or, if the situation calls for it, players can shake loose with back cuts, trusting that Gasol will find them.
Gasol can shoot the ball. He’s drilled 40.5% of his threes this season, and 37% of his triples over the last five seasons. The issue is volume: 2.5 attempts this season, 3.5 over the last five.
His ability may dictate teams scrambling to close-out or pick him up in pick-and-pop situations, but his passivity gives defenders an out. Gasol went 3-of-4 from three against the Denver Nuggets on Monday night, and all four of his looks came with little to no defensive attention.
It’s easy to argue that Gasol spreads the floor better than Drummond does — and he does, without question — but some of the hesitation to giving Gasol more burn may be due to his, well, hesitation.
Gasol generating north of 1.2 points per possession on pick-and-pops (via Synergy) sounds great… until you realize that number comes on 23 possessions. The same can be said for him as a roller (1.29 PPP, 14 possessions), and it’s not like he warps defenses with his vertical gravity if he doesn’t get touches.
The Lakers rarely give Gasol low-post touches; the results haven’t been great (0.61 PPP, 5th percentile) when they do. He tends to face-up or sprinkle in fadeaways more than he attempts to pulverize dudes on the block. That finesse style isn’t inherently bad; it just doesn’t draw extra bodies unless there’s a massive size mismatch the defense wants to get out of.
There are holes to poke in Gasol’s game on both ends, and the Lakers have another former All-Star they’re trying to work in. It should come as a shock to nobody that they’re prioritizing Drummond’s physicality.
That, of course, doesn’t make it right. Even with Gasol’s (self-inflicted) limitations, the Lakers have been a better team with him on the court. More specifically, lineups featuring Gasol, LeBron James, and Anthony Davis have blitzed teams by nearly 12 points per 100 possessions in 347 minutes.
Starting Gasol over Drummond might be a bridge too far, but there’s certainly no logical reason for Gasol to be racking up DNPs at this point. There’s room for him to accentuate bench lineups with his playmaking and defense. Those same skills allow him to fit alongside the Lakers’ two best players.
Play the man.
LakerTom says
The main reason Marc hasn’t gotten more playing time is because the Lakers promised Andre Drummond the starting role and major minutes at the five.
Jamie Sweet says
Regular season: yes.
Playoffs: matchups and defense will dictate who plays.
Same as last season. Frank adapts, said all the same things he said this year about Howard and McGee. “We believe in our centers” “Our centers are a big strength and will be huge for us in the playoffs” things like that. Just words, he will do the right thing.
LakerTom says
We’ll see. I sure hope so but I’m far from sure it will happen.
Jamie Sweet says
We will. Barring adjustments to injuries, that’s how it’ll go down, IMO.
In all reality, what’s Frank supposed to say? “ROb got me this $%#*ing center and said I have to play him so…here we are, or whatever…” That won’t fly. He’s going to pay it all lip service, just like every other coach in pro sport.
Jamie Sweet says
And if he doesn’t and we get bounced than the blame will know right where to fall.
LakerTom says
I think there’s a management/coaching decision to keep Drummond starting hoping he’ll suddenly work so they’re going to give him every chance, long as it’s in the regular season.
If Drummond is not the right center to start or Gasol the better option then I think Frank will make the change, especially if the matchup is the Nuggets.
Drummond can still play twice as many minutes. Matchups are going to favor Gasol starting and playing as many minutes as he can while still being effective at his age.