Coach Luke Walton prepares for his first season at the helm for the @Lakers! pic.twitter.com/qcjshnV07e
— NBA (@NBA) October 17, 2016
In order for the system of head coach Luke Walton to reach the next level, the young core of the Los Angeles Lakers must continue to get acclimated to it. By working out the kinks and having their questions answered, the offense will evolve with it and become more fluid.
Following the Lakers loss to the Golden State Warriors, there were many instances to improve upon. The offense seemed stagnant, running offensive schemes late into each possession. With the shot clock running down, the guards were forced into many pick and rolls, which didn’t amount to much.
D’Angelo Russell struggled in the contest against the Warriors, going 3-for-10, with eight points, five assists, and four turnovers. Russell remains an extension of Walton on the court, so there will be struggles regarding executing the offense.
Walton remains adamant on finding the balance between Russell’s scoring and passing abilities, in order to help facilitate the offense for others.
For Brandon Ingram, the transition to the NBA involves different learning curves. Besides adjusting to instances such as the three-point line, the rookie needs to learn an entirely different system.
While adjusting under an old-school coach would be rather difficult, the transition to Walton’s updated offense makes it easier on the young core. Walton’s ability to connect with the millennials has been profound, with the young core excited to start the season.
In a video courtesy of the NBA, there are snippets of Walton in practice, encouraged at the progress the team is making. Ingram commented on the atmosphere in practice, stating the adjustment has been a fun process:
“Got a feel for how he wants to play. Just getting out in transition…It’s going great,” Ingram said. “Everyone is having fun playing the way he likes to play.”
Walton has implemented newer techniques, such as allowing music throughout the practice facility during non-competitive portions of practice.
His ability to delegate and inform the “breakfast club” has eased their transition into the new era of Lakers basketball.
Russell stated the excitement Walton coaches with in practice, showing confidence when the team executes an NBA caliber outcome:
“When guys make the right play, you can see him jumping out of his seat in practice or in a scrimmage,” Russell said. “Just how excited he is to see that. A lot of people told me that, before I even met him, that he was the guy for this team. He is all about winning it and making the right play.”
The Lakers next contest is slated for Wednesday, against the same Warriors. Walton will get a rematch against his former team, hoping for better results from the starting unit that fell behind 30 points in the first half.