Training camp is underway for the Los Angeles Lakers, and head coach Luke Walton has been hard at work trying to establish the foundation for this new era of Lakers basketball.
There will be plenty of players battling it out for spots in the rotation. Young players like Brandon Ingram are looking to prove their worth to Walton, while a veteran like Marcelo Huertas is hoping to hold on to his spot in the rotation that he established last season.
The Lakers held their first scrimmage on Wednesday night and apparently things were a little sloppy. A scrimmage two days into camp being sloppy isn’t a surprise as plenty of these players haven’t played together and it will take time for that chemistry to develop. That wasn’t the case for Huertas however, who Walton said almost seemed like another coach on the floor, according to Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters:
Luke Walton did say Marcelo Huertas stood out in the scrimmages, said he almost seems like one of the coaches out there.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) September 29, 2016
This is a good sign for Huertas who will be vying for crucial backup point guard minutes with veteran Jose Calderon. His flashy style made him a favorite amongst fans last season, but he wasn’t the only player to stand out as Walton also singled out rookie Brandon Ingram via Winters:
Luke Walton also said Brandon Ingram really stood out defensively last night in scrimmages.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) September 29, 2016
This is a good sign for Ingram that he is making an impact in different ways. Coming into the draft much of the focus was on his offensive skills, but he is showing that even if he struggles initially on that end, he can make things happen on the other end.
It’s hard to take too much away from a scrimmage, especially one so early in training camp with players who aren’t all comfortable with each other just yet. Nonetheless, guys like Huertas and Ingram making a mark early is a good sign that the Lakers have some serious talent on this roster.
