Anticipation is mounting for the upcoming Los Angeles Lakers season to see how all these new pieces come together. The Lakers put out a video of the team scrimmaging during their minicamp in Slovenia and it generated buzz in the dog days of the offseason.
But for former Lakers forward Matt Barnes, he is in more of a wait-and-see mode with this new squad. With so many new faces on the roster, Barnes wants to see how they gel as a team before making judgments.
“I’ve got to see it,” Barnes told Lakers Nation at the 26th annual Harold & Carole Pump Foundation celebrity dinner. “They’re calling them the ‘Snowtime Lakers.’ Anytime you’ve got Luka and A.R. at the head, two tremendously score-driven guards, I’m someone that looks at defense so I want to see how they round out the roster and be able to protect the basket. But very talented team. I don’t know if it’s new ownership or not. It’s kind of new ownership with Mark, and if it ends up going to the new group, we’ll see. Being a Laker is tough job, but it’s a fun job and it’s a blessed job. So I’m excited to see what they put on the court this year.”
Defense continues to be a topic of conversation surrounding the Lakers because of their lack of two-way talent on paper. Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams and Quentin Grimes are the top perimeter defenders, which is a considerable amount of pressure considering two of those players are minimum signings.
However, Thybulle grades out as a premier defender, although he obviously needs to stay healthy in order to make an impact. Williams, on the other hand, is a younger upside play for Los Angeles if he continues to develop.
Despite lackluster defensive personnel the last two years, JJ Redick and his coaching staff have shown an ability to generate schemes that work. Hopefully, that magic carries over into this season as the Lakers look to get back into the championship mix.
Jonathan Kuminga reportedly views Lakers as better fit than Timberwolves
Approaching the end of the NBA offseason, Jonathan Kuminga remains a free agent with a suitor off the board in the Cleveland Cavaliers after acquiring Peyton Watson via sign-and-trade. According to reports, the Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves are the last two remaining suitors for Kuminga.
The former lottery pick is looking to find a new home where he can rehab his value and appears to view Los Angeles as a better fit than Minnesota.
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