The Los Angeles Lakers made a number of additions to their backcourt and wing rotations this offseason and one who is expected to play a major role is Quentin Grimes. Many expect Grimes to start alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves and be a primary defender as well as a secondary ball-handler and creator.
Grimes has been outstanding over the past two seasons, but his role with the Lakers will be a little different and he understands that. As such, he has been working on some things to make sure that he thrives with his new team.
“I knew I was gonna have a little more bigger offensive role,” Grimes said on Mason & Ireland on ESPN LA Radio. “Gotta know who you’re playing with, Luka he sets you up anywhere on the court so just making sure I’m in those corners, getting those corner 3s up. But also, I know I have the ball in my hands a lot coming off pick-and-rolls, making plays.
“I feel like my last two seasons in Dallas and Philly I was able to kind of show my whole package offensively. Making reads, whether that’s creating shots for me or creating shots for my teammates. So I feel like knowing that, coming into that I’ve been working on that the whole time and getting work in with the couple of player development guys already so it’s been phenomenal honestly.”
The ability to act as a reliable shooter from 3-point range while also being capable of attacking the defense, getting in the paint and creating for himself and others will be crucial to the success of this Lakers team. He has teamed with Doncic in the past so he has an idea of what to expect and has already been hard at work with the Lakers’ staff on those things.
Taking on a larger role on offense is something Grimes is prepared for, as well as being one of the team’s primary defenders and his success in taking on this role for the Lakers will go a long way towards how good this team will be this upcoming season.
Quentin Grimes ready to take on defensive challenges for Lakers
Grimes is expected to take on the role that Marcus Smart held for the Lakers last season. There is no questioning that Grimes is better offensively, but Smart was a defensive leader for the team last year, taking on the challenge of defending the opposition’s best guard. And that is something Grimes is ready to take on next season.
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