Los Angeles Lakers: Examining Luke Walton's Offense

The Los Angeles Lakers, as constructed, are not on the level of the Golden State Warriors. But with the hire of Luke Walton, it’s hoped the Lakers can hasten their quest to be relevant again.

With Luke Walton as head coach, Los Angeles Lakers fans can start to salivate about seeing a coach get the best of his players, something that hasn’t happened since Phil Jackson.

By examining the Golden State Warriors offense and the Lakers young core we break down some of the ways for this to happen.

The backcourt of the Warriors offense is what makes it dangerous from pretty much anywhere inside half-court.

The Lakers do not have the defense-distorting shooting offered by Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry, so Walton will need to run an offense suited to the skills of Jordan Clarkson and D’Angelo Russell in the backcourt.

Last season Clarkson added nearly 200 3-point attempts (121-to-320) to his resume while increasing his accuracy from 31 to 34 percent. If he can continue that trend, teams will need to respect his ability from distance.

Mar 6, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson (6) shoots over Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) during the NBA game at the Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports /

Russell shot 35 percent from behind the arc, right on the league average, not bad for a rookie. Russell attempted more three-pointers over the season than Clarkson (370).

This reliance on the three ball is partly due to his position within the offense and his lack of athleticism at the NBA level.

Russell is not super strong or quick and although he showed a knack for getting into the mid-range and near the basket, it will take him some time to develop an NBA physique and read the game correctly.

Pass, pass, pass. The Warriors employ a free-flowing offense based on passing until a quality shot is found. Within their offensive schemes they favored a motion offense into weak side pin-down screens seen here (video credit Half Court Hoops):

You’ll see the motion or dribble handoff action that leads to the positioning for the pin-down screen. This action produces a lot of results for the Warriors with wing players coming off to shoot and drive or for the screener to roll to the hoop.

During the regular season, the Warriors led the league with nearly 29 assists per game. The Lakers were last in the league at 18 assists per game. Curry (6.7 APG) and Draymond Green (7.4 APG) led the Warriors’ attack.

Green’s passing was especially valuable as he sought to create in 4-on-3 situations after Curry and Thompson pick-and-rolls:

It’s also what happens after the initial motion — players’ ability to assess the floor off the catch. Do they shoot or dribble drive? This is where the IQ comes in and often leads to multiple drives and a wider open shot.

This is similar to the San Antonio Spurs, who will go hunting for the great shot:

What does Walton do with the Lakers? It’s likely he will have fewer ball-stopping players (mentioning no names, Kobe Bryant and Nick Young!) than Byron Scott had to deal with. He also has youth on his side, which should allow him to push the pace. Expect a faster Lakers team.

In the half court look for more ball and player movement. It will be down to the players to read and react in these situations. Patience doesn’t favor the young, so there will be a learning curve leading to early shots and turnovers.

However, the Lakers youngsters have shown their own flashes of smart play: Clarkson has developed his ability off the high pick-and-roll to make reads and finish in the mid-range or close to the basket.

Mar 1, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard D Angelo Russell (1) celebrates with Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson (left) after making a shot during the fourth quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Staples Center. The Los Angeles Lakers won 107-101. Mandatory Credit: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports /

Russell’s court vision was rarely seen and I expect him to work in the post next season too – if his off-season commitments are anything to go by (per Lakers reporter Joey Ramirez):

"“I’m just living in the weight room, just trying to become stronger. Last season was a shock playing against grown men that have been in the league for multiple years. You compare your strength to theirs and see where you really are. That’s something I want to focus on in the offseason,” Russell said."

Julius Randle also appears very committed to his development this offseason. Randle showed he can be a bully with comparisons that put him somewhere between Zach Randolph and Lamar Odom.

Randle sees his goal as to become “great” with a commitment that goes towards maximizing his talents on both ends of the floor.

Mar 22, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Memphis Grizzlies forward Zach Randolph (50) is defended by Los Angeles Lakers forward Julius Randle (30) during an NBA game at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports /

The Walton hire has led to renewed enthusiasm in Los Angeles. Here is a coach coming from the best offense in the NBA to lead a talented trifecta of future Lakers superstars.

If Walton can bring the best out of this team, and the Lakers do a good job rounding out the roster, the Lakers can make a significant jump forward in win percentage next season.

(Statistics per basketball-reference.com)

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Los Angeles Lakers: Examining Luke Walton’s Offense

By Stephen Findley | Jun 9, 2016

The Los Angeles Lakers, as constructed, are not on the level of the Golden State Warriors. But with the hire of Luke Walton, it’s hoped the Lakers can hasten their quest to be relevant again.