Los Angeles Lakers: Expect struggles on the wing in 2017-18
The Los Angeles Lakers’ roster improved from a season ago, but still has a major hole with talent and depth at the wing position in 2017-18.
The positivity surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers’ roster moves this offseason shows the franchise trending in the right direction.
They traded away bad contracts (Timofey Mozgov), brought in a new backcourt that fits head coach Luke Walton’s mold (Lonzo Ball and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope) and added an offensive versatile big man (Brook Lopez). But there’s still a glaring issue on the wing for this team.
The Lakers’ current wing rotation is Brandon Ingram, Corey Brewer and Luol Deng. While Ingram offers plenty of long-term upside if he continues his trajectory, Brewer and Deng are not players you can consistently give minutes to and expect to compete in the Western Conference. Deng is also serviceable as a small-ball 4 at times.
Combine this lack of wings with a crowd of big men and the amount of small, quicker lineups Luke Walton can use are limited. There’s a possibility that Kentavious Caldwell-Pope can slide up a position and take on some smaller wings, but that puts him out of position and away from guarding the lead ball-handler. It doesn’t help that the Lakers aren’t the deepest team at the guard spot, either.
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The biggest benefactor from the lack of competition for minutes on the wing is the second-year small forward Brandon Ingram. Even if he struggles, getting Ingram as many minutes as possible should be the main objective for his sophomore campaign.
He could learn a lot from Brewer and Deng, however. Both players have playoff experience and can teach him the little things off the court with their 24 combined NBA seasons played.
I’d like to see how well Ingram can defend and rebound from the 4-spot if Luke Walton decides to try a KCP-Ingram combo at the 3-4. They both have the length to handle the move up; it’s a matter of how well they can keep people out of the paint that will determine how much they play together at these spots.
Brewer and Deng are not the easiest players to deploy offensively, either. Brewer is wildly inconsistent from deep with little ability to create his own shot. Deng is a better shooter, but has lost a step when attacking the rim (along with his terrible contract). It’s not a pretty sight if the Lakers are forced to play either of these two extended minutes in a given game.
Despite wanting to give Ingram as many developmental minutes as possible, I wouldn’t be opposed to using the remaining cap space to bring in another wing. Brandon Rush is one name that comes to mind. Rush played under Luke Walton with the Golden State Warriors and is a free agent after playing last season with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Rush is the perfect option to backup Ingram. He is a spot-up shooter that would open space for others and not demand much of the ball. He can play the 2 or 3, knows the Lakers’ system and is another veteran brain for the young players to pick and learn from. Signing him to a one-year contract gives the Lakers a short-term fix and maintains future cap space.
That cap space could be used to lure in long-term fixes next offseason involving players I won’t discuss further because it’s not in play at the moment. But I think Rush is a smart, cheap player to consider approaching. The short-length of his deal makes him a tradable piece around the trade deadline in what could merit a second round draft pick, an increasingly valuable piece in the NBA.
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The Lakers’ wings won’t be the strength of the team this season, but that isn’t the worst thing for a team not expecting to contend for a playoff spot. Give Brandon Ingram all the minutes possible, bring in a cheap backup and keep an eye on the 2018 free agency class.