Los Angeles Lakers lineup preview, Part 4: How will the bench look?
We continue our lineup preview for the Los Angeles Lakers by taking a look at a lineup consisting of all second unit players in what should be an exciting bench unit.
The Los Angeles Lakers‘ second unit has an interesting mix of youth and experience that gives head coach Luke Walton plenty of options when going to the bench for minutes.
He can choose from a pair of combo guards that are interchangeable in the backcourt, has two small-ball 4s at his disposal and a strong group of big men that figure to jostle for minutes in the early part of the season.
For this preview, we will take a look at the five that seem in line to lead the bench in minutes at the start of the season. With limited scoring options, a group prefaced on ball movement and defense is key for this unit to thrive without starters on the court:
The backcourt combo of Jordan Clarkson and Josh Hart seems to be the consensus pairing for the bench squad, with Tyler Ennis pushing them for minutes. They theoretically fit together on-court with Hart capable of defending the best guard spot and playing off-ball offensively, while Clarkson takes the majority of the ball-handling responsibilities.
I had some trouble finding the frontcourt trio, however. Kyle Kuzma is destined to be a successful small-ball 5, potentially 5, but his athleticism and shooting make him serviceable at the 3. Corey Brewer and Luol Deng are options, yet I’m struggling to see them logging a ton of minutes over the other Lakers. Deng can play some 4, but doesn’t warrant taking minutes away from the young players.
Larry Nance Jr. makes his debut on the lineup previews and joins new addition Andrew Bogut in rounding out a bench unit that features four players 25 years old or younger along with the previously mentioned veteran big Aussie garnering minutes over youngsters Ivica Zubac and Thomas Bryant.