Los Angeles Lakers: Weighing options at the starting shooting guard slot
By Dalton Sell
Arguably the biggest story of the 2021 NBA offseason has been the seismic changes made by the Los Angeles Lakers.
They underwent a massive roster reconstruction, which kicked off with their blockbuster trade for Russell Westbrook, the former MVP winner. The electrifying Westbrook will join LeBron James and Anthony Davis to form a star-powered trio that can hang with the best of them across the league. Still, this unit needed some complementary pieces, and the front office did a stellar job by adding several household names like Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Deandre Jordan, and Trevor Ariza, among many others.
The Lakers are loaded heading into the new season, and their lineup is mostly set, but the one question that remains revolves around their starting shooting guard. They have many options to consider, but who exactly will hit the floor alongside Westbrook in the backcourt is uncertain at this point in time. With that being said, let us break down the options for head coach Frank Vogel to consider starting at the two-guard in 2021-22.
Shooting guard options for the 2021-22 Los Angeles Lakers: Kent Bazemore
Kent Bazemore was among LA’s new free-agent acquisitions, and the veteran will be brought up in the conversation to start. Although he has primarily been utilized as a second unit spark during his career to this point, the 32-year-old could be a feasible option to be the opening night starter if he impresses in training camp or the preseason.
The most important attribute for the position will be the outside shooting, and Bazemore just had the most efficient shooting season of his career last year. Hitting a career-high 40.8 percent of his triples with the Golden State Warriors, the veteran proved to be a massive boost off the bench to give that team a spark. Some will say that Bazemore’s lights-out shooting year was just a fluke, considering he has hit just 35.6 percent of his career 3-pointers, but that cannot be said for certain until he takes the court this season.
In addition to his outside shooting, Bazemore would also help shore up the team’s defensive play. Having lost both Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Alex Caruso in the offseason, the Lakers will need their new guards to replace the defense they provided, and Bazemore fits the bill. While he stands at just 6-foot-4, the swingman possesses an impressive 7-foot wingspan that has allowed him to defend multiple positions during his career. That versatility could undeniably help the Lakers.
Bazemore would bring solid two-way play to LA’s starting five, but he will likely be coming off the bench to begin the year. He will likely be the team’s Swiss Army Knife in the second unit, providing a spark whenever he checks into the game.