Los Angeles Lakers: Weighing options at the starting shooting guard slot

Shooting guard options for the 2021-22 Los Angeles Lakers: Wayne Ellington

At this point in time, Wayne Ellington looks like the best bet to be LA’s starting shooting guard when the team takes on the Golden State Warriors opening night. He is yet another newcomer that will suit up for the purple and gold this season, but one could argue that Ellington will be the most important of the bunch.

Of course, Ellington is a near-elite shooter in today’s game, and he is coming off the second most efficient shooting season in his career. He shot 42.2 percent on six attempts from behind the arc with the Detroit Pistons last season. Shooting like that will make Ellington a perfect match for the Lakers as he will be a reliable threat on the perimeter for James, Davis, and Westbrook. There are questions about how he will hold up defensively, but with that shooting prowess he possesses, it is worth the gamble.

The Lakers were in the bottom half in 3-point percentage last season, and they certainly improved in that area by adding names like Anthony, Monk, and Ariza, but Ellington is the shooter that could be the difference-maker at the end of the day. Only time will tell, but out of the handful of options to start at shooting guard for the revamped Lakers, Ellington is their best bet.