The Los Angeles Lakers have had an interesting summer marked by inactivity, coasting through free agency with their most notable acquisitions being draft picks Dalton Knecht and Bronny James. The team has significant holes on both offense and defense which could hurt them from making a run in the West, with this similar roster going 47-35 last season before being eliminated in the first round.
The Memphis Grizzlies will hope to make a deep playoff run themselves in a season with a healthy Ja Morant back on the roster. But offensive concerns around their roster will be prevalent with an average shooter like Morant being their primary scorer. Desmond Bane is a certified scorer, but there are major offensive inconsistencies everywhere else on the roster. They could rectify that by adding a valuable guard to their unit while giving the Lakers a player they could find great use of.
Trade Details
Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Marcus Smart
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: D’Angelo Russell, Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2029 Lottery Protected First Round Pick (LAL)
Russell’s offensive caliber is proven and he would be a lethal weapon for the Grizzlies who already have had a strong defensive setup and identity over the last few seasons. Russell is on an expiring contract and will have to buy in to secure his financial future. Meanwhile, the Lakers add a POA defender that they have sorely missed in their lineup and a leader whose voice could ring out alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
The Lakers Beef Up Their Defense For JJ Redick’s Rookie Coaching Season
The Lakers have been stuck between identities for the last few seasons. Even though Darvin Ham tried establishing a defensive ethos for the franchise, the only consistent defender ability-wise was Anthony Davis. With Jarred Vanderbilt’s injury issues and a possible early-season absence, the Lakers need someone to shore up their perimeter defense instead of relying on the unproven Max Christie or Austin Reaves.
Marcus Smart averaged 14.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 4.3 assists on the Grizzlies last season, struggling to fit into a very injured team while suffering injuries himself. While there was a tangible defensive impact, it wasn’t nearly as game-changing for a team that technically had the last two DPOYs before last season. The Grizzlies offense is a bigger issue for them trying to compete in the West, with defensive solidity coming through their team’s system.
As JJ Redick himself believes, the Lakers’ offense can be greatly boosted by the team running more organized sets instead of playing random offense. They have the tools to succeed in doing that with dynamic ball-handlers like James and Austin Reaves, alongside one of the best interior presences in the NBA with Davis. Adding Smart boosts the team’s defense considerably and he can play a role within the offense.
The Grizzlies Add A Certified Shooter With A Young Prospect
For all the negativity surrounding D’Angelo Russell, it can’t be forgotten that he averaged 18.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.3 assists last season while shooting 41.5% from three on 7.2 attempts per game. He would be considered an elite shooter on most teams in the NBA but the overall disappointment of the Lakers season and his inconsistencies have hurt his perception around the NBA. With Russell set to hit free agency next season, he’s in need of a comeback year to avoid becoming a mid-level player in the NBA.
The Grizzlies are lacking offensively compared to almost every contender in the West. Morant is a tremendous talent but he’s not offensively versatile enough to be a one-man offensive unit with set shooters around him. That’s a system good enough to make them a Playoff team, but the Grizzlies are aiming for more. Russell is an on-ball self-creator with a strong passing game, adding a lot more dynamic play to the Grizzlies offense.
Jaren Jackson Jr. is a great shooter at his size but he isn’t a self-creating scorer, often feeding off looks from Morant. Playing them with major perimeter threats in Russell and Bane would make the Grizzlies’ offense far more unpredictable while maintaining the defensive levels they’ve shown throughout the Morant and Jackson era.
Jalen Hood-Schifino is a young prospect with a lot to prove but could develop into a solid backup point guard in the next few seasons with a ceiling to possibly achieve more as a combo guard.
Both Teams Take On Risk For A Potentially Greater Reward
As currently constructed, both the Grizzlies and Lakers have work to do before they can be considered one of the elite teams in the West. Being stuck in the Play-In tournament seeds is not ideal for either franchise, so this move could help them shake things up enough to take a step forward. One team adds the defender they need while the other adds the scorer they need.
Anything the Grizzlies did last season is hard to take seriously due to the widespread injury crisis. What we do know is that Smart went 6-13 with Jackson Jr. in the lineup, with their combined DPOY talents not enough to hold other teams off. Their combined 112.6 defensive rating was just 1.7 points better than the team for the season, showing that doubling up on both isn’t necessary.
The Lakers have enough offensive versatility to move on from Russell, something the team has been trying to do even with his impressive scoring. They have a far more tangible need for a POA defender, with Smart being one of the best options for the same in the NBA.
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