Scouts and executives rate Lakers’ offseason from ‘very good’ to ‘great’
LAS VEGAS — They say no one knows what time it is in Las Vegas, casino floors and high-end clubs devoid of clocks and windows. Late nights blur into early mornings as people go from one good time to the next.
Considering that, it’s kind of a funny place to ask people around the NBA to be patient.
Summer league veterans know the on-court play is fairly immaterial — the great performances and big disappointments not exactly predictive of how a prospect will turn out. The live five-on-five games help scouts and executives sort out some back-of-roster decisions and can give them insight into the players they just drafted, but the real value happens in the stands, on the concourses, in the back hallways — and later, at the bars — where these people gather to talk.
For a reporter, it’s a dream — important people from all 30 organizations available to offer insight on whatever questions there are to ask. Through the first weekend in Vegas, we’ve asked more than a dozen different people — general managers, player personnel folks, college and NBA scouts, former players, agents and coaches about the Lakers’ summer. All gave their assessments under condition of anonymity. Here’s what we’ve heard:
Free agency
The general sense of the Lakers’ free agency has landed somewhere between “pretty good” and “great.”
One league executive raved about the Lakers signing Gabe Vincent, saying the guard is “the perfect point guard to play alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.”
The executive cited Mario Chalmers as a player who reminds him of Vincent. “[Vincent] doesn’t need the ball, can shoot it and makes the right decisions. And, he can really defend.”
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Vincent’s underdog story with the Miami Heat — at one point, he couldn’t earn a spot on a summer league roster — should be a strong cultural fit with the Lakers, who have undrafted free agent Austin Reaves as the latest example of the team being willing to find talent wherever it exists.
Vincent is also regarded as a tremendous locker-room presence and was incredibly well-liked in Miami.
The signing of center Jaxson Hayes also generated a fair amount of buzz. He attended the Lakers’ first summer league game Friday, sitting next to veteran forward Jarred Vanderbilt. Hayes’ athletic tools should fit seamlessly with D’Angelo Russell, Reaves and James — who can run pick-and-roll plays and get the ball to a lob threat like the 6-foot-11 Hayes.
One scout questioned New Orleans’ decision to play him at power forward at times, saying Hayes is more of a classic rim runner at center. You wonder why he didn’t play more with the Pelicans last season, but the Lakers’ ballhandlers seem more equipped to put him in winning positions.
The Reaves contract, four years and $54 million, has been regarded as a steal for the Lakers, the team benefitting from a controlled restricted free agency during which teams with interest in signing Reaves were certain any offer they’d put together would be matched.
There were some split opinions on Rui Hachimura and Russell, which was expected considering their pasts in the league. With Hachimura, some executives wondered whom the Lakers were bidding against in free agency when they gave him an average of $17 million per year over the next three seasons. Maybe a better deal could’ve been had.
Still, supporters of the decision pointed to two key factors. First, Hachimura answered one of the big questions about him — how he’d perform under an intense spotlight — in a wonderful postseason run when he was one of the team’s most reliable shooters. Second, he showed consistent toughness and fight — for example, his willingness to defend center Nikola Jokic — that made some people around the NBA think the Lakers possibly unlocked something in him.
With Russell, there were still big questions about his reliability on the defensive end for a team with championship aspirations, the last memories of him struggling in the conference finals still fresh. The talent, though, is there and the belief is the Lakers could find a trade partner if necessary because of his two-year deal with a player option in the final year.
Forward Taurean Prince’s professionalism, size and shooting made sense for the Lakers, and forward Cam Reddish is a cost-effective gamble on talent.
The team still has up to two minimum contracts it can offer, and insiders around the league believe it’ll ultimately be headed to a big man. Christian Wood is one option, though there are real concerns about his ability to function on a winning team. The talent is undeniable. The other options left, such as Bismack Biyombo, are probably less equipped to step in, start and thrive if Davis were to miss a stretch of games.
The youth
Scouts and executives are evenly split on first-round pick Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 6-6 point guard whom the Lakers drafted 17th.
Some point to his bizarre shot profile at Indiana. His best work came in the midrange and the top of the key, while he struggled at the rim. There are questions about his burst off the dribble and vertical athleticism.
Others point to his command and size at point guard and are quick to point out that the goal at No. 17, at least mathematically, is to draft a contributor. If you do that, you’ve won.
Lakers wing Max Christie enters his second summer with the team looking confident and on the verge of becoming a rotation player.
The shooting needs work, but he’s shown the defensive and passing potential to justify his draft slot, one executive said.
The other player on the Lakers’ summer league team whom scouts have spoken about most is center Colin Castleton, who was signed to a two-way contract.
Scouts have been really impressed with Castleton’s ballhandling and passing, traits he’ll need to have if his shooting from three doesn’t develop. They do, however, wonder if his shot blocking — which was such a strength for him at Florida — can translate to the NBA. He’s been in foul trouble throughout the Lakers’ summer league games, and learning how to defend without committing fouls will be crucial.
The future
Second-year guard Max Christie has mostly done well with his chances to be the primary scorer so far this summer. Scouts expect Christie to challenge for minutes this season, filling the void left by Troy Brown Jr., Malik Beasley and Lonnie Walker IV departing in free agency.
Rivals were impressed with the growth coach Darvin Ham showed throughout his first season, with his work against Memphis and, in particular, Golden State being highlighted.
The Lakers won’t be the favorites in the West next season. No one expects that. But if James and Davis can stay healthy enough, the belief is the Lakers improved the roster around them.
Now, all there’s left to do is wait.
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