Lakers News: L.A. Thinks Of Russell Westbrook, Dennis Schröder As Top Two Point Guards?
Even as further news comes out about your Los Angeles Lakers' preseason perception of their developing roster, this writer is struggling to believe it.
Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack NBA round-up that the Lakers view 2021-22 starting point guard Russell Westbrook and newly-re-signed 2020-21 starting point guard Dennis Schröder to be their primary point guards heading into the season. The team also has 6'1" Patrick Beverley and 6'2" Kendrick Nunn on its books to the tune of a combined $18.25 million. This reinforces what Stein had previously suggested via Twitter yesterday. The Lakers may be stubbornly trying to fit square pegs into round holes to make their backcourt-heavy roster work.
While Nunn has moonlit at shooting guard in spot minutes, he has never before been a full-time shooting guard given his size and general defensive deficiencies. Beverley did play off the ball for a season with the Houston Rockets and for an injury-abbreviated turn during his first year with the Los Angeles Clippers, but has generally played at the point throughout his 10-year career. He can guard bigger perimeter players, though he would be ceding a major height advantage to opposing shooting guards if he's to play permanently at the two.
This just seems like a dangerous misevaluation of talent. Beverley may not be a traditional lead playmaker, but that wouldn't be his role on a LeBron James-led team anyway. As a supplemental ball-handler who can shoot and defend, Beverley seems like an ideal fit to start alongside LBJ.
Stein indicates that the Lakers envision Beverley, Nunn, 6'5" Austin Reaves and 6'4" Lonnie Walker IV fitting in along the wing. Stein had previously not indicated how the Lakers were thinking about the Walker fit. Walker and Reaves, traditionally shooting guards, would also be moving up a position if they had to spend extensive time as small forwards.
A lot of this roster clutter could be cleared up without having to innovate special positional accommodations. Los Angeles could make more of an honest effort to trade the expiring deal of Westbrook in exchange for upgrades in shooting along the wing or at either forward spot and/or defense. The team seems hesitant to include two first-round draft picks in the offing, but one would think some trade partner would prove amenable to receiving, say, a pick and a swap. Time will tell.
