Lakers News: Biggest Takeaways From LA's First Summer League Game

Both positives and negatives for the Lakers here...

The Lakers first summer league game is in the books and it didn’t go exactly as planned. The team was beaten by the Miami Heat by a score of 107-90 in the first game of the California Classic.

Almost from the opening tip, the Lakers were outplayed by the Heat. There were moments that might have seen the Lakers make a comeback but ultimately, the Heat just couldn’t miss. But don’t worry Laker fans, it’s not all bad. Here are some of the positive takeaways from this game:

-Max Christie: Christie looked good, simple as that. He looked like a second year player with NBA experience and his growth looks apparent. Christie was scoring from all three levels and if he can continue this level of production, he very well could be in line for rotation minutes. Christie led the Lakers with 17 points, six rebounds and four assists.

Early still but Max Christie looks good. Seems more patient on offense and high energy on both sides. Can't wait to see his growth this season for the #Lakers

— Matthew Levine (@Levine1445) July 3, 2023

-Jalen Hood-Schifino: The Lakers first round draft pick struggled a little offensively but you could see the defensive instincts and ball handling skills. He was controlling the pace of the game for the Lakers on offense despite his shot not falling. Hood-Schifino looked more aggressive in the second half of the game and showed some of the skill that made him a first round pick. He finished the game with 15 points, five rebounds and four assists. 

-D’Moi Hodge: The un-drafted free agent signed with the Lakers on a two-way deal and he impressed in his first action with the LakeShow. He was active on both sides of the ball and looked like the type of player that the team could use if he keeps developing his game. He is the typical three-and-D type player who shot 40 percent from three in college. He knocked down one three in the game and finished with seven points.

What a steal by Hodge there. He's been active on both sides of the floor so far #Lakers

— Matthew Levine (@Levine1445) July 3, 2023

-Colin Castleton: The other player that the Lakers signed to a two-way contract looked promising. He was active on both sides of the floor and showed a nice touch in the paint. Castleton also showed that he can handle the basketball as we saw him dribble up the court a few times. The former Florida Gator has intrigue due to the Lakers thin big man rotation at the moment so if he can produce at a high level, maybe he can earn a spot on the roster. He went 5-5 from the field, scoring 11 points.

Negatives:

-Three point shooting: Once again, three-point shooting plagued the Lakers. As a team, they shot 5-24, good for 20.8 percent from deep so not a great showing. Hopefully they can take this game film and come out with a better performance from distance next time out. 

-Maxwell Lewis: This isn’t really a negative on Lewis and how he played but it would have been nice to see the Lakers second round pick out there a little more. He looked decent in limited minutes so hopefully in the team's next game, he gets more time out there.

-Cole Swider: There is no doubt that Swider can shoot the lights out of the basketball but what else does he bring? He again showed the shooting ability but he was sloppy handling the ball and took some questionable shots. I’m sure he wants to show that he can be effective as more than just a shooter but it looked at times like he was rushing things.

Now we shouldn’t be overreacting to anything that we saw from the first Summer League game but there are things to watch going forward. These players haven’t had much time together so things could be a little messy at first but there is plenty of promise with this team. The Lakers will return to the court on Wednesday as they face the San Antonio Spurs.

Are you following us on Twitter, Facebook, or YouTube yet? Join the conversation as we discuss the latest Lakers news and rumors with fans like you!