Lakers’ Collin Sexton Zeroing In on Area That Could Define His Role

The veteran guard is putting in extra work as he looks to carve out an important role with Los Angeles this season.

Sep 28, 2026; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers player Collin Sexton (5) during media day at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One of the more interesting additions to the Los Angeles Lakers roster during the NBA offseason was veteran guard Collin Sexton.

Heading into the summer, the consensus seemed to be that the Lakers would bring back defensive-minded guard Marcus Smart, as he was a good fit in the backcourt alongside Luka Doncic and brought much-needed defensive intensity.

However, Smart felt disrespected by the Lakers' offer and chose to leave the team in free agency, signing with the Houston Rockets, which created a void in the backcourt.

Collin Sexton Focused on ‘Dialing in’ Defensively

Sexton can try to help fill the void, but he’ll have to step up his game defensively, which he’s been focusing on coming into his first season with the Lakers. 

"I've been dialing in a little bit more on the defensive side,” Sexton said during Lakers media day. “I know how much I can impact ball pressure, how I can start picking up full court and just be disruptive on the defensive end.”

The 27-year-old seems determined to make an impact on defense during the 2026-27 campaign and is using what he saw from Smart last season as an example of what he needs to do.

“Even just watching Marcus [Smart] last year, that was his job. He would come in, be so physical off the ball, on the ball. He was just a pest.”

Sexton is also doing his homework on another former Lakers guard who prided himself on the defensive end, with Avery Bradley being another example he’s using to make an impact defensively.

"I watched some film of Avery Bradley as well when he was here, and how he just never got screened, how he was always fighting through anything, and how his competitive juice helped the team win,” Sexton said. “I think those two guys really help see a role that I feel like I can compete in because I know what I can do offensively. I feel like I can shoot, I can score. I can do that offensively but I think on the defensive side, those two guys are something that I've been really focusing in and watching stealing things from, for sure."

It’s a good sign that Sexton is doing his homework on Smart and Bradley, with the biggest concern about the Alabama product being whether he’ll be a liability on defense. 

Although Sexton is saying all the right things and putting in the work to improve on the defensive end of the floor, it remains to be seen if it’ll pay off, as he’ll have much to prove, especially after signing a four-year deal with the team.

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