LOS ANGELES — The offseason is where rosters are formed and expectations form. Training camp is where the process to meet those goals begins, and the Los Angeles Lakers have been putting in the work through the first two days
.The Lakers came into the new season expected to take a dip defensively, but if what we heard at training camp on Wednesday, two players are looking to turn that perception on its head in Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams.
Take it directly from the guy who’s dealt with their
defensive impact first-hand.
“Trying to score on Matisse and Zaire…is not easy,” Austin Reaves said after practice on Wednesday. “Had to deal with that all day yesterday and today, and it’s not fun…I think that they’re two of the best defenders in the league. They can guard multiple positions. Matisse’s anticipation is top tier. So excited to have them on our team and see what they can do.”
Thybulle and Williams both come to Los Angeles on minimum deals — the former a veteran, the latter still just 25 — each looking to prove they still belong in the league. If the impression they’re making on the rest of the roster bears true, they both may be integral pieces in making the Lakers one of the best defenses in the league.
“It starts with the defense,” JJ Redick said of Williams. “He’s a pest. He’s disruptive. He’s got great length. I think even going back to September when we watched pickup games and through the first two days of camp, his physicality stood out. I know he probably doesn’t have a reputation as being invisible, and you combine that with the length and the instincts, and he’s got just a solid base defensively.”
Modifying practice
Redick has been a coach of great detail in his tenure with the Lakers. So, naturally, when he has to modify practice, you’d think it would be a problem for him. Not on Wednesday.
“[Today] was great,” Redick said. “I mean, we actually had to modify the latter third of practice because these guys were just giving great effort and physicality. So we cut a couple things, but it was wonderful.”
Redick expanded, saying the wings were the main source of that physicality, especially on defense, being early disruptors, eating at the shot clock and maintaining that physicality off the ball.
“It’s been high intensity from the start,” Quentin Grimes said. “We kind of set the tone defensively with who we want to be as a team. Picking up full court, everybody, all five guys trying to switch one-through-five. We went smaller a couple times today, so just having that intensity the whole practice. JJ can see it. We could all feel it. The coaches can feel it.”
“It was very intense,” Sandro Mamukelashvili added. “Everybody’s very intense, hands-on, very, very physical. We try to set the tone from the beginning of the practice, make sure we pick each other up. But at the same time, it’s very, very healthy competition and everybody tries to establish themselves and get comfortable with each other and learn each other’s tendency.
“But today, it was very, very hard. We were going at it. We’re pushing, shoving, and just trying to make sure we help each other get better.”
Imposter syndrome subsiding
The majority of Lakers fans welcomed Redick with open arms three seasons ago despite no professional coaching experience. Many pointed to his lengthy playing career, the brief, but impactful, media career that followed and the natural charisma he’s had since he was at Duke as reasoning. Outwardly, he’s always had a confidence to him, too.
That wasn’t always the case internally, though.
“As I reflected this summer,” Redick said candidly. “Probably shouldn’t admit this, but early in my coaching career, it felt like I was cosplaying a little bit. It was like I was pretending to be a coach. You get more reps, you get more comfortable. I don’t think the confidence was ever not there, and you also just know what you want.
“When I played, I played with an anger. There was an inner anger that drove my competitiveness. That’s not always a good thing as a coach, particularly now. So, yeah, just working through all that stuff. But I think the biggest thing is just intrinsic knowledge. You do things enough, you just feel more comfortable.”
Redick led the Lakers to 50-plus wins in each of his first two seasons as head coach, something the franchise hasn’t seen since Pat Riley’s first two years. Aside from the few more gray hairs Reaves jokingly said he’s noticed, there’s been a tangible impact in his coaching style.
“He’s been great,” Reaves said. “Care factor is high. Intelligence is high. He cares more than anybody else in the gym. He’s been a good leader since day one. He’s confident in what he wants to do. He’s confident in himself and confident in his basketball.”
Other notes:
- Austin Reaves had to pause his media sessions to admire Luka Dončić hitting five halfcourt shots in the span of 30 seconds.
- Redick says Walker Kessler and Kevon Looney will be playing closer to the basket on defense while Mamu’s usage in that role will be more matchup-dependent.
- Mamu is concentrating on learning team principles and being a reliable contributor rather than worrying about starting or coming off the bench.
You can follow Connor on Twitter at @cmorenoNBA.
