With three starters from last year’s team now gone — LeBron James, Deandre Ayton and Rui Hachimura — the Los Angeles Lakers have dramatically overhauled their roster, led by a lively series of transactions during free agency.
Among those brought in to help Los Angeles compete near the top of the Western Conference was Quentin Grimes, who has a chance to earn a starting spot alongside Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and Walker Kessler. During Monday’s media day, Grimes told reporters that a Lakers team
full of new faces is getting along well and gelling rather quickly.
He also said Los Angeles has the talent to “shock a lot of people this year, for sure” and wants to claim one of the two remaining starting spots up for grabs.
With his point-of-attack defense, outside shooting, finishing and connective passing, Grimes profiles as an ideal fit next to Dončić. He briefly played with Dončić on the Dallas Mavericks and spent 2.5 seasons alongside Jalen Brunson in New York, so he’s experienced in the sort of role he’ll likely enjoy alongside Dončić and Austin Reaves moving forward.
The keys for Grimes will be to streamline his offensive decision-making and ratchet up the defense to his pre-Philadelphia ways. Sometimes, he’s a bit erratic and rushed attacking closeouts while he never really resembled the menacing on-ball defender folks were previously accustomed to during his tenure as a Sixer.
If he refines those areas, he’ll be a wonderful complementary starter for the Lakers and play a major role in whether they can actually surprise for the better this season.
You can follow Jackson on Twitter at @jackfrank_jjf.
