Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we look at Ziaire Williams.
A perfect storm of departing contracts afforded the Los Angeles Lakers an opportunity to officially move forward with a revamped team built around superstar Luka Dončić this summer.
Head coach JJ Redick and company had a specific identity in mind when crafting
the new-look Lakers: defense, youth and athleticism. A young wing they took a flyer on who projects as a prototype that the franchise (and its fanbase) has desired for a while, Ziaire Williams, fits that mold perfectly.
The 25-year-old wing has spent the better part of his five-year career on middling teams and without a creator as talented as Dončić or Austin Reaves, who possess the ability to enhance the skills of the people around them. Despite the malaise one might play with on a team like the Brooklyn Nets, Williams produced some great tape and the stats back it up.
Defensively, the lanky 6-foot-9 Williams is the exact type of wing stopper you’d want to see next to Los Angeles’ star backcourt. He ranked in the 91st percentile in defensive matchup difficulty, 87th in perimeter isolation defense, 97th in passing lane defense and 96th in deflections per 75 possessions last season, all according to BBall Index.
He’s a consummate disruptor both on and off the ball and causes the exact type of chaos a defense needs to win; it’s just a matter of him doing it while on a team with serious aspirations.
Williams’ shortcomings offensively may just be a result of the lack of creation he’s shared the floor with. Not to mention, while in Brooklyn, he was often tasked with creating offense on his own, which detracted from his ideal role off the ball. The forward has a chance to really flash his skills as an off-ball spacer playing off of the natural gravity Dončić and Reaves create.
Williams shot 34.3% from beyond the arc last season, which ranked just in the middle of the league, and 33.9% on catch-and-shoot threes, which ranked even lower. Those numbers start to look reasonable when you consider the factors under which he was shooting the deep ball. According to BBall Index, he had an overall 3-point openness rating that graded out in the ninth percentile… ninth… along with a catch-and-shoot shot quality rating that slotted him in the 27th percentile. He will see better-quality 3-point opportunities with the Lakers, without question.
It’s natural to herald that Williams, given his skillset, age and physical ability, will turn into a better version of himself when surrounded by better talent, but it’s not a given.
What is his best-case scenario?
Redick has been itching to roster a player of Williams’ potential and ability. And he’s already had plans for him this offseason.
In an ideal world, Williams solidifies his spot on the roster by earning the highly coveted fifth spot in the starting lineup. He’s got a legitimate chance, too. He’s at a similar level defensively as Jarred Vanderbilt, but has a vastly superior offensive repertoire. If Jake LaRavia continues to struggle to knock down the deep ball, he and Williams will be even on that side of the ball, but Williams is significantly better defensively.
Williams has one of the best chances at breaking into the lineup, especially if Redick wants to counter a weak defensive backcourt with a versatile defense by fielding Quentin Grimes, Williams and Walker Kessler alongside Dončić and Reaves.
What is his worst-case scenario?
I don’t expect his defense to be the reason he’s played off the floor moving forward. He’s too gifted in that department for that to be the case. It all comes down to shooting.
How many players coming into Los Angeles with the promise of an ability to space the floor have fallen at the behest of the Crypto.com Arena lighting? LaRavia is a prime example. He arrived as a 42.3% 3-point shooter and had the worst perimeter shooting season of his career last season, shooting 32.1%.
What if all the talk about the subpar shot-creating talent Williams was playing with is all just wishcasting? If he continues to be a low-30s shooter from deep, it will be hard to justify having him out there in the role that many are hoping he can fulfill.
He was, after all, available for the minimum as a 24-year-old former 10th overall pick.
What is his likely role on the team?
Williams is an archetype many teams want. His youth and contract alone make him a justifiable swing to take.
His skillset will be used and needed on the Lakers this season. Williams will most likely have a pretty prominent role as one of the more versatile wings on the roster. Will he actually make a leap playing around supreme talent, or is the player the Nets and Memphis Grizzlies rostered just who he is?
You can follow Connor on Twitter at @cmorenoNBA.
