An idealized 2022-23 Los Angeles Lakers roster needed three things around LeBron James and Anthony Davis: shooting, defense and proven playoff viability. Less than a day into free agency, the Lakers have filled all but two of their available roster spots, but to say that they’ve addressed any of those needs would be premature at best.
Lonnie Walker IV, who will sign using the taxpayer mid-level exception, shot just 31.4 percent from behind the arc last season. The three remaining deals were for Troy Brown Jr, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damian Jones — three players who combined to hit just 85 3-pointers last season. That’s only six more than Russell Westbrook made on his own.
Among most major metrics, only Toscano-Anderson ranks as above average defensively. FiveThirtyEight’s RAPTOR and DunksAndThrees’ EPM both frown on the non-Toscano-Anderson trio, and ESPN’s Real Plus-Minus is even more damning, ranking Walker 119th among 123 qualifying defensive shooting guards and Jones 64th among qualifying centers.
Between the four of them, they’ve played 147 combined playoff minutes in their careers. For comparison, the last time a hobbled LeBron James was in the playoffs back in 2021, he played 220 minutes in a single series against the Phoenix Suns. Toscano-Anderson and Jones have both been on Warriors championship teams. Neither could carve out rotation roles on them.
In other words … little of what the Lakers did in Day 1 of free agency makes much sense yet. Their only spending tool above the minimum salary was the mid-level exception and it’s gone. So are 13 of their 15 total roster spots and both of their two-way slots. Yet not one major need was addressed. So what gives?
The obvious perspective here is that the Lakers are overcorrecting. Last year’s roster was the oldest in the NBA. It was as slow as it was injury prone, and the infusion of youth and athleticism these signings bring could solve those problems. There’s something to that, especially in light of the jump Malik Monk made last season.
The Lakers are surely hoping that one or two of these players can similarly grow on a roster built around James and Anthony Davis. It’s not bad logic. Walker has great physical tools and a 6-10 wingspan. Defensive improvement is entirely plausible. Jones is coming off his best season as a pro and did so on a bizarrely constructed Kings roster. His role will be clarified on…
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