The Los Angeles Lakers switched things up last week, adding a new set to their offense, which they implemented during Thursday’s practice and displayed on Friday in their loss to the Memphis Grizzlies. Admittedly, head coach Byron Scott said he knew it would be “rocky” at first, but the reason for implementing a new set at this point in the season actually had more to do with the future than anything else.
“I was really kind of torn on even putting it in now, or waiting till the summer to go over it again with the younger guys and add it, but the coaching staff was like you might as well give them a taste of it now, and let’s get them familiar with it the next 20+ games and then going into the summer, they’ll have a much better feel for it,” Scott said on Monday.
After three additional days to practice the new set, which Scott described as “one set with a ton of options,” the players started looking more comfortable with it each day. The offense was not entirely new to D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr., Anthony Brown or Tarik Black, all of which who played on the Lakers Summer League team, when the set was initially implemented.
“It’s coming along well,” Clarkson said of the offense on Monday. “Just trying to find our spots and really trying to figure out how it works. It’s getting us to move the ball and play with each other.”
Scott also said the new set is designed to force ball movement and reduce isolation plays, something he’s hoping will result in massive improvements next season.
“It’s done a good job as far as us getting better at spacing and moving the ball and that’s the whole point,” Randle echoed about the new set.
Scott expects Kobe Bryant (sore shoulder) to be available for Tuesday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets, and despite not participating in practice over the weekend, the set will be run the same way with him in the offense. Scott said he’s already talked with Bryant about the new set, and he understands it all just fine.
