Let’s break down how Buddy Hield could fit on the Lakers by looking at the data, and how the team integrated in a shooter with a similar off-ball movement profile (Ben McLemore).
The Los Angeles Lakers have recently been in the news — well, they’re alway seemingly in the news (clicks!) — for reported trade talks. Those rumors have mostly centered around L.A. trying to find shot-creators to help out LeBron James and Anthony Davis, while also addressing the team’s needs for better shooting, both issues that reared their ugly heads during the team’s exit from the NBA playoffs in the first round against the Phoenix Suns.
One of the names that has come out as a trade target is Sacramento Kings guard Buddy Hield, reportedly in exchange for Kyle Kuzma, who may be seeking a larger, more consistent role (and his relationship and familiarity with current Kings coach Luke Walton could potentially play a factor here).
But when considering the Lakers’ aforementioned weaknesses, Hield makes a lot of sense in multiple ways on the offensive end. Further, we have a prototype for how some of his key strengths would be used within the team based on how the Lakers used Ben McLemore last season. In the following video, I dove into that fit further:
So there you have it. If Hield does indeed end up coming south to the Lakers, the basic blueprint for his use may already be in place. Considering the NBA is the NBA, I’m sure there will be a thousand more reports and smoke signals before free agency opens, but with the that 2021 NBA Draft just days away, we should start to see some dominoes fall into place soon.
Dr. Rajpal Brar, DPT has a doctorate in physical therapy from Northern Arizona University, and runs his own in-person and online sports medicine and performance business, 3CB Performance, in West LA and Valencia, CA in which he further combines his movement expertise and fitness training. He also works at a hospital — giving him experience with patients in the immediate healthcare setting and neurological patients (post stroke, post brain injury) — and has been practicing for 4 years. Brar is additionally training at UCLA’s mindful awareness research center (MARC), has a background in youth basketball coaching and analyzes the Lakers from a medical and skills perspective for Silver Screen and Roll and on his own YouTube Channel. You can follow him on Twitter at @3cbPerformance.
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