With one day left until the Lakers' preseason opener, head coach Luke Walton hasn't yet decided on a starting lineup, but he does know that he plans to put out plenty of combinations during Tuesday's matchup with Sacramento.
Unlike during the regular season, Walton says that winning won't be the primary focus in the exhibition in Anaheim, as he will instead focus on spreading out playing time and finding coachable moments.
He doesn't anticipate anybody playing between 30 and 40 minutes, giving him opportunities to toy with lineups and try to answer questions like whether either Julius Randle or Larry Nance Jr. can guard centers.
“We're gonna try different lineups out together,” Walton said at the team's El Segundo practice facility on Monday, “see if we can find a small lineup that works well together or find a big lineup that can switch everything.”
One of Walton's leaders on the floor, D'Angelo Russell, claims that he doesn't have any concerns for his team heading into the preseason. He says that the Lakers, who returned on Sunday from a six-day training camp at UC Santa Barbara, don't have pressure coming from the outside.
“Everybody knows we're new,” Russell said. “We've got a new coaching staff, whole new group of guys. It's either going to take a few years or happen right away. We don't have any expectations.”
A video posted by Los Angeles Lakers (@lakers) on Oct 3, 2016 at 1:32pm PDT
One of those new faces is No. 2 overall pick Brandon Ingram, who will suit up in the gold home jersey for the first time on Tuesday.
So far, Ingram has been pleased with the way that Walton has structured the team's path to the regular season.
“I think it starts with the coach,” Ingram said. “He instilled the way that we play, the fun way, and everyone's liking it. We're moving the ball, cutting to the basket, getting out there defensively, having fun out here.”
While Walton's culture supplies the fun, Julius Randle amps up the energy, according to Russell.
After praising Randle for snapping the team out of a funk on the last day in Santa Barbara, Russell reiterated how contagious his effort can be.
“He's gifted,” Russell said. “He's gifted at his size. He's gifted at his ability. And whenever he brings it, the intensity level goes up. His defenders have to step up their level of play or they'll get dominated. On the offensive end, he's setting hard screens and hitting shots and finishing, rebounding — it just makes it easier for everybody.”
As for Randle himself, the 21-year-old admitted that being the one in that role can be a difficult task. But, with a season as a top-10 rebounder already on his record, he asserts that he will embrace it.
“It's not the easiest thing in the world to play crazy hard all the time,” Randle said. “It takes a toll. But it's what the team needs and what everybody needs to do in order to win.”
Randle from range pic.twitter.com/cRsmdQ5qxR
