Lakers' New Defensive Strategy Already Misfiring

Heading into the 2025-26 season, the Los Angeles Lakers are a bit of a mystery.

Although the club went 50-32 last year, that record was the result of two vastly different rosters: one a defensive juggernaut thanks to 10-time All-Star center Anthony Davis, jumbo-sized forwards LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, and rising 3-and-D swingman Max Christie; the other a somewhat mismatched squad led by the three-headed offensive monster of James, Austin Reaves, and new trade arrival Austin Reaves.

The Lakers fell in a five-game first-round playoff series matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves, unable to contain the team's younger, faster frontcourt nor All-Star shooting guard Anthony Edwards.

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Over the summer, team general manager and president Rob Pelinka strived to address the club's defense somewhat. Although he let one of the Laker's better wing defenders go,

Khobi Price of The Orange County Register opines that fissures are already starting to show in the Lakers' current defensive approach.

Defensive Woes for Los Angeles

James, 40, has been sidelined due to sciatica on his right side, and could miss multiple weeks of action. A big body, the 6-foot-9 athlete has slipped since his All-Defensive Team days with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers, but can still provide decent resistance inside the paint.

Price observes that a particular weakness for LA in the preseason has been the club's transition coverage. But that was hardly their only problem.

"They also easily forced the Lakers to frequently go into rotations defensively, even with the team mostly playing a drop defensive coverage – which is supposed to help prevent the need for rotations – because they didn’t contain the ball well," Price writes. "Redick has called for the team’s big men to be more at the level of their screen in their drop defense, which is something that hasn’t been performed consistently."

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Los Angeles has also been doing its fair share of ball-watching, at the expense of its off-ball defense. The club has also not been physical enough in bodying up the opposition, per Price.

“When we start games being physical is when we are at our best,” Doncic said. “We need to be more physical for sure. Getting in the ball on pick-and-rolls. Just being more physical.”

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