Ziaire Williams Issues Warning About Lakers’ New-Look Defense

Sep 28, 2026; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers player Ziaire Williams (11) during media day at UCLA Health Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Ziaire Williams Issues Warning About Lakers’ New-Look Defense

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Ryan Ward | Last updated Oct 2, 2026 3:51 PM ET

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The Los Angeles Lakers had some boxes to check during the NBA offseason to improve the team overall and put the talent around superstar Luka Doncic that would set the franchise up for success for the foreseeable future.

Although re-signing Austin Reaves was the team’s top priority, a close second was replacing Deandre Ayton with a defensive-minded upgrade at the center position, which they were able to do with the acquisition of Walker Kessler.

After addressing the center position, the Lakers made a few quick signings on long-term deals, like Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton. But the perimeter was still a concern.

Fortunately, the Lakers may have made a couple of steals to bolster the perimeter defense, adding Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams to the mix, who have already received rave reviews in training camp for their effort and defensive impact.

Ziaire Williams: New-Look Lakers ‘Got Some Dogs’ on the Team

Training camp has only been underway for a few days, but there’s already a lot of buzz about how this revamped squad looks defensively.

There seems to be no doubt that the Lakers will be an elite offensive team, with reigning scoring champion Luka Doncic leading the way.

But the defense has been a concern for a few years now, which might finally be turning the corner with some “dogs” on the squad, according to Williams, via Khobi Price of The California Post.

"We got some dogs on this team,” Williams said. “Everyone plays one through four. All the wings are great. There's no slack; you see four or five wings out there playing hard, everybody else has to pick it up a notch."

The trio of Williams, Thybulle and Kessler is exactly what this Lakers team needs to right the ship on the defensive end. The primary concern right now is keeping Kessler and Thybulle healthy, who played a combined 35 games last season.

If all goes well health-wise, the Lakers could be a lethal force to be reckoned with on both ends of the floor during the 2026-27 campaign.

Ziaire Williams Wants Challenge of Guarding Opponent’s ‘Best Player’

Williams, much like Thybulle, signed a veteran minimum deal with the Lakers, meaning he’s got a lot to prove during the upcoming season.

The veteran wing has no lack of motivation heading into his first year back playing for his hometown team, and wants to take on the challenge of guarding the other team’s best player, as he said during his time at the podium at media day.

“Just being versatile on both ends and being able to guard the best player and just provide just that extra lifeline of energy and picking up full, just the little things I do to contribute to winning,” Williams said. “And that's what we talked about in the meetings and free agency and stuff. And I'm glad I made the right choice, man.”

As long as Williams continues to make an impression during training camp and the five NBA preseason games that follow, the 25-year-old will get his chance to prove his worth as a player with a significant role in head coach JJ Redick’s rotation.

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