Lou Williams: D'Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson have 'taken this team by the horns'

The Los Angeles Lakers' have only been training together for three days so far, but that has been enough time for offseason addition Lou Williams to see something he likes from the Lakers' young backcourt of Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell. After the team's first practice of their third day of training camp wrapped up, Williams told Serena Winters of Lakers Nation that Clarkson and Russell have "been amazing," and that he is "very impressed how they've taken this team by the horns."

Williams is not alone in being impressed with Russell, who suffered a bruised bone that is considered "minor" during the team's first session of the day, as yesterday Kobe Bryant told reporters that Russell "[Russell] has my trust already because he's a gym rat," which may be why he is fine not touching the ball and readily accepting a move to small forward.

Clarkson has similarly drawn rave reviews over the summer, with Lakers trainer Tim DiFrancesco telling Lakers.com he has "had a number of our coaches/other players tell me how [Clarkson] seems stronger than ever before while on the court" while describing Clarkson as "a true gym rat, so this does not surprise me."

Provided that Russell's foot injury is as minor as the team is making it out to be so far, it sounds like the Lakers' backcourt is off to a great start in Hawaii.