/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/51175847/screenshot.37.0.jpg)
The Los Angeles Lakers’ offense last season could have used a bit more variety. A league-high 10.6 percent of the team’s possessions last season ended in an isolation, according to NBA.com, and the team was additionally 28th out of 30 teams in percentage of baskets set up by an assist.
It’s important to note that ball movement doesn’t necessarily correlate with offensive efficiency, but it was easy to watch the Lakers offense last season and observe that it would have been better without so much iso-ball.
New head coach Luke Walton evidently agrees, at least judging by what we saw from the Lakers’ practice on Monday. Shahan Ahmed of NBCLA captured some of the end of practice action today as the team returned to their normal facility in El Segundo, and even if the Lakers’ offense only improves marginally this year, it’s certainly going to be a lot more fun to watch:
Lakers doing 5 on 0 drills right now pic.twitter.com/bqLTvBoPvG
— Shahan Ahmed (@shahanLA) October 3, 2016
There were six passes on that first possession, mixed in with more movement and cutting than we saw from the team at nearly any point last year. Yes, it’s five-on-zero. Yes, it’s just training camp and the team still looks slightly stilted. Even so, this is still improvement and worth noting before the team kicks off the preseason against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.
Bonus Practice videos
Randle is still working on his shot:
Randle from range pic.twitter.com/cRsmdQ5qxR
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 3, 2016
More scrimmaging:
Lakers scrimmaging full court now to wrap up practice. pic.twitter.com/8WuqCrgVek
— Shahan Ahmed (@shahanLA) October 3, 2016
Tarik smash? Tarik Smash!
Someone forgot to play defense. Tarik Black dunk at the buzzer... pic.twitter.com/QviS5UUx50
— Shahan Ahmed (@shahanLA) October 3, 2016
Just two Lakers’ seven-footers working on spacing the floor:
Mozzy and Yi with some mid-range work. https://t.co/Tx7Aw1QBeq
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) October 3, 2016
You can follow this author on Twitter at @hmfaigen.