Quentin Grimes has been absolutely central to the Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason chatter, media day buzz, and now, the preseason action. He’s not just a guy they’re kicking the tires on; his prominent role is *the* theme, and head coach JJ Redick is already thrilled with what he’s seeing from the guy through training camp and these first two preseason games.
Grimes Is Already Delivering On Both Ends
Look, Grimes has been showing up big time. The offensive punch he brings as a shooter, a driver, and a connector on the floor is seriously appealing, honestly it could be vital for the Lakers to hit their offensive ceiling this season. We saw him drop 16 points on a super efficient 5-of-7 shooting against the Sacramento Kings on Monday night. Then, he followed that up with 12 points on 3-of-8 shooting the very next night against the Golden State Warriors, even in a tough 124-98 loss for L.A. But here’s the kicker: the Lakers desperately need him to rediscover that defensive form he flashed earlier in his career, and Redick sounds like he’s doing exactly that.
“I think he’s a guy that, If needed, can create some advantages and, for that second-side action, can finish advantages offensively,” Redick told reporters after the Warriors game. “I think his commitment to the defensive end has been really good throughout camp and in these first two games. We’re excited about him.” That’s high praise, man!
What Redick’s “Advantages” Comment Actually Means For The Lakers’ Offense
It’s clear Grimes is basically locked in as a starter, rolling out there with Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, and Walker Kessler. That means his off-ball scoring and perimeter defense aren’t just good to have, they’re straight-up crucial for how that starting unit is gonna click. He’s got a ton of experience playing next to ball-dominant guys (like Dončić himself!) and taking on brutal defensive assignments every single night, so the blueprint for his success is totally there. But Redick saying Grimes “can create some advantages” himself? That’s the real eyebrow-raiser.
We all know the offense is gonna run through Dončić and Reaves for the most part, right? So, how much freedom is Redick really going to give Grimes to run an occasional pick-and-roll or a dribble handoff? He actually handled the ball quite a bit during his time with the Philadelphia 76ers, but that team didn’t have the insane amount of perimeter creation the Lakers do now. Still, it’s gonna be super interesting to watch how much Redick trusts Grimes with the ball, especially given how confident he seems in his whole skill-set. If Grimes can maximize those opportunities on top of his crucial play-finishing and perimeter defense, the Lakers could get even more dangerous offensively.
What’s next for Grimes and the Lakers? We gotta keep an eye on how Redick continues to integrate him as the preseason rolls on and we head into the regular season. Will he get more chances to create his own offense, or will his off-ball scoring and lockdown D remain his primary focus? The stakes are high for him to solidify his two-way impact and push the Lakers toward their ceiling.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Silver Screen and Roll.
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