The Los Angeles Lakers surprised many fans by signing Collin Sexton to a contract as one of the biggest offseason moves. Outside of Walker Kessler and Quentin Grimes, Sexton was the top name acquired by the Lakers. Fans and media have questioned whether it made sense to pay another guard when the team lacks wing players.
Sexton provided some optimism by revealing the players he hopes to model his game after for the new Lakers role:
“I watched a lot of the playoffs, I watched a lot of (Marcus Smart) over the years, but also I would just say his mindset. How can I be in the right spot? How can I make plays? Like you said, I’m always scoring, but how can I make plays on the defensive end? How can I get the one more or the hockey assist? Those little things.
And also, I watched a little bit of Avery Bradley as well. How he was able to change the pace on defense, and that was a while ago. How did he impact winning when he was here? And I feel like those two guys, I’ve been able to really lock in on because I feel like I can bring that to this team.”
Smart and Bradley were named as plug and play guards who could contribute to winning via secondary roles. Last season saw Smart having a bounce back year for the Lakers and ultimately getting paid more money by the Houston Rockets to leave in free agency.
Why Collin Sexton Has Been Criticized
The polarizing reaction to this signing comes due to the Lakers losing top wing players LeBron James and Rui Hachimura. No proven starting forwards have been signed, with the Lakers taking chances on Matisse Thybulle and Sandro Mamukelashvili instead.
Sexton received a bigger contract than Kelly Oubre, who could have fit in perfectly as a teammate of Luka Doncic. Oubre represents what the Lakers lack as a forward with height and impressive outside shooting skills.
Criticism for Sexton comes from those who believe he’s not necessary for the Lakers since they have Doncic, Grimes, and Austin Reaves already in the guard positions. Sexton must fit a role like Smart to prove the Lakers right for adding him to the roster.
Pressure On Rob Pelinka For Next Season
Lakers General Manager Rob Pelinka took a few huge risks like signing Sexton and trading for Kessler from the Utah Jazz. The franchise took some risks that they believe can make them a contender by building an ideal roster around Doncic.
Failure to make the playoffs and taking major steps back in the loaded Western Conference could lead to Pelinka losing his job. No one is expecting the Lakers to eliminate the San Antonio Spurs or Oklahoma City Thunder, but they should be able to compete against every other team.
Sexton and the other new players must make a positive impact to have this offseason pay off. Losing talent like LeBron, Hachimura, Smart, and Luke Kennard have many skeptical of the Lakers game plan moving forward.
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