The narrative around new Los Angeles Lakers guard Collin Sexton is that he’s a poor defender. However, he does plenty with plenty of effort and energy on that end of the court, and that is the least the coaches ask of their players on the defensive end.
The Lakers held their annual Media Day on Monday ahead of training camp, and Sexton was asked by the Spectrum SportsNet crew about what he will bring to the team. Danny Green, a former Lakers 3-and-D wing, asked him if there is one thing he wants to implement right away, and Sexton talked about helping out on the defensive end.
“I would say [the] defensive side,” Sexton said. “I know what I can do offensively. I know what I can bring [on the] offensive side. But I would say just being more of a pest on the defensive side and getting into the ball, creating that havoc and blowing up screens and just trying to buy time on the clock. Since it start at 24 [seconds], let’s get it across halfcourt sometimes maybe at 16, 17, that first pass.
“Me having conversations with the coaches have been nothing but great because they see something in me that I feel I’ve been knowing I can do and now it’s, OK, it’s time to show what I can do on the defensive side.”
Sexton helping the Lakers pick up fullcourt and harass opposing ball-handlers would be a big help. In recent seasons, the team hasn’t pressured opposing ball-handlers or gotten into the bodies of opposing perimeter players. It looks like coach JJ Redick‘s plan is to change that operating format this season, especially now that shot-blocking center Walker Kessler will be stationed near the basket as that last line of defense.
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Sexton, who is 27 years of age, is a big spark plug offensively, and he averaged 15.4 points and 3.3 assists in 23.7 minutes a game while shooting 48.5% from the field and 40.1% from 3-point range last season. He has the opportunity to play a large role overall as a sixth man, especially given that the Lakers were 29th in bench scoring last year and have long lacked a player who can give them instant offense or push the pace off the pine.
This article originally appeared on Lakers Wire: Collin Sexton says he’s focused on helping the Lakers on defense
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