Last season, head coach Luke Walton pushed hard to establish an identity with the Los Angeles Lakers of defensive intensity and selfless, ball-movement basketball on offense. With the addition of LeBron James to the team this summer, Walton sees that as even more important to the success of the Lakers.
As opposed to surrounding James with shooters, which has been the plan for his teams in yaers past, the Lakers instead surrounded him with other playmakers in order to relieve some of the pressure on James to create for everyone.
Now it’s on Walton to relay that message of selflessness to his team.