For those concerned about the Lakers running it back, fear not.
Last year, in the first three wins LA had over Houston in the opening round of the playoffs, they started LeBron James, Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard. If Rui Hachimura doesn’t return, that means the entire starting lineup is gone.
In its place, an injection of new talent has emerged, including the team’s latest signing, Quentin Grimes.
It’s clear that youth and athleticism were a top priority.
Everyone the Lakers have signed is under 30 years old and all are known more for their offense than their defense, except Walker Kessler. Grimes is no exception. At 26 years old, he qualifies as part of the youth movement and he can score with the best of them.
Last year, Grimes averaged 13.4 points per game and shot 33.4% from deep. That level of scoring would’ve made Grimes the fourth-highest scorer on the Lakers last year, and with James gone, a case can be made that he’s now the team’s third-best offensive player.
His 3-point shooting took a dive last year, but he’s shown an ability to be a laser. In three of his five seasons, he’s shot above 38% from beyond the arc.
With Luka and Austin now feeding him the ball, he should get great looks. Thanks to the gravity of Luka and Austin, there should also be room for him to operate, drive inside and put pressure on the rim.
Grimes enters this backcourt as also their best dunker. Last year, he had 35 dunks, which was almost three times the amount LA’s best guard dunker, Dalton Knecht had. Fans should expect Grimes to have a few finishes that get the entire NBA buzzing.
While dunks are fun and youth is ideal, all of this has to translate into elite production.
The Lakers lost two guards to free agency this summer in Marcus Smart and Luke Kennard, leaving big shoes to fill. Smart was arguably the best player for LA after the team’s big three and Kennard had the league’s best 3-point shooting percentage.
The Lakers are banking on Grimes stepping up in a bigger role to help replace what was lost. If not, then the Lakers’ ceiling for the 2026-27 season will dip considerably.
However, this is far from a gamble by the franchise. Grimes has a great rapport with Lakers head coach JJ Redick, working out with him way back before either was associated with the team.
Redick is aware of his game, and assuming he was part of the brain trust that made these decisions, if Redick feels adding Grimes will improve his roster, he’s earned the benefit of the doubt regarding his talent evaluation.
Still, Grimes is now in a position where he is needed to consistently produce offensively. This is a moment for him to step up in the bright LA spotlight and excel.
He has shown flashes of this. In 28 games with the Sixers during the 2024-25 season, he averaged 21.9 points per game and started in 25 of those contests.
If he can have performances like that in a Lakers uniform, then the front office can take a victory lap with this signing.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.
Read the full article here