Before the Los Angeles Lakers signed Dennis Schroder on a one-year deal, they apparently already have a vision on how to utilize him alongside his fellow new acquisition in Patrick Beverley.
It has been reported earlier how the Lakers' lineup would look like, with Schroder and Russell Westbrook as the lead guards while Beverley and Kendrick Nunn serve as the 2-guards. Now, according to Dan Woike of LA Times, the team has also planned out when and where they will utilize Schroder and Beverley on the defensive end.
“Sources said the Lakers hope to use Beverley as a defender against top-level wings, while using a player like Schroder to chase high-movement point guards such as Ja Morant and Stephen Curry. The team, though, will undoubtedly have to use small lineups as currently constructed,” Woike wrote.
Article Continues BelowNow this is definitely interesting, to say the least, but quite risky as well. The two new guards stand at just 6-foot tall (with Schroder slightly taller at 6'1″), so they present mismatches and can lead to the Lakers fielding a smaller lineup.
Of course that doesn't mean the Lakers will stick with the said strategy if it doesn't work, though hopes are high it would. Backcourt defense was a major issue for LA last season, and considering that they'll be facing plenty of elite guards in the West, the role that the two will play will be crucial.
For now, it's up to Darvin Ham on how he plans to execute it, but a lot of eyes will certainly be on him.