On the first day of the Lakers’ training camp, coach Frank Vogel looked around and saw less than he had last year.
Less conditioning. Less familiarity. Fewer staffers and available short-contract players. Even the Lakers’ main roster was not whole, with Quinn Cook (testing protocols) and Alfonzo McKinnie (excused absence) not in practice. There’s less time, too, with a preseason game against the Clippers coming on Friday, Dec. 11.
“We’re very much more shorthanded than we would have been this time last year,” Vogel said. “And we just got to make the best of it.”
And so began the Lakers’ quest to win a second straight NBA title on Sunday in El Segundo, as the Lakers had their first official group workout after more than a week of coronavirus testing protocols and individual sessions.
In a normal year, it would be the first formal get-together after up to a month of unofficial pickup games and workouts. While the Lakers return nine players from last year’s championship squad, there were definitely more unknowns than any of them are used to.
Mindful of the risk of injury with minimal conditioning and training build-up, Vogel ran mostly non-contact drills in practice, which were also designed to teach newcomers Marc Gasol, Montrezl Harrell, Wesley Matthews and Dennis Schröder about the Lakers’ terminology and philosophies.
Even some of the players who had more of an offseason than the returning Lakers are still catching their wind. Matthews said a pinky fracture he suffered in the second round of the playoffs with the Bucks required some extra time to heal this fall (he’s fine now, he added). And already, he can tell the Lakers’ system is going to require a lot of effort.
“This is probably the most movement I’ve done as far as spacing and cutting and slashing and just getting back into the swing of things,” the 34-year-old vet said. “And almost similar to the flow, the style I played in Portland, the style of play I played in Indianapolis, and for me it’s exciting.”
Adding to the difficulties of a shorter-than-normal offseason are the personnel limitations in the NBA’s guidelines. Vogel said the coaching staff was without its normal roster of associates and interns who can jump on the floor or assist with individual work, and the Lakers haven’t signed a deep roster of Exhibit 10 players (training camp contracts) who also help fill in the gaps.
While nominally the Lakers play the Clippers on Friday at Staples Center, the first preseason game will probably not have a lot of minutes for LeBron James or Anthony Davis, Vogel acknowledged. But that doesn’t mean those players haven’t had an early impact on camp. While James did not speak to the media after practice, Harrell said his influence was motivating for the newcomers.
“It’s not hard to play with one of the greatest players there is to play this game that we have right now,” Harrell said. “He makes the game extremely easy for a lot of us on the floor. It’s not hard to just pick up off his leadership and just follow.”
But the finer points, including lineups and plays, are going to be gradual. Harrell, who figures to find a blend with Davis and Gasol in the front court, said lineups are not yet on his mind. Much of the emphasis is still on picking up the same terminology and finding a rhythm with new teammates.
While the Lakers have so far not indicated that they have had any positive coronavirus test results (Cook’s late arrival is a consequence of signing a contract on Friday), the shadow of the pandemic hangs over the league. Portland became the latest team to shut down its facility after three positive tests. The NBA has also threatened penalties for players found to be engaging in risky behaviors that break protocols.
“We’re putting a heavy emphasis on playing by the rules here, just for a variety of reasons,” Vogel said.
Shaking off the rust doesn’t have a definitive timeline. When asked about a build-up to normal intensity, Vogel said he anticipated it would be “all year long,” but that he’s most concerned about the initial stages because of injury risk.
It may not be about going hard on the court, but going smart off of it. Matthews suggested stretching and treatment will be a staple of the opening weeks, especially for veterans.
“A lot of it comes down to personal accountability, getting what you need, making sure you get rest, making sure you’re doing stretching on your own, doing all the little things to make sure you can be ready when it’s go time, and that’s next week.”
Matthews then reconsidered the timeline, then laughed: “Or maybe later this week. I don’t know.”
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