Lakers likely to explore adding defensive help after another collapse

The Lakers still sit at 19-9 despite Tuesday’s 132-108 loss in Phoenix, but the warning signs are flashing on the defensive end.

Los Angeles owns a 117.6 defensive rating, which ranks 24th in the NBA. None of the six teams below them in that category has reached double-digit wins, a disconnect that has not gone unnoticed internally.

After the loss, head coach JJ Redick addressed the issue head-on, telling reporters the problem is not preparation, but commitment, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

“We practice this stuff enough,” Redick said. “We review this stuff enough. We show film on this stuff enough. To me, it comes down to making the choice. You can sprint back or you can’t. You can make the second effort or you can’t. It’s just a choice.”

As Dan Woike of The Athletic notes, the Lakers believe this roster has a higher ceiling than last season’s group, particularly with Luka Doncic now more settled in L.A. But the team lacks some of last year’s energy pieces, including Dorian Finney-Smith and Jordan Goodwin.

One difference-maker has been Marcus Smart. When Smart is on the floor, the Lakers post a defensive rating of 111.9. Without him, that number jumps to 119.1.

“We’re being really bad right now, and it’s showing,” Smart said, via McMenamin. “There’s no resistance. No urgency. JJ is right. This is on us.”

With the February 5 trade deadline approaching, there is internal skepticism, per Woike, that the fix is entirely in-house. League sources expect the Lakers’ front office to explore defensive-minded additions, much like they did a year ago.