“Play the whitey's”- Nick Young wants Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht tandem, ex-teammate D'Angelo Russell traded
Former NBA champion Nick Young wants to see more of Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht in tandem for the LA Lakers and his ex-teammate D'Angelo Russell traded. Young suggested that on Gilbert Arenas' podcast, which dropped on Wednesday.
While reacting to JJ Redick's 'perfect' coaching debut, the former Lakers guard expressed his satisfaction with Knecht's impact and why LA should pair him with Reaves more.
"The rookie, oh man, little Knecht ... Gotta play the whitey's together," Young said. "Him and Austin ... We gonna get rid of Russ [Russell] for VanVleet."
Nick Young views Rockets guard Fred VanVleet as a replacement for D'Angelo Russell in the lineup. Russell has been a prominent name in trade rumors since the last deadline.
His playoff struggles, streaky scoring, shooting, and lack of defense make him an awkward fit for the Lakers. Russell is also not the ideal backcourt partner for Austin Reaves. Neither are athletic or point-of-attack caliber defenders, leaving a loophole for the Lakers against guards of opposite skillset.
VanVleet was a rumored target for LA last free agency, but the former Raptors guard signed with the Houston Rockets on a three-year deal. He's unlikely to get traded as Houston seems invested in his resources and views him as integral to its plans after a solid first season.
Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht can elevate Lakers' offense in tandem
Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht can be excellent backcourt partners, but only offensively. Both players can shoot. Knecht is the athletic one between the two, while Reaves plays with more finesse to his game. He's also an efficient playmaker.
However, defensively, it may not be advisable. Knecht can keep up with bigger players, but he can struggle against smaller and quicker guards, similar to Reaves. Both lack the speed to keep up with shifty players. So LA can struggle in that area.
The Lakers can avoid that issue if they use someone like Gabe Vincent or Max Christie in the lineup, too, moving Dalton Knecht to the small forward spot, where his two-way potential can be optimized. Meanwhile, Austin Reaves will have a lesser workload defensively, giving him the leeway to exert more energy on offense.
For now, JJ Redick seems to have settled with D'Angelo Russell as his starting point guard. During preseason and in the Lakers' NBA season opener, every player has been serviceable defensively after adapting to the team's schemes. Russell has also shown a willingness to play more off-ball, with Reaves initiating the offense.
So unless there's a major necessity to tweak the lineup, Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht may not see as much floor time in tandem.