How does the second seed in the Western Conference, riding a seven-game winning streak, get even better than they already are? That would be accomplished by fine-tuning the combinations. There is one pairing that is noticeably just not meshing as well as the Los Angeles Lakers would have hoped.
That would be Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton.
Both players have been great in their own way for the Lakers. Hachimura has delivered the type of shooting presence that Luka Doncic needs on the perimeter around him. Meanwhile, Ayton has been the stabilizing force at center that Los Angeles dreamed of when they acquired him in the offseason.
The lineup data of playing the two together shows the pair do not co-exist in ways that are truly advantageous to the Lakers. The way to fix that problem for JJ Redick is not particularly difficult here.
Rui Hachimura and Deandre Ayton should be kept apart by the Lakers
Hachimura and Ayton have a sizeable sample of playing together, relative to the amount of time this season has offered. The two have spent 16 games and 395 minutes on the court together.
The results of that? Underwhelming.
Hachimura and Ayton have a net rating of -1.1 together on the court. Their offensive rating of 117.3 is solid. However, it is the other end where the two struggle to play together. The duo has posted a rough 118.4 defensive rating when guarding opposing teams.
The solution here is pretty simple. Hachimura should get more run with Jaxson Hayes, while Ayton spends more time with Jake LaRavia.
Hachimura and Hayes have posted a strong net rating together, registering a mark of 2.4 when sharing the court. Their offensive rating is a touch lower than the original pair, dropping down to 114.3. However, the defensive rating is much stronger, with the category sitting at 111.9.
The hesitation that keeps this from being a seamless fix comes from the other pairing here. Ayton and LaRavia are a better defensive combination, with a 115.0 defensive rating. However, the other side falls well short, dropping down to 112.7 in terms of offensive rating.
The push here comes from which area the Lakers need a bigger boost to. Los Angeles is enjoying the fifth best offense in basketball. However, their defense is slightly below average, coming in at 17.
Having Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James would allow some comfort in believing the offense works itself out more often than not. The same cannot be said of the defense.
Redick and his staff will want to balance out their group as much as possible to truly allow them to be serious championship contenders. Making moves to satisfy the defensive deficiencies will be paramount to that.