John Wall reveals the player he believes is most detrimental to the Lakers

While Los Angeles Lakers try to find answers to their delicate moment, a respected voice from the NBA's past has sparked the debate. John Wall believes that the L.A. franchise needs a decisive adjustment in its starting lineup, suggesting that Rui Hachimura should be moved to the bench and Marcus Smart should be given a starting role, as he sees Smart as the ideal piece to raise the team's defensive level.

The Lakers started the season with a strong image, reaching a record of 15-4 that generated optimism around the project. However, the initial momentum quickly faded, and the team has recently suffered three consecutive losses, now standing at 19-10 with a long list of issues to address.

The main concern lies on the defensive end. The Lakers currently rank 26th in the league with a defensive rating of 118.1, while allowing their opponents to shoot 48.6% from the field. Adding to that, there is a concerning 38.4% opponent three-point shooting accuracy, which stands as the worst in the entire NBA.

In light of this situation, Wall did not hesitate to point out that the team needs to rearrange its starting five. During his appearance on NBA on Prime, he was clear and direct: "I would love to see a move like this: take Rui out of the starting lineup and add Marcus Smart. He's someone who can defend the best opponent, make an impact, find his space, and score when needed; exactly what the Lakers need right now."

Positive Aspects of Hachimura

The former point guard also defended Hachimura but explained that his profile is not suitable for certain assignments:

"Rui is a very valuable player, he does many things that don't always show up in the stats, but he is not the one who should be defending Kevin Durant or the top scorer on the opposing team every night. For that, there are players like Marcus Smart or Jarred Vanderbilt, who should get more minutes because they bring constant intensity, effort on every play, and those extra plays that change games."

Hachimura is having an efficient offensive season, averaging 12.8 points and 3.8 rebounds per game, with 52.2% shooting from the field and 44.3% from three-point range, his personal best. However, for Wall, that is not enough considering the team's current shortcomings.

On the other hand, Smart doesn't stand out as much in scoring — averaging 10.3 points and 2.8 assists — but his competitive nature, impact on defensive effort, and blue-collar work mentality represent exactly the type of characteristics that Los Angeles urgently needs to reinforce.

For now, John Wall's proposal is just an external opinion, but the pressure mounts as coach JJ Redick tries to steer the team back on track. Time will tell if the Lakers decide to heed this advice and opt for a change that could significantly alter their current dynamics.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, John Wall desvela el jugador que cree que está perjudicando más a los Lakers