Training camp for the 2023-24 NBA season is slowly but surely approaching, and while there is plenty of time before it begins, it’s time for players to start ramping up their training and preparation.
That’s especially true for the Los Angeles Lakers, who are hoping to win their 18th world championship next summer. They magically remade what was a broken roster in January and February, and now they’re aiming for the sky rather than just trying to tread water.
Looking to fill their need for at least one 3-and-D wing, the Lakers signed forward Taurean Prince in early July. He has a shot at being a very key contributor for them this coming season, and he could possibly even have a shot at being in the starting lineup if he works on these three things.
Improved 3-point shooting
Prince has been a good 3-point shooter for most of his seven-year NBA career, and he owns a career 3-point accuracy of 37.2 percent. But he still has room for improvement there.
He said he wants to aim to shoot 40 percent from 3-point range this coming season. Doing so would greatly help with one of the Lakers’ biggest weaknesses — outside shooting.
Be the best defender he can be
The Western Conference is loaded with star and superstar wings or mid-sized players such as Devin Booker, Kevin Durant, Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Luka Doncic. Los Angeles will want to throw multiple players at them in order to hold them down.
It already has Jarred Vanderbilt, but he is limited offensively, which resulted in his playing time dwindling throughout the playoffs.
Being able to have Prince effectively guard such players would greatly help the Lakers’ chances of winning it all.
Get committed and raise the bar
In the past, Prince has played for the Atlanta Hawks, Brooklyn Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Minnesota Timberwolves — teams that didn’t exactly have a winning culture.
But the Lakers are building a winning culture once again, and Prince said that their “high standards” made him want to play for them.
Playing for them can make a player’s dreams come true as long as he’s willing to be fully committed and work hard. Doing so could end up making his career feel complete when it’s all said and done.
