The Los Angeles Lakers’ stint in the 2023 NBA Summer League took a turn for the worse after they lost on Friday in blowout fashion to the Memphis Grizzlies, 100-69.
This game was never competitive at all. Memphis scored the first 13 points of the game, and Los Angeles didn’t get on the board until big man Colin Castleton hit a free throw with 4:27 left in the first quarter. The Lakers would have to wait until the 3:30 mark of the first period before Jalen Hood-Schifino converted their first field goal of the contest.
A big reason the Lakers were never in this contest was the absence of Max Christie, who sat out with a right hip strain. He has been their unquestioned star of the summer.
As a result of this loss, they will play one final “consolation” game on Sunday versus the Los Angeles Clippers since they do not qualify for the summer league tournament.
Jalen Hood-Schifino has some work to do
The No. 17 pick in last month’s NBA draft showed some promise days ago with a couple of solid performances, but since then, he has dropped off.
Friday may have been his worst outing so far in summer league play. He shot just 3-of-17 from the field and 2-of-9 from 3-point range, giving him eight points in 27 minutes, as well as only one assist.
Hood-Schifino needs to be on the court for actual game action quite a bit before he will become whatever he can become. But a big positive about him is his low turnover rate, which could help him stay on the floor a little longer even when he is struggling offensively.
It's still bombs away for Cole Swider
Swider has had the range for most of summer league play. The incoming second-year forward came down to earth a bit in Wednesday’s game by making 2-of-6 from downtown, but on Friday, he continued his assault on the nets at Thomas & Mack Center.
He went 3-of-8 from deep to score 14 points, and he also grabbed nine rebounds, which is an area he usually doesn’t contribute in, in 32 minutes.
The key to Swider’s chances in the NBA will be defense and rebounding. If he holds his own in both categories, perhaps he will get called up to the big leagues.
Max Christie's impact and ability is unquestionable
Without Christie in action on Friday, the summer Lakers were missing a lot, and not only in terms of scoring.
He has been their best player this summer, and he has averaged 19.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.7 assists a game while shooting 45.7 percent overall and 50.0 percent from 3-point land in three NBA Summer League games. He has even made every single free throw he has attempted.
Christie’s defense has also been integral. He blocked 2.3 shots a game in his three summer league games, and he has taken on the organization’s directive for him to be the best defender on the court.
The Michigan State University product has made a strong case that he should be a fixture in the big league Lakers’ rotation this coming season.
