Kobe Bryant is being tested at the small forward position during training camp by Lakers coach Byron Scott.
The Lakers’ first training camp runthrough saw Bryant play the wing with D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson in the backcourt, according to the Orange County Register’s Bill Oram. Scott’s reasoning is quite simple. The objective is to get Bryant more open shots, and putting him on the wing means he ideally has to do less work to get them. While his ballhandling duties would be reduced, he would theoretically be able to score more while Russell and Clarkson handle the business of creating opportunities.
It’s a tactic that makes sense for Scott and the Lakers, and allows them to ease the burden on Bryant while getting as much talent on the floor as possible. While it remains to be seen whether the idea sticks once the actual games start, it’s certainly an understandable effort.
