The Los Angeles Lakers could have an intriguing defensive option in Ziaire Williams this season, with multiple reporters who covered the 24-year-old during his time with the Brooklyn Nets speaking highly of his ability on that end of the floor. Williams brings size, length, and athleticism to a Lakers roster that could use another versatile perimeter defender.
Williams’ role with the Lakers is still unclear, but his defense could help him get steady playing time. CJ Holmes from the New York Daily News and Connor Long from Nets Daily both pointed out his willingness to pressure ball handlers and his ability to guard different positions.
The Tough Assignments
One of the more appealing aspects of Williams’ defense is his willingness to defend opposing ball handlers from the moment they bring the ball up the court. Holmes specifically pointed to Williams’ ability to apply full-court pressure while also taking on some of the more difficult defensive assignments.
“Z is a guy that he has no problem picking up 94 feet; he has no problem taking on the tough assignments,” Holmes said.
That gives the Lakers another option for defending opposing guards and wings at the point of attack. Rather than asking Williams to carry a significant offensive workload, Los Angeles could potentially lean into his length and defensive activity while its primary creators handle the offense.
Athleticism on Defense
Holmes also believes Williams’ athleticism is more apparent on defense than it is in his offensive game. His combination of length and athleticism lets him be disruptive away from the ball while also defending his individual matchup.
“But defensively really is where you see his athleticism come up,” Holmes said. “He’s stalking those passing lanes. Like you said, he’s getting those deflections. And then he has the athleticism to put on a show in the open court and when he gets those breakouts.”
Williams can disrupt passing lanes, which adds to his defensive strengths. His length helps him get deflections and force turnovers, and his athleticism lets him turn those plays into fast-break chances.
That combination could allow Williams to make an impact even when he is not producing much offensively. Creating turnovers and getting into the open court would give him opportunities to use his athleticism without needing the ball consistently in the half court.
Williams Has Defended All Five Positions
Long also highlighted another important aspect of Williams’ defense: his positional versatility. According to Long, the Nets trusted Williams with assignments across all five positions during his first season with the team.
“I know this for a fact, with the Nets two years ago, he played all five positions at least one point throughout the course of the year,” Long said. “That shows me at the very least the coaching staff had some degree of trust in him to hold his own defensively against bigger guys.”
At 6-foot-9, Williams has the size to take on bigger players as well as defend on the perimeter. This versatility could help the Lakers switch more easily on defense and try out different lineups.
“We’ll see what LA does and how they manage that and if they want to give him some run against fours or fives, but I think he has the tools to do it,” Long added.
Williams will still have to prove he can consistently provide that level of defense in Los Angeles, but the tools are there for him to contribute on that end. Between his ability to pressure ball handlers, create deflections, and defend multiple positions, the Lakers have several ways to use Williams defensively this season.
