The “Awesome” Reason for Drew Timme’s LA Success

LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers signed Drew Timme on a two-way contract back in November, but until recently, he hasn’t seen much playing time with his parent club. With the Lakers looking for consistency and answers off the bench, head coach JJ Reddick went with Timom as part of a two-man lineup that usually starts the second and fourth quarters.

For most of the season, the Lakers played with only one big player in the lineup, whether it was DeAndre Ayton or Jackson Hayes. At times, Maki Kleber got a shot in the rotation. But since Timme got regular playing timehe is paired with Ayton or Jared Vanderbilt.

One of the key strengths of the Lakers when Drew Time comes in as one of the bigs is his versatile skill set. Timme has become a very good playmaker who can make decisions on the perimeter. The offensive freedom that allowed him to hone those skills began earlier this season when he initially joined the South Bay.

Being able to implement what he’s been working on in the G League is a key factor in why he’s made a positive impact with the Lakers in recent games.

“It’s a big credit to Zach (Guthrie) and all the guys in the South Bay. They challenged me to add that (playmaking) to my game and be more of a playmaker on the perimeter and more of a decision maker on the perimeter,” Thiem said after the Lakers’ win over the Toronto Raptors last week. “I’ve been down there for a decent amount, and they hold me accountable and push me and keep me sharp at times when I’m called upon.”

“You just have to be ready whenever your number is called. It’s great that both teams are so connected,” Timme continued. “It helps me be ready for moments like this because you can go a lot of times without touching the ball and get a good burn. It’s pretty great to have a setup like we have here.”

Timme got his first extended run during the Lakers’ loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 17. Despite the loss, he finished with a game-high 21 points, two rebounds, four assists and two steals in just over 29 minutes. In a huge come-from-behind win over the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, he finished with nine points while missing just two shots (4-of-6) and knocking down his only three-point attempt.

Before the Lakers’ game against the LA Clippers on Thursday, head coach JJ Redick joked that Tim needed to have more confidence to play.

“We did an ATO for him to be in position, and there were some actions… I said ‘here are your options Drew, this is your first look, this is your second look.’ And he says to me, ‘so what happens if no guy is open?’ And I’m like, ‘you’re in the position, go get a fucking job. I put the ball in your hands for a reason.’”

As part of his two-way contract, Tim is limited in the number of games he can play, and will not be eligible for the playoffs unless the Lakers change his contract. Any progress on that front likely won’t be made until the trade deadline, but Timme is doing his best to prove he can make a difference in the rotation.