It’s all about (defensive) consistency.
To become a regular part of the rotation, Layman must become a reliable contributor. While he may best be able to do this through his scoring and shooting (.355 3P%), there are times he can’t get anything to fall.
Rather than search for his shot, like he did in his 2-for-10 performance, he must find a way to help the team. One way he can do this is by focusing on his defense and essentially becoming floor-spacer who attacks closeouts. Layman is not a great defender by any means, but he’s said before that he knows his defense is what will keep him on the floor. He could not be more right. Hopefully, he uses his knowledge to continue improving on the defensive end.
Yes, in a perfect world, all Layman would need to worry about is making sure his shooting stroke stays faithful. But he is going to have nights where he’s cold – and due to his youth and lack of experience, these cold nights may lead him to panic and press for his shot.
He needs to feel comfortable and confident in his defense to remain a consistent contributor for the Blazers and find time on the court when it matters.
We’ll see how Layman responds to the increased role.