Lakers Draft Evaluations: Comparing Then & Now

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Ed Davis

NBA Comparison: P.J. Brown/Alan Henderson

Strengths:

“Long, athletic, lefty post player who shows a great deal of potential… Has a great feel for playing in the post offensively, with crafty fakes and up and under moves… Shows excellent touch in the paint converting lefty hook shots and looks to dunk everything… His long arms and explosive leaping ability allow him to finish with explosive dunks even when attacking the basket from a few feet out. Does not have a superstar attitude, he has a workman’s approach to the game that is refreshing to see…”

Weaknesses:

“Needs to add strength… Does not have a big (wide shoulders) frame so he’s never going to be an overpowering type of post guy… Added strength will make him a terror around the basket as he’ll be able to fully utilize his great length and improve his finishing ability… His lefty jump hook shot shows nice potential but he often came up short…”

How accurate was his evaluation?

Nevermind, Jordan Hill wasn’t the only one to improve as a Laker. Davis has surprisingly good stats in his career, out-performing many of his teammates in the statistical categories I have mentioned before. Davis’ WS/48 throughout his career have always been above NBA average, with his most recent stat as .164. Davis’ DBPM was 1.9 last season, his second highest in his career behind his second season in Toronto. Most noticeably, in my opinion, was Davis’ PER as a Laker, when he finished with a very respectable PER of 20. Davis is only 25 and is improving game by game. He is on the books for $1.1 million next year, which is looking like a great deal for the Lakers.

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