Lakers Training Camp: Who Makes the Cut at Power Forward?

March 16, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Tarik Black (28) shoots the basketball against Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut (12, right) during the second quarter at Oracle Arena. The Warriors defeated the Lakers 108-105. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Tarik Black was a pleasant surprise last year. Undrafted, he played hard, made the Houston Rocket’s roster, and even started when Dwight Howard was injured. When the Rockets signed Josh Smith mid-season they had to cut Black to make room, at which point he signed with the Lakers.

Black is a blue-collar player who works hard at both ends of the court. Last year he was in and out of Scott’s rotation which made it hard for him to stay consistent, but he had his share of surprisingly strong performances on offense and defense. He also emerged as a leader among the younger players in the recent Summer League.

By all appearances Black is the kind of player and man a team wants on its roster, so there are plenty of fans rooting for him. The best guess is that Black will make the squad. One factor is that he can also come off the bench as a center, where he uses his quickness and hustle to compensate for a lack of size.

Next: Larry Nance Jr.