Lakers Free Agency: LA Should Consider Undrafted Guard Josh Adams
The Lakers should consider undrafted guard, Josh Adams as an option to fill their currently bare roster
Last year, the Lakers made a surprise pick in the first round of the NBA draft by selecting Wyoming forward Larry Nance Jr., who then went on to shock the basketball world by using his unbelievable athleticism and unexpected versatility to solidify himself as one of the steals of the draft.
Well, apparently Wyoming has a monopoly on those types of athletic players, as Nance’s college teammate Josh Adams may be even more athletic than he is. For those who have never seen the speedy point guard in action, here is a brief introduction:
With the Lakers attempting to play at a faster pace, Josh Adams seems like a match made in heaven for their squad. He plays with exceptional speed and explosiveness and also demonstrates the ability to create plays for others even at that frenetic pace. Imagining him running the floor with Jordan Clarkson and the rest of the young core should be enough to make even the most jaded Lakers fan excited.
Larry Nance Jr. has already made it clear that he thinks Adams is an NBA ready player and, although he may be biased, he also speaks from experience. Having had the chance the play with him for three years, and then against NBA level competition, Nance Jr. is confident that Adams has what it takes.
Obviously, as impressive as Josh Adams looks in a highlight reel, highlights aren’t enough to prove that a player deserves a shot in the NBA. Fortunately for him, the numbers back up his case for at least a place on the Lakers summer league squad.
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Displaying steady improvement throughout his college career, Adams really broke out as a senior. Averaging 24 points and four assists per game, Adams was the number one option for his team. Even more promising, Adams managed to post the highest three point percentage of his career, shooting 37.6 percent from behind the arc despite his volume spiking to over eight per game.
While he doesn’t have exceptional size, his height of 6’2 with a 6’3.5 wingspan is definitely adequate for the point guard position, especially when coupled with his leaping ability. Some would also consider the fact that he is already 22 years old as a knock against him, but Nance proved last year that age is not necessarily an indicator of upside.
While Josh Adams may struggle to defend at the NBA level, he did post positive marks in defensive advanced stats throughout his career at Wyoming.
His junior year was his strongest defensively, in which he accumulated an impressive 2.2 defensive win-shares, while posting a +.9 in defensive box plus-minus. He also averaged 1.4 steals per game over his last two years at Wyoming.
His athleticism and playmaking ability make him a low-risk high-reward option for the Lakers.
Because Adams projects as a backup point guard for the Lakers, his defense should be considered a bonus rather than a real concern. For evidence of that, Lakers fans can think back to Marcelo Huertas and Lou Williams, who both manned that position for LA last year and ranked among the league’s worst defenders.
Although Adams, because of his undrafted status, remains a long shot to make an NBA roster, his athleticism and playmaking ability make him a low-risk high-reward option for the Lakers. At the very least the Lakers should extend an offer for him to join their Summer League team and, based on his performance there, decide whether or not the explosive floor general deserves a shot in the NBA.
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If he proves he is able to produce at the next level, the Lakers will have found themselves a golden opportunity to inject some incredible upside into their second unit.