Lakers: Early Season Grades
Ivica Zubac: N/A
2016-17 Per-Game stats: N/A
You can’t make say anything bad about Ivica Zubac. You can’t. He’s just a boy!
But seriously, Zubac is going to need some time, and the Lakers are giving him that by assigning him to their D-League affiliate team, the D-Fenders.
Metta World Peace: F
2016-17 Per-Game stats: 1.3 PTS, 0.8 REB, 0.4 AST, 0.3 STL, 0.1 BLK
Don’t let Metta World Peace’s stats fool you. He is actually much worse than what the numbers show.
The Lakers cut their 32nd pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, Anthony Brown, to make room for Metta World Peace. The idea is that he will continue to be a solid veteran presence in the locker room for a young team that needs it.
However, Luke Walton has shown a willingness to play World Peace in a real, competitive NBA basketball game. This is a problem.
The days of World Peace being a pesky, lockdown defender are far behind him. He sticks out like a sore thumb when he’s on the floor with players nearly half his age.
Fun fact: Brandon Ingram was seven years old at the time of World Peace’s infamous “Malice at the Palace” game.
If World Peace was signed to be a locker room guy, that is all he should be. Unless he continues to produce gems like this on the court. Then play him every game.
Marcelo Huertas: D
2016-17 Per-Game stats: 1.4 PTS, 1 REB, 2.7 AST, 0.3 STL, 0.1 BLK
Oh, Marcelo. Our sweet Brazilian prince. How did we get here?
Huertas, aka “The Catalyst,” has played his way out of the Lakers’ rotation. The fact that he was re-signed was shocking to begin with.
The Lakers front office made a fantastic move this summer to acquire Jose Calderon and two future second-round picks while giving up nothing (more on him in just a second). Despite this, the Lakers inked Huertas to a two-year deal.
Huertas has yet to find his way into coach Luke Walton’s rotation, and it doesn’t look like he is going to any time soon. He is a liability on defense and he doesn’t offer a ton on offense either.
Expect his tenure with the Lakers to end at the end of the season, if not sooner.
Thomas Robinson: C-
2016-17 Per-Game stats: 2.4 PTS, 3.2 REB, 0.2 AST, 0.2 STL, 0.2 BLK
Thomas Robinson earned his spot on the Lakers’ roster. Now what?
In his defense, Robinson has only averaged 3.6 minutes per game this season making it hard for him, or anyone to put up any meaningful numbers, but the same could be said for any of the aforementioned players.
Even when Robinson has stepped on the floor this season, he has looked completely lost in Walton’s system. Only flashes of his relentless hustle have shown up, and usually in garbage time.
He’s never going to live up the hype of being the No. 5 pick in the 2012 Draft, but if he wants to be in the NBA next season, he needs to be more than a preseason stand out.
Jose Calderon: B-
2016-17 Per-Game stats: 4.8 PTS, 2.1 REB, 2.4 AST, 0.4 STL, 0.1 BLK
The most shocking stat from Jose Calderon this season? 0.1 blocks! Who did Calderon block and is he okay?
In all seriousness, Calderon has been an absolute pro for Los Angeles. He’s gone from back-to-back DNPs to starting and guarding some of the leagues best point guards.
At 35 years old, Calderon’s best days are behind him defensively. He actually has the worst plus/minus on the team at -8. But even if he is a step slow, Calderon can still shoot the ball.
Calderon is leading his team in 3-point percentage, shooting 50 percent from behind the arc. His playing time will remain in flux all season with injuries, but Calderon has established himself as someone Walton can turn to when things get bad.