Los Angeles Lakers: Breaking down the 2017 NBA Draft after Lonzo Ball

We take a look at the three prospects the Los Angeles Lakers selected after Lonzo Ball in the 2017 NBA Draft.

As expected on Thursday night, the Los Angeles Lakers selected UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball with the second overall selection in the 2017 NBA Draft. His father, LaVar Ball, immediately reminded us of his unconventional style by proclaiming Lonzo will lead the Lakers to the playoffs next season.

LaVar Ball, all smiles, has big prediction during ESPN interview: "Lonzo Ball is going to take the Lakers to the playoffs in his first year"
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) June 22, 2017

The Lakers will be getting the best overall passer and playmaker in this draft with the selection of Ball. He averaged 14.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 7.6 assists during his only season at UCLA. The 7.6 assists led the nation and were the third-highest total ever recorded by a freshman.

As the night continued, the Brooklyn Nets selected Utah forward Kyle Kuzma with the 27th selection. That pick was sent to the Lakers to complete the trade that was reported on Tuesday. The Lakers received Brook Lopez along with the 27th pick, and send D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov to Brooklyn. Kuzma, 6’9″ 200 pounds, played three seasons at the University of Utah.

Kuzma, who is 6-feet-9 inches tall and weighs in at 200 pounds, played three seasons at the University of Utah.

Kyle Kuzma said he felt like he was going to be a Laker as soon as he saw the Lakers were receiving the No. 27 pick in their trade w/ BKN.
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) June 23, 2017

During his junior year, Kuzma averaged 16.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. He showed slight improvement each season at Utah, especially offensively with his jump shot.

Kuzma improved his field goal percentage from 45 percent as a freshman to close to 50 percent in his junior season. He will be utilized as a stretch big in the NBA. Strengths of his game include rebounding and scoring on the move.

Mostly considered a reach at the 27th pick, the Lakers liked what they saw at his workout and didn’t pass up on him. He also had an outstanding combine that pushed his draft stock up.

More from Lakers Draft

As the end of the first round neared, the Lakers made some moves to acquire extra draft picks. They traded the rights to the 28th pick to the Utah Jazz for the 30th and 42nd overall selection. The Jazz would use the 28th pick on North Carolina center, Tony Bradley.

With the 30th overall selection, the Lakers chose Villanova shooting guard, Josh Hart. He played four seasons at Villanova, guiding them to victory in the National Championship game two seasons ago against North Carolina.

During his senior year, he averaged 18.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. He made 51 percent of his shots to go along with 40% from three point range.

The work ethic displayed by Hart during his time with Villanova didn’t go unnoticed to the Lakers. He’s a very heady player that has all the intangibles. Hart improved upon his scoring averages each and every season at Villanova.

Staying at Villanova for all four seasons, Hart is experienced and ready to produce for this Lakers team off the bench this coming season. Some strengths of Hart’s game include his scoring off the dribble, his overall athleticness, and ability to rebound as a guard.

To end the night, the Lakers selected Indiana center, Thomas Bryant. Bryant was once considered a lottery pick by many as he stands 6-feet-10 inches and weighs 242 pounds. He’s a great finisher around the basket, can extend the defense with his shooting ability, and can score on the move effectively for a big man.

What is really intriguing for NBA teams is Bryant’s length. He has a wingspan of 7-feet-6 inches. Bryant played two seasons at Indiana where he averaged 12.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in his final season.

He shot 51.9% from the field with a 38.3% rate from deep range, which is impressive given his length and size. In order to be successful at the NBA level, Bryant will need to cut down on careless plays which he tended to have during his time at Indiana. He has the tools to become a good stretch-big and rim protector.

Next: Full 2017 NBA Draft First Round Grades

Overall, draft night was a success for the Lakers. It’s yet to be seen if they will keep all the picks they made, or if they potentially use them in an offseason trade with the Indiana Pacers for Paul George or another star. One thing is for certain; the Los Angeles Lakers are on there way back to being relevant again.