This pick originally belonged to the Utah Jazz. The Lakers acquired this pick, along with the 42nd selection, from Utah in exchange for the 28th overall pick. The Jazz used the 28th pick on Tony Bradley, while the Lakers selected Villanova guard Josh Hart with the final selection of the first round.
This was an excellent pick by the Lakers. Hart is someone that Luke Walton will love having on his team. He is a coach’s dream, as he brings it every day and is a hard worker. Hart brings a winning mentality to the Lakers along with a good work ethic and plenty of toughness.
While Hart doesn’t excel in one specific area, he does everything well. He is lacking in athleticism, but more than makes up for it with his high basketball IQ and intangibles. Hart has deep three-point range but is more than just a shooter. He can fill it up from all over the court, as he shot at least 50 percent from the field in all four years at Villanova.
In addition to the scoring, Hart is a very good rebounder for a guard and is also a great playmaker. He should fit in well with the Lakers second bench as a combo guard. His skill set should enable him to play alongside virtually anyone as he is very versatile.
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Landing Hart with the final pick in the first round was a great get for the Lakers. He is a high character guy, something the Lakers hit on with all of their selections. The Lakers will love having Hart in the organization for all that he will bring on and off the court. He could have a role with the team right away with D’Angelo Russell traded to the Nets and Nick Young opting out of his contract.