An overview of what the Los Angeles Lakers late first and early second round draft picks, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, and Thomas Bryant, may bring to the Lakers.
With the passing of the 2017 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers attempted to add more depth to their roster as they acquired the 27th, 30th, and the 42nd picks this year.
These picks materialized into the likes of Utah forward Kyle Kuzma, Villanova guard Josh Hart, and finally, Indiana center Thomas Bryant.
Thus, with the addition of this young talent, it is important to look at how each player impacted their team in college, and what they may bring to the Lakers in the future.
Kyle Kuzma
The 27th pick in the draft was none other than the 6-foot-9 inch forward Kyle Kuzma from Utah. He boasted an impressive 16.4 points, 9.3 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game on 50% shooting from the field last season for the Utes.
The Lakers were most likely drawn to him due to his ability to score the ball in a variety of ways and make an impact on the glass.
In his final year with Utah, Kuzma was fifth in the PAC-12 in points per game. He also shot a decent 56% from two-point range, making him a threat from inside the arc as he penetrates to the basket, particularly when using a floater; he was in the 99th percentile on these types of shots.
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He is also a quick runner on the break, so it is easy to imagine another new Lakers acquisition, point guard Lonzo Ball, finding him open in transition for the easy basket in the future.
Kuzma is also a capable passer himself, as demonstrated by the fact that he averaged 2.4 assists this past season. It gives the Lakers yet another person who may be capable of running the break and finding and open teammate.
Additionally, an extremely important development in his game has been his improved ability to make shots from beyond the arc. Kuzma shot 32% from three-point range this past season, and over 40% in his last 10 games, showing real potential in this area of his game.
Another intriguing part of Kuzma’s game is his ability to grab a rebound. He used his slightly over seven-foot wingspan to propel himself into the eighth spot in the PAC-12 in defensive rebounds. He was also fourth in offensive rebounds, thus adding another solid rebounder to the roster.
Lastly, the final reason Kuzma may be of use to the Lakers is his potential on defense. Although he sometimes lacks awareness and consistency on this end, he is a capable defender when defending ball-screens due to his size and speed; that was part of the reason why he ranked sixth in the PAC-12 in defensive rating at 96.3. This is a useful skill to have for a Los Angeles team that has a habit of switching on screens and is in desperate need of more defense.