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Los Angeles Lakers: Head-to-head between Vander Blue, Briante Weber

By Davide Tovani

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 17: Vander Blue #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during the Championship game of the 2017 Las Vegas Summer League on July 17, 2017 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 17: Vander Blue #1 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket during the game against the Portland Trail Blazers during the Championship game of the 2017 Las Vegas Summer League on July 17, 2017 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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With the signing of Thomas Bryant to a guaranteed deal, the Los Angeles Lakers remain with one roster spot available. A month away from the start of training camp it remains unclear if they intend to fill this spot or keep it open for the season. Anyway, they already have some option.

Los Angeles Lakers fans are still waiting to know who the 15th and final member of the 2017-18 team will be and they will probably have to wait for the end of the preseason or more to know it. Still, we can already take a look at the frontrunners from the training camp.

The front office added multiple players as training camp invitations but, as things are currently set, it looks like it will resolve as a two-men run between Vander Blue and Briante Weber to try to get that final spot.

Though far from being locks to make the final 15-man roster, both players have the necessary qualities and NBA experience to be considered valuable contributors to the team.

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The two guards offer completely different skill sets, which can both more or less fit in Luke Walton‘s system and address the team’s needs.

Vander Blue, the reigning G-League MVP with averages of 24.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.0 assists, earned the partially guaranteed deal thanks to his outstanding performance in Summer League.

He held averages of 15.0 points, 3.8 rebounds and 3.0 assists in the Las Vegas Summer League. His contribution became crucial in the final stretch of the tournament when he scored 27 points against the Brooklyn Nets and 20 in the ‘Lonzo-less’ Final game.

The explosiveness attacking the rim is what defines Blue’s game. His agility, changes of speed and direction make it hard for the defender to stay in front of him, turning him into a major threat once he steps in the paint.

Nonetheless, in the last three seasons with the D-Fenders, he shot a very good 36.6 percent from three, including 35.1 percent on 5.1 attempted three-pointers per game last season. Furthermore, he shot 40 percent in Summer League.

Had Blue been a decent defender, he would have represented a complete package. However, in that case, he would not have probably spent his career playing in G-League. He has shown some instinct in intercepting the ball off the pass, which could somehow make up for his defensive shortcomings.

The 6-foot-4 inch guard already had a stint with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2015 playing two good games for a lottery-bound team.

Briante Weber is a more defensive-oriented player, something L.A. is always in dire need of. His defensive intensity is what earned him his NBA call-ups, as his 3.3 steals in the G-League last season to testify.

The former VCU Ram is a suffocating on ball defender who could find some use considering how many elite point guards need to be taken care of night in and night out, especially in the loaded Western Conference.

To go along with that, some offensive game, albeit limited for the NBA stage, is what allowed him to average 16.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.3 assists in the G-League. His most impressive performance was a near quadruple-double (18 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists, 9 steals). Underrated floor vision is what makes him a more interesting prospect.

On the downside, Weber is not much of a three-point threat, but rather a mid-range shooter. This could prove a challenge in Walton’s system predicated on stretching the floor at every position.

Last season, the mercurial guard received a call-up from the eventual champion Golden State Warriors; Walton’s affinity with his former team could be one of the reasons behind the interest in the 24-year-old point guard.

After the stint with the Warriors, he spent the final part of the season playing for the Charlotte Hornets where he received some meaningful playing time.

We do not know what the Lakers executives’ real plans are and if the two guards will have to make a really strong impression just to be taken in consideration for the spot, which could be very well left vacant for the start of the season.

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Certainly, they are poised as the players with the best odds to land a deal at the end of training camp and would prove nice additions as end-of-the-bench contributors.

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