Once drafted, the first place to gauge a rookie’s trajectory is the NBA Summer League. Why not also surround your new stock with the caliber of players they’ll see all year? Los Angeles Lakers shooting guard Josh Hart is making a case that Summer League can also be a platform for returning players.
The Los Angeles Lakers youngsters have performed well in the Las Vegas Summer League. The general make up of Summer League rosters are rookies, G-League players, and sophomores that weren’t utilized during the regular season. Josh Hart averaged 23.2 minutes per game over 63 games in the regular NBA season. Those are definitely not bench-warming numbers, but not starting or sixth man numbers either.
In the Lakers’ Summer League semifinal against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Hart put up 37 points and grabbed nine rebounds. He is averaging 27.8 minutes per game, the most on the team.
His tournament performance has even led people to argue that he’s ‘too good for Summer League.’ That being said, he has helped elevate his new teammates with the second most assists per game.
However, could Josh Hart be a case to prove that Summer League should evolve into a platform for both rookies and sophomores to improve their stock? He was a contributing member of the 2017-2018 Lakers’ season but still overshadowed by his fellow rookies Lonzo Ball and Kyle Kuzma.
Josh Hart had a solid rookie season, but he looks like a different guy now. He's making plays that he couldn't make last year.
— John Ireland (@LAIreland) July 17, 2018
If he has a weakness, I haven't seen it. He's as good as any guard the Lakers have, and they have a bunch of good guards.
Devin Booker returned to Summer League 2016 as a sophomore and collected 24 points and seven rebounds in one game. Since then he has become the face of the Phoenix Suns and signed a five-year contract for $158 million. His performance at Summer League gave him one more opportunity to prove to the Suns that he is a quality investment.
For argument’s sake, Hart is not facing the same competition at Summer League that he does during the regular season. However, the fans, media and league are now front row to the Josh Hart show and can’t deny the potential he holds.
Equally as important, he has given teams the opportunity to rethink who they put on their Summer League rosters next year. This is the perfect low-pressure opportunity to see the potential of players teams have already invested in.
Next: 5 Lakers To Watch During Summer League Play
Hart and the Lakers will be in the championship game, Tuesday, July 17, at 7 pm PST against the Portland Trailblazers.