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Los Angeles Lakers: 3 reasons Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk was a good pick

By Cameron Salce

EL SEGUNDO, CA - JUNE 26: Magic Johnson, the Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations, stands with the team's 2018 NBA draft picks Moritz Wagner #15 and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk #19 during an introductory press conference at the UCLA Health Training Center on June 26, 2018 in El Segundo, California. 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. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)
EL SEGUNDO, CA - JUNE 26: Magic Johnson, the Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations, stands with the team's 2018 NBA draft picks Moritz Wagner #15 and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk #19 during an introductory press conference at the UCLA Health Training Center on June 26, 2018 in El Segundo, California. 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. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images /

1. He can shoot the 3-pointer at a high percentage

One of the Lakers’ biggest issues last season was that they struggled shooting the ball from the perimeter. They were so dreadful that they finished last in the league in 3-point shooting percentage. If they do not improve in that category next season, it is going to be hard for them to compete in a league that is becoming much more 3-point centric.

Not only did the Lakers lack 3-point shooters last season, but the guys they signed in free agency are not very good shooters either. Both Rajon Rondo and Lance Stevenson were notable acquisitions, and neither one of them shot better than 33 percent from three last season.

The best part about Mykhailiuk’s game is that he can light it up from beyond the arc as well as any player in this draft class. In his senior year, he shot 44 percent from deep and that would easily be the best on the Lakers roster if he could carry that over into next season.

He is going to have to prove that he can shoot that well from the extended line in the NBA to solidify a roster spot. In Summer league he already somewhat proved that by shooting 42 percent from that distance in Vegas.

In the past, teams that were lead by LeBron had multiple players that could pour it in from three, so Mykhailuk could find a role on the team if he can produce in this one category alone.

So far in his short career as a Laker, he has been referenced on NBA twitter as a poor man’s Klay Thompson, Svisus Shuttlesworth, and a tweet from Lakers Film Room that said “Svi needs minutes this season” received over 1.3 thousand likes.

Next: Complete 2018 NBA Draft First Round Grades

Hopefully, this is not just one big overreaction to a few good games against Summer League competition, and Svi has a positive impact in the regular season as well. He is no lock for a rotation spot, but if he keeps playing and shooting like this it will be hard to keep him out of the lineup.

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