3. Josh Hart
The Lakers had one steal on their hands in the 2017 NBA Draft in Kyle Kuzma. They added a second with the No. 30 overall pick in Josh Hart.
Hart was knocked by some pundits because he played four seasons at Villanova. Seniors are not looked at the same way as they once were, but Hart proved to be NBA ready from the get-go.
This offseason, he has built off of that. Hart was dominant in the Las Vegas Summer League, taking home the MVP award. It is the second consecutive year that a Lakers player took home that award.
The team is high on Hart and there is a chance that he could win the starting shooting guard spot. Whether he comes off the bench or starts, it should not matter; expect big things from Hart this season.
Hart will quickly become one of James’ favorite teammates. He does a little bit of everything, as he can score the ball, distribute and rebound. He also plays some tenacious defense, something the Lakers will need.
With a rotation spot locked down, and a potential big-minute role available to him, Hart could see a huge jump in his numbers this upcoming season. We saw flashes of what he was capable of when given minutes during his rookie season. With another full offseason to work on his game, those flashes should become more consistent.