Los Angeles Lakers: Quinn Cook will be one of best backups this year
Los Angeles Lakers guard Quinn Cook will be one of the top bench players during the 2019-20 season.
The Los Angeles Lakers were as active as any team this offseason whether it was the big trade for Anthony Davis or a handful of signings. One move that didn’t generate the buzz that it should’ve was the signing of Quinn Cook.
Cook has spent the majority of his three-year career in Golden State. The 26-year-old guard was a key component off their bench when they won a championship in 2018. That season he averaged 9.5 points and 2.7 assists in just 22 minutes. He also shot an incredible 44 percent from 3-point range.
The Lakers signed Cook to a two-year $6 million contract. Considering how everyone is getting paid nowadays in free agency this is quite a bargain for a quality backup guard with playoff experience.
The move didn’t generate the buzz that the signings of Danny Green and DeMarcus Cousins and rightfully so. Cook is a guard who isn’t flashy, he isn’t a big-time athlete and doesn’t quite pass the
“eye test”. What he can do is provide the Lakers a smart steady guard who can shoot it and run an offense.
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Last season Cook didn’t have quite the role he did in 2017-18. He averaged 6.9 points in 14 minutes. Despite his dip in production he shot 47% from the field and 41% from three.
One other area he will help the Lakers in is free-throw shooting. He is a career 79% free-throw shooter a big upgrade from most of his Lakers teammates. As a team the Lakers shot 70% from the charity stripe last season. Cook also averaged only 0.7 turnovers per contest which is incredibly low.
While Cook isn’t known as a shutdown defender he is a tenacious defender who excels at putting pressure fullcourt similarly to Spurs veteran Patty Mills. Cook relies on his IQ on that end making him a smarter defender than most.
Getting Cook provides a security blanket for multiple reasons. One, Rajon Rondo who will probably begin the season as a starter is injury prone and is getting up there in age.
Last season Rondo missed 36 games with different injuries. The second reason being that we don’t know just how good Alex Caruso is. Caruso looked magnificent at times over the last few weeks but is it a product of a big opportunity and usage or is he a guy who can become what he appears to be, a good player on a good team.
Don’t be surprised if Cook starts some games in the middle of the season. As a starter, he averaged 11.7 points and 4.2 assists in 10 games last season.
Next. 5 Reasons Quinn Cook Could Breakout In 2019-20. dark
Look for Cook to average around 10 points a game and he will give the Lakers an efficient shooter who isn’t afraid of the big shot.