Los Angeles Lakers: 3 players that should’ve been drafted instead of Moritz Wagner
By Robert Marvi
2. Landry Shamet
As the 26th overall pick (one spot after Wagner) by the Philadelphia 76ers, Shamet showed that he’s a valuable role player, first with the Sixers and later in the season with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Standing at 6-foot-5, the Wichita State product and Kansas City, Mo. native shot a blistering 42.2 percent from 3-point range and averaged 9.1 points per game in 22.8 minutes. In 25 games with L.A.’s other team, he upped his marksmanship to 45 percent from downtown.
Shamet played so well in 2018-19 that he’s expected by plenty of people to start at shooting guard for the Clippers this upcoming season.
If the Lakers had drafted him, it’s possible they may not have felt the need to re-sign Kentavious Caldwell-Pope at $16.58 million over the next two years, or even to pick up Troy Daniels at $2.02 million.
There seems to be no doubt that Shamet could’ve helped a Lakers team that desperately needs to improve on their next-to-last ranking in 3-point shooting percentage last season.