Los Angeles Lakers: Players who benefited most from Anthony Davis trade
By Ed Schrenzel
Josh Hart
Fans didn’t expect much from Josh Hart after he was chosen with the 30th pick of the 2017 draft. But his hard-nosed style of play won the appreciation of fans, coaches and teammates.
In his two Lakers seasons, Hart demonstrated excellent “three and D” skills. His play seemed to combine elements of three former Lakers: Michael Cooper, Derek Fisher and Ron Artest (later Metta World Peace). When Magic Johnson was in charge, he famously once said he’d love to stock his entire roster with guys who played like Hart.
A sometime starter who came off the bench about 75% of the time with the Lakers, Josh was on-court about half the game, averaging 8 points, 4 rebounds and 1.3 assists while playing tough defense.
RELATED: A small tweak to make to the Anthony Davis trade
His numbers are slightly but not dramatically higher with the Pelicans. Playing three more minutes per game, he’s averaging 10.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists. He is often on the court during end-of-game moments depending on matchups and game circumstances.
New Orleans liked what they saw and exercised their team option for next season on Hart. So he should return with the rest of the core next season for what should be an exciting, competitive young team.
Hart benefited somewhat from the trade but not quite as much as the others. He gets a grade of 3.