Ranking each Lakers free agency signing by impact next season

By Jason Reed | Jul 26, 2022

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2. Thomas Bryant

I went back and forth several times between the no. 2 and no. 1 player on this list and while Thomas Bryant is a very solid basketball player, he ends up at no. 2. In fact, I would argue that Bryant is the most talented player that the Lakers signed this offseason. So why is he not the most impactful?

A big part of the reason is simply how the game is played today. Centers are the least important players on the court and while Bryant can help space the floor some with a solid jumper, there is only so much he can impact on a game-to-game basis.

Combine that with the fact that the no. 1 player on this list simply has to be the most impactful based on how the Lakers handled the offseason. Even if it is in a negative light, the no. 1 player will have the biggest impact on the team.

Plus, if the Lakers trade for Turner then Bryant’s playing time will obviously go down as he would go from the starting five to the backup five. It is hard to make the backup five the most impactful player on this list.

All that being said, Bryant is a really solid basketball player and he is going to turn heads this season as long as he can stay healthy. He should have never been traded from the Lakers in the first place after he dominated the G League and now he is back home where he can prove his worth.

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