Fans should be very excited about the newest Lakers signing
By Jason Reed
The Los Angeles Lakers are heading into training camp with an unbalanced roster that is naturally going to limit how far the team can go this upcoming season. Los Angeles simply has too many guards and not enough wings, cannot defend well and cannot shoot threes.
Rob Pelinka didn’t have many options to improve the team this offseason because of the situation he put himself in with Russell Westbrook’s contract. The result is a roster that does not make a lot of sense and is being sold on a prayer more so than actual stats.
That being said, Los Angeles may have actually made a savvy signing that could have an impact on the team this season. The Lakers signed Dwayne Bacon and Matt Ryan to training camp deals with the latter being someone who could find his way into the NBA rotation if he plays well.
Why Los Angeles Lakers fans can get excited about Matt Ryan.
While the quarterback Matt Ryan is old and past his prime, the basketball player Matt Ryan is young and is unproven in the NBA. Ryan has only played one NBA game, appearing for five minutes with the Boston Celtics last season.
That being said, Ryan’s performance in the G League showcases exactly why the Lakers brought him to training camp in the first place. Ryan played 30 G League games last season in those 30 games he attempted a staggering 9.4 threes per game. It was clear that Ryan wanted to work on his three-point shot to get a spot in an NBA rotation.
What is even more promising is the fact that Ryan shot 40% from beyond the arc in those 9.4 threes per game. Yes, G League competition is far inferior to that of NBA competition, but those are not numbers to simply gloss over.
Just to compare, there have only been six seasons in NBA history in which a player played at least 30 games, averaged nine or more threes per game and shot 40% from beyond the arc. Five of those seasons belong to Stephen Curry, one belongs to Damian Lillard.
That is not to say that Ryan is going to come in and shoot threes like Curry or Lillard, that is ridiculous. But to make shots at the output that he was making them in the G League is no joke. There is legitimate talent there.
And that is talent that the Los Angeles Lakers desperately need. This team is starving for three-point shooting and with such a lack of wings and one open roster spot, Ryan could absolutely play his way onto the roster if he can prove that he can hit threes against NBA-level competition while also producing on the other end of the court.
If it doesn’t work out then it is just a training camp signing that was not meant to work out, anyway. If it does work out then the Lakers could have yet another diamond in the rough to add to their collection.