The 10 Greatest Lakers in history, ranked by Player Efficiency Rating (PER)
By Will Eudy
9. Elgin Baylor - 22.7
A Lakers lifer, Elgin Baylor began his career with the Lakers in Minneapolis and ended it with them in Los Angeles. He racked up an impressive amount of accolades during his 14-year career, rightfully earning him a spot on the NBA's official Top 75 all-time list.
Baylor was one of the few players in the history of this league that was truly a star from the time he entered until the time he departed. As a 24-year old rookie in the 1958-59 season, he earned an All-Star bid, First Team All-NBA honors, the Rookie of the Year award, as well as finished top three in MVP voting.
That was just the beginning for Elgin. He would go on to be an All-Star in 11 of the next 12 seasons, making First Team All-NBA a total of nine times, and finishing top five in MVP voting seven times. Known for his "hanging jumpshot" where he would pull up to shoot on the move and wait until just the right moment to release his shot, Baylor was one of the most uniquely talented players in league history.
Many of the players who rank high in all-time PER are big men who could more easily stack statistics that increased their rating. But playing as a forward, it was Baylor's sharp shooting and versatile skillset that earned him such a high PER for his career.