6 Crucial Lakers who prove this isn't the same team from a season ago

Jalen Hood-Schifino

Many have already written Jalen Hood-Schifino off as a bust after he struggled to contribute much of anything as a rookie. It's far too soon to make a determination of that nature, however, especially when one considers how reluctant Darvin Ham was to utilize his younger players.

Hood-Schifino may prove Ham was right by again struggling during his sophomore season, but simply giving him a chance to play means introducing a new element on both ends of the floor.

The Lakers have publicly named Hood-Schifino, a 6'5" and 215-pound wing with a 6'10.25" wingspan, as one of the members of their young core. It was a ringing endorsement for a player who appeared in just 21 games, averaging 5.2 minutes and 2.1 field goal attempts per contest.

Expecting a rookie to develop any semblance of consistency under those conditions is irrational, especially considering he played more than eight minutes on just three occasions.

It's worth noting that Hood-Schifino was one of the best players in the G League during the 2023-24 campaign. In 15 games played, he averaged 22.0 points, 5.5 assists, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.3 three-point field goals made on .473/.432/.800 shooting.

That doesn't guarantee that he's ready to thrive in the NBA, but it's clear that he's better than a vast majority of G League players—and at just 21 years of age, one can't help but be intrigued by what that means about his upside.

Simply giving Hood-Schifino more opportunities to develop within the flow of an NBA game means adding something new to the rotation.