Lakers Rumors: The expected impact of each incoming rookie this season

Thomas Bryant

While he’s no Kobe, but he’ll be able to put in work and grind just fine in Los Angeles. Standing at 6’10” and weighing just south of 250 pounds, the Lakers might have struck gold again by drafting a center.

Last season, Ivica Zubac showed a lot of promise about being taken late on draft night. Bryant may have a harder time trying to establish himself as a starter than any of the other rookies. This is only because at his position they have Brook Lopez, a veteran starter who they traded a lot for, and Zubac ahead of him.

But that doesn’t mean that he won’t be influential. Should Lopez have an off start to the season or there be some sort of injury bug, Bryant will have to step up in big minutes and produce.

He’s averaging 6.5 points and three rebounds per game right now, and those are good numbers to have for a center in the summer. Down the road, maybe three or so seasons from right now, he’ll be a great one-two punch alongside Zubac considering the fact that Lopez could be gone by then.

For now, he’ll just have to wait his turn and grow his talent in the process. Something that he’ll need to avoid in terms of playing time is become like Tarik Black. Black was recently waived by Los Angeles, but wasn’t a bad player.

It seemed to be a move made to make room on the roster, and came because he never pushed past his spot on the totem pole.