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

(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Lonzo Ball

For all of the hate that Lonzo Ball has received, whether it’s because of him or as a result of something his father said or did, a triple double in his second summer league game speaks for itself. It came after an awful debut where it felt like he couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn.

He’ll be the starting point guard and take over to try and finish what Magic Johnson believes D’Angelo Russell couldn’t finish.

Teaming up with the rest of the young core, it’s hard to say he won’t be in the running for best rookie. However, if all top parts of the draft class stay healthy, it may be hard to have a clear cut front-runner.

Overall, last season’s rookie class was disappointing. Malcolm Brogden made the most of the opportunity he had with the Milwaukee Bucks on his way to some new hardware. But other than that, and Brandon Ingram’s monster potential, there wasn’t much to go crazy for.

No matter what he does now or what Luke Walton expects from him, he’ll always be held to a higher standard. His best critic and most loyal cheerleader is his father, LaVar, who seems he’ll stop at nothing until his son has a jersey in the rafters.

All of the talk came to fruition, and the family got their wish of Ball going and playing for the Los Angeles Lakers. But if he’s going to really impress us, he’ll have to get the Lakers back to the playoffs like his father has been boldly predicting.

Otherwise, we’ll be left wondering if dealing D’Angelo Russell was actually the right thing to do.