Lakers: Josh Hart with be the NBA’s next great sixth man

Rookie guard Josh Hart has excelled in the second half of the season for the Los Angeles Lakers; providing the fans a look into what the future holds.

The Los Angeles Lakers have developed quite the young core. Brandon Ingram, Lonzo Ball and Julius Randle are the high selections at the forefront of the rebuild. Sleeper pick Kyle Kuzma forced his way into the picture in his rookie year. In the second half of the season, fellow rookie Josh Hart has done the same.

Hart has been nothing short of sensational for the Lakers in the second half of the season. Hart first stepped up when fellow rookie Lonzo Ball missed extended time due to an MCL injury. After recovering from a hand fracture, Hart picked up right where he left off.

In the Lakers’ most recent game against the Utah Jazz, Hart scored 25 points with four rebounds, two blocks and two steals over 48 minutes of action. The game prior, against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Hart scored 20 points with 11 rebounds.

These numbers will likely be unsustainable over a long period of time but are just a glimpse at what Hart is capable. Hart is very talented both ways and is a weapon on both sides of the court. Since returning from injury, Hart is averaging 13.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

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Hart will likely not grow into a potential all-star like Ball, Ingram, Randle and Kuzma are capable of, but he does have a very distinct role that will suit him perfectly in the NBA. Josh Hart has all the makings of being the NBA’s next great sixth man.

Seeing Hart as a starting on the future Lakers is hard to imagine. While he may grab the starting shooting guard role next season, with so many stars tied to LA, one is going to take his place. Whether it is Paul George or Klay Thompson, Hart would be the first to go.

However, Harts’ ability on the offensive side of the ball will easily lead to a consistent 15 point performance as he continues to grow in the NBA. Not only that, Hart is a legitimate NBA defender that would act as a leader of the second unit.

The Lakers have a guy on their hands that will be able to slow the opposing team down and get the Lakers on a good run, ready for the starters to be subbed back in.

While he may not be the traditional three-point specialist like Lou Williams or Jamal Crawford, Hart brings an undeniable impact on both sides of the court that is only going to be amplified off of the bench. Say what you will about his performances in the starting five this year, Josh Hart is the perfect player mold to be the NBA’s next great sixth man.

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And there is nothing wrong with that. Being a great sixth man takes a lot in the NBA; some of the best sixth men in basketball are better than a lot of NBA starters. The case will be the same for Hart, who is going to play a much larger role in the Lakers’ future success than anyone could have imagined.