Los Angeles Lakers: Three things we have learned from Summer League
By Jason Reed
2. The Los Angeles Lakers’ rookies may have a bigger role than we all anticipated
The Los Angeles Lakers have made some really good draft picks over the last several draft classes. While some of the selection atop the draft board were questionable (I.E. D’Angelo Russell) the Lakers have made really good picks late in the draft and 2018 may be no different.
Los Angeles selected power forward/center Moritz Wagner out of Michigan with the 25th overall pick in the draft. The 6’11” big man is the perfect mold of a stretch four and gave the Lakers much-needed size.
In the second round, Los Angeles selected Kansas shooting guard, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk. Mykhailiuk had four years of college experience that made him one of the most refined sharpshooters in the draft.
While these picks had a ton of upside, with LeBron James on the roster, the rookies did not seem to have a big role once the season started. However, that may not be the case at all as both continue to thrive in the Summer League.
Wagner is going to challenge JaVale McGee and Ivica Zubac for minutes down low and arguably should get those minutes. He is a sharpshooter, which LeBron loves, and has scored 10.3 points per game while shooting 37 percent from the floor. He was always going to have some role, though.
Mykhailiuk is the one that has really impressed and may have played his way into getting minutes as a fifth option in the backcourt during key scoring possessions. Mykhailiuk has averaged 15 points per game while shooting 47 percent from the floor.