Los Angeles Lakers: Michael Frazier Enters Training Camp Fray

The Los Angeles Lakers may have struck out on their targets in free agency, but they are lining up as many rookie talents as they can get their hands on.

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Michael Frazier is the latest rookie free agent to agree to terms with the club, putting the Lakers’ roster at 16 as we inch closer to training camp. The addition of the former Florida Gator comes after the Lakers signed forward Jonathan Holmes to a deal, and there is speculation that center Robert Upshaw will be a training camp factor as well.

On the surface, Frazier is likely nothing more than a guy the team wanted to take a better look at over the course of training camp and the preseason, but it’s clear where he could potentially fit on the final edition of the roster.

Los Angeles Lakers Finally Embracing The Three-Pointer?

If Michael Frazier makes the Lakers roster in 2015-16, it’s going to be as a spot-up three-point shooter.

As a junior last season, Frazier shot 38 percent from deep. That’s an OK mark for a guy who wants to make his living by being a sniper from beyond the arc. The real intrigue lies in how that number is actually low for what Frazier is actually capable of.

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In 2013-14, Frazier’s sophomore season, he shot an excellent 44.5 percent from three on nearly seven attempts per game. His freshman year? 46.8 percent on 3.1 attempts per contest.

Clearly, his numbers trended in the wrong direction in his final collegiate season, which could have contributed to him dropping out of the draft. After all, he is likely a specialist in the NBA, and slipping more than 6 percentage points on your bread-and-butter shot is concerning.

However, Frazier’s conference play numbers (around half of the collegiate season) show that he was still the deadly three-point shooter that he was from years prior. In 11 conference games, Frazier shot 45.1 percent from three on 4.6 attempts per game.

There are plenty of reasons for why Frazier’s numbers were down last year. Between the Gator’s fourth-ranked strength of schedule, injury issues that hobbled him, and the fact that his team simply wasn’t very good could have all been negative variables in the equation.

It’s important to note the other reasons that he may have gone undrafted, but it’s hard to picture him sliding out of the draft if he had shot 44 percent from deep for three consecutive collegiate campaigns.

Competition Brewing For The Los Angeles Lakers Backups

If the three-ball is kind to Frazier in training camp, it is possible that he will put some heat on Jabari Brown for a reserve role. Brown, who shot 37.1 percent from deep for the Los Angeles Lakers last season, is best suited as a shooter off-the-bench, making the addition of Frazier interesting for his roster prospects.

Of course, Brown is the more experienced player, so it’s unlikely that Frazier walks into camp and performs better all-around than the second-year guy. However, it’s possible that the Lakers could look to move other veterans if the sharpshooter from Florida impresses enough to warrant a permanent stay in Los Angeles.

Going into camp, Ryan Kelly and Robert Sacre — third year players with no defined role on the team — could be on the hot seat. If they are traded or cut, it could make sense to add Frazier from a financial standpoint. Given his status as an undrafted rookie free agent, the team could be in the position to offer a multi-year contract that isn’t guaranteed, which offers team flexibility should things pan out.

Getting guys who can contribute on the cheap is a must in today’s NBA, and the Lakers still have plenty of roles to fill. A potential lights-out three-point threat is still on the team’s wishlist.

Frazier will get the opportunity to show off his three-point shot, and if it’s money, things could get intense when the final cuts come in October.

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