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Los Angeles Lakers: Will Thomas Bryant break into the lineup this season?

By Michael Dugger

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NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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With no shortage of options in the frontcourt, is there a way for the Los Angeles Lakers to find a way to get Thomas Bryant on the court this season?

The strength of the Los Angeles Lakers‘ roster lies in their frontcourt, consisting of a nice blend of youth and veterans that gives the coaching staff plenty of lineup combinations to experiment with.

Given their level of production up to this point in the season, is there any room for rookie Thomas Bryant to break through and log some playing time this season, or will the second round draft pick spend all season developing with the South Bay Lakers of the G League?

Given Bryant’s rawness and age, he could benefit from the excessive workload playing in the G League, where he leads the team in scoring at 21.5 points per game, converting shots at a high-efficiency (60.3 percent from the field). Bryant is showing a skill-set that fits perfectly with what the Lakers, and NBA as a whole, are shifting towards with bigs that can shoot and finish rolling to the rim.

Bryant is shooting really well from 3-point range in the G League (47 percent on 6.0 attempts per game) and has a quick release that — along with his seven-foot frame — that allows him to shoot over opponents with relative ease. He would be a great floor-spacer for a Lakers team that finds success when turning to a small-ball lineup in a 5-out system.

There’s more to his offensive game then spotting up and spacing the floor too. Bryant moves his feet well and is a strong finisher when attacking the rim. He rolls to the rim hard after setting screens, has good hands to catch passes and is posting a number of highlight worthy finishes off these screens during his South Bay stints.

You’d think a player with Bryant’s size and skill-set would garner some minutes in the modern NBA, but he has yet to make a single appearance in a game this season for the Los Angeles Lakers. The competition along the front line with Larry Nance Jr., Brook Lopez, Julius Randle and Kyle Kuzma is stiff, especially with Andrew Bogut getting some spot minutes depending on the matchup.

Bryant is properly slotted behind these bigs, even behind Ivica Zubac, but he should warrant playing time if the Lakers fall out of playoff contention as the season progresses. His skill-set fits perfectly with the young players on the roster, and he has the right combination of size and athleticism combo theoretically develop into a solid interior defender and shot-blocker.

For now, I’m enjoying the current crop of Lakers bigs and how they’re producing. Bryant has a ways to go before eclipsing them into the rotation, but his play resembles a more athletic, younger version of Brook Lopez. Lopez is far superior in terms of post game and passing, but Bryant is on par with Lopez in terms of shooting and is more capable of finishing when rolling to the rim.

Bryant also genuinely seems to love the game and displays this passion by celebrating big plays for himself in the G League or going crazy on the bench when spending time with the Lakers.

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He’s an exciting prospect that fits what this organization wants to do in terms of transitioning towards the modern game. If the Lakers fall out of contention and start trading or resting players, Thomas Bryant will likely get his chance to see how well he fits in the NBA as a big man with the league continuing to downsize. I like the rookie’s chances of making a positive impact when he finally debuts with the Lakers.

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