Los Angeles Lakers: 3 underrated NBA Draft options at No. 25

Landry Shamet, PG — Wichita State

Since last offseason, the Lakers have had shooting atop their list of areas in need of improvement. Well you could check off that box if Landry Shamet hears his name called at No. 25.

Shamet may very well be one of the best shooters of the 2018 draft class. During his junior season at Wichita State, the 6’4″ guard connected on 44.2 percent of his 3-point shots, helping to elevate his true shooting figures from 62.9 percent in 2016-17 to 65.5 percent.

Some may point to his competition in the American Athletic Conference as a reason to be wary of his NBA potential. However, when you roll back the tape, you see a cool, confident shooter who can also run the show as the second unit point guard. Just look at the 9.3 assists per game he averaged in 2017-18 for further evidence of his facilitating skills.

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Shamet’s defense isn’t spectacular. However, his offensive production and efficiency more than make up for it. This past season, he finished 15th in all of college basketball with a 130.1 offensive rating (via Sports-Reference.com)

Especially with no legitimate backup behind the oft-injured Lonzo Ball, the Lakers will need to find a capable No. 2 point guard this offseason. While free agency may be the better avenue to do so, I could see someone like Shamet stepping into the role and giving Los Angeles a big boost off the bench. He’s a proven leader, elite shooter and capable defender.