3. No rookie makes a significant impact
For the last few years, Lakers fans have been spoiled by the instant impact of young players.
Ingram wasn’t a star right away, but he certainly played the part as a rookie. Ball was seen as the new face of the franchise the second he arrived in town, and held his own. Kuzma made an immediate impact off the bench, and even Josh Hart found a way to make his presence felt down the stretch. All of these names waited almost no time at all to pay dividends for the Lakers.
It’ll be a different story for the incoming draft class. Sorry to burst your bubble so early.
Before you start throwing a temper tantrum calling me a hater, I want to clarify that it’s not due to a lack of talent. Instead, it’s more due to a lack of opportunities.
Chances are Moritz Wagner will play at least a decent part in the Lakers’ frontcourt. However, with players like James, Kuzma, McGee and Ivica Zubac all needing minutes, there may not be many leftovers for the rookie. His defense will need to improve, and he’ll need to cement himself as an offensive force before he begins seeing significant court time.
I love the potential Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk flashed during NBA Summer League. Unfortunately, he’s buried on a shooting guard depth chart that includes Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Josh Hart, both of whom will demand big minutes in 2018-19. I also wouldn’t be surprised to see Lance Stephenson spend some time at the 2-spot, meaning Mykhailiuk may be confined to a role as a seldom-used 3-point specialist.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Isaac Bonga never sees the floor for the Lakers in 2018-19. Los Angeles already has plenty of backcourt depth, and the German native is an extremely raw prospect. Chances are he marinates in the G League or overseas this season.
We all love to imagine rookies lighting it up in the NBA. For the Lakers, though, that won’t be the case this season.