Los Angeles Lakers: 3 candidates for a breakout season in 2019-20

3. Quinn Cook

At 26 years old having served a two-year apprenticeship under Stephen Curry with the Golden State Warriors, new Lakers point guard Quinn Cook is ready to enter the prime of his career.

The Duke University product averaged 6.9 points per game and shot 40.5 percent from 3-point range last season, helping the Warriors make it back to the NBA Finals after he contributed to the team’s 2018 championship.

Cook only saw the court for 14.3 minutes per game in the regular season and 11.4 minutes in the playoffs, but he had some standout moments. He dropped 27 points and five assists on the Brooklyn Nets in a victory; 21 points and five 3-pointers in a rout of the Charlotte Hornets; 18 points and six assists in a win over the Atlanta Hawks;  and nine points on three 3-pointers in Golden State’s Game 2 road win over the Toronto Raptors in the Finals.

If the rumors are true that LeBron will start at point guard this season, Cook would probably enter training camp as the third-stringer behind LeBron and Rajon Rondo. Even if LeBron remains listed at small forward, Cook could still be penciled in as the third-string point guard depending on where Vogel wants to play Bradley, who is a natural shooting guard but stands only 6’2″.

If recent history is any indication, though, Cook will have some time to shine when — not if — Rondo and/or Bradley are sidelined with injuries.

Rondo played in just 46 games last season thanks to hand and finger injuries. A sports hernia limited him the previous season when he played for the New Orleans Pelicans. Bradley has missed significant time with hip, groin and abdominal injuries over the last two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, Detroit Pistons and L.A. Clippers.

If Cook keeps himself upright and available, he can capitalize and thrive for a good Lakers team, putting to good use the big-stage experience he earned with the Warriors.