The Los Angeles Lakers' roster is almost set, but not before making an underrated addition. The Lakers just completed an NBA record seven-team trade, which landed them a promising prospect in Adou Thiero.
Thiero slipped to 36 in the NBA Draft but was a late first-round pick in our last mock draft. Adding him was a nice get that is likely to go under the radar when discussing the Lakers.
Theiro has been compared to New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby, given his size, length, and defensive versatility. At 6-8, with a 7 ft wingspan, and with a sturdy frame, it's not so far-fetched to think that he has the potential to be an impactful defender.
Adou Thiero may be the perfect addition for the Lakers
The Lakers certainly hope so, considering they let Dorian Finney-Smith leave in free agency. Letting their best perimeter defender go was likely done to preserve cap space for next summer, with Finney-Smith earning a four-year contract with the Houston Rockets.
Fortunately for the Lakers, they didn't lose him for nothing. They got Thiero in return, and he can hopefully be a cheap rotation player either next season or the year after. It's not impossible: he showed significant improvement in his junior season at Arkansas, averaging 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in only 27.5 minutes per game.
While his 3-point shot may be a work in progress, he managed to shoot a ridiculous 60.5% on 7.8 2-point attempts per game. That was due to his slashing ability and athletic finishes.
Adou Thiero has a chance to be a rotation player next season
Historically, the Lakers have done a great job of nailing their second-round picks. They have done equally as well at finding gems that went undrafted. Alex Caruso and Austin Reeves are two of their most recent success stories, with Reeves developing into a borderline star during the second half of last season.
As far as potential role, he could potentially replace Jared Vanderbilt in their rotation as a power forward or scale down and play small forward. That's likely his most natural position, though his lack of shooting might make it difficult for him to play that full-time.
Even so, his college experience, defensive chops, and high-energy play should at least get him spot minutes if not a spot in the rotation sooner rather than later.
Overall, the Lakers quietly added a potential steal in Thiero. His defensive versatility is intriguing and could help him earn playing time on a team that could use a stopper on that end of the floor. Great move by the Lakers.