ESPN Summer Forecast: Roy Hibbert Ranked Fifth Worst Newcomer

Pacers' Hibbert looks down court during Game 6 of their NBA Eastern Conference Final basketball playoff series against the Heat in Indianapolis

Arguably the biggest acquisition the Los Angeles Lakers made this off-season was the trade for center Roy Hibbert. Even though he experienced a down year last season, Hibbert remained one of the league’s best rim protectors as his numbers were on par with the likes of Andrew Bogut and Marc Gasol.

What will Roy Hibbert make this season? Find out here!

Hibbert is hoping to turn things around this season, but some apparently believe that is unlikely to happen. ESPN’s Summer Forecast ranked who they believe will be the worst newcomer in the NBA this season and Hibbert came in at number five:

Screen Shot 2015-08-25 at 10.36.01 AM

The four players ranked ahead of Hibbert on the list were Rajon Rondo of the Sacramento Kings, Lance Stephenson of the Los Angeles Clippers, and Wesley Matthews and Deron Williams of the Dallas Mavericks. All of these players on the list are talented, but even still it’s surprising to see Hibbert rank so high.

Hibbert’s numbers were surely disappointing last season, but some have spoken about Hibbert’s tendency to get in his own head and that most of his problems were mental. A change of scenery is likely exactly what Hibbert needs and his skills and style mesh perfectly with what the Lakers want in their big man.

At his introductory press conference, Hibbert said that he is focused strictly on defense and controlling the boards. He won’t be able to single-handedly turn the Lakers into a top-10 defensive team, but any improvements will be a positive for the Lakers.

[divide]


Please enable Javascript to watch this video

You May Also Like

Lakers News: Byron Scott Has ‘Timetable’ On When Tarik Black Will Play Again

The Los Angeles Lakers have played some of their best basketball recently,…

Lakers News: Danny Green Details Potential Role, Will ‘Try To Shoot As Good As I Did Last Year’

One of the Los Angeles Lakers’ biggest acquisitions in the 2019 NBA offseason following the failed Kawhi Leonard signing…

Five Trade Assets the Los Angeles Lakers Can Leverage in the Offseason

As the Los Angeles Lakers trail the Denver Nuggets three games to…

Lakers News: Mitch Kupchak Recalls Chris Paul Trade As ‘A Bad Day’

Many look at the vetoed Chris Paul trade as the turning point for the Los Angeles Lakers franchise. Adding Chris Paul…