Though the start of free agency is still a question mark as the league works toward figuring out when the 2020-21 season will begin, there is no guessing about the 2020 NBA Draft.
That will take place on November 18, so vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and the Los Angeles Lakers front office are undoubtedly hard at work in figuring out which young prospect could best help their team.
The draft has been a major tool for the Lakers in recent years as they have consistently found good players in this area or later. L.A. holds the 28th overall selection in the 2020 Draft.
Kyle Kuzma and Larry Nance Jr. were both 27th overall picks by the Lakers, while young Talen Horton-Tucker, who looks extremely promising, was taken 46th overall. The current front office deserves respect for their ability to identify talent.
This year it looks as if the team may be looking for some backcourt help. According to Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report, the Lakers are one of a number of teams with interest in Stanford guard Tyrell Terry:
Stanford’s Tyrell Terry got people talking by measuring around 6’3″ and weighing in at 174 pounds, a notable difference from the 6’2″, 160 pounds Stanford lists him as. I’ve heard Terry linked to the Los Angeles Lakers, Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers as teams showing interest.
As those numbers show, Terry is a very slight guard, but his skill level is outstanding. He is one of the best shooters in the draft, knocking down 40.8% of his 3-pointers for the Cardinal last season, and an even more impressive 48% on catch-and-shoot threes. He is also an excellent off-ball player who would benefit greatly from playing with Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
One of the Lakers’ biggest weak points is their 3-point shooting, and Terry would undoubtedly help on that front. But he is also a solid passer and playmaker who can handle the ball. The Lakers have always been adamant about helping ease the burden on James and with Rajon Rondo a free agent, there may be a huge gap there as well.
While this draft is not top-heavy, there are a lot of potentially very solid role players available in the middle area where the Lakers are selecting.
Questions remain over 2020-21 season
The NBA continues to consider all different possibilities for the 2021 season with a December start seemingly preferred by the league, but not as much by the players. The players would prefer the start be pushed back to the beginning of 2021, but in order to do so the season may need to be shortened significantly.
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