Numerous decisions by the Los Angeles Lakers regarding trades or free agents haven’t been the best, but one thing the Lakers can definitely do is identify late draft talent. We look back on some steals by Californians and there were many, although they often didn’t last long.
As a starting point, let’s take the year 2014. It is the time when the Lakers were no longer the Contenders of previous years and Kobe Bryant’s career was in its sunset. Since then, the Lakers have made good drafting decisions year after year. Lottery tips aren’t counted, even though LA also did at least well here and won three successive All-Stars. For completeness:
- Julius Randle (7th Choice 2014)
- D’Angelo Russell (2nd Choice 2015)
- Brandon Ingram (2nd Choice 2016)
- Lonzo Ball (2nd pick 2017)
But now let’s move on to the real draft steals of the Lakers in recent years!
JORDAN CLARKSON
Draft: 2014 | Choose: 46
A bona fide scorer who is on his way to becoming one of the best sixth picks in the league at Utah. Clarkson initially spent some time in the D-League but became a starter after Kobe Bryant suffered a broken shoulder. At the end of the season, Clarkson was voted to the All-Rookie First Team, compared to only four other second-round picks in 30 years.
In 2016, the Lakers signed Clarkson to a four-year, $50 million deal before being traded to Cleveland in 2018. For LeBron James, however, he wasn’t much help in his final year as the Cavs. Now a constant in Utah, he’s amassed over $100 million during his career.
LARRY NANCE JR
Draft: 2015 | Choose: 27
Like Clarkson, Nance also went to Cleveland in 2018, but the striker did much better there. The son of popular Suns star Larry Nance Sr.
It’s kind of the story of his career. Nance never played more than 67 games in a season. However, he is currently a big part of the rotation for the Pelicans. New Orleans uses the balding 30-year-old as the smallball center who mostly finishes games.
DAVID NWABA
Draft: 2016 | Choose: not redacted
237 games since 2016 seems a bit low, but Nwaba likely had the skills to be a solid long-term revolving player. The California native worked his way into the Los Angeles squad on ten-day deals
Throwing was always an issue, but he defended passionately. Even Contender Brooklyn then brought him to the team, but after a torn Achilles tendon he was no longer the same. The Thunder quickly released Nwaba after a trade from then-squadless Houston.
EDGE TOOTH
Draft: 2016 | Choose: 32
It’s hard to imagine, but current Clippers center Zubac got his start in the other cabin of the former Staples center. The Croatian probably hinted at his talent, but the Lakers front office misjudged him.
At the trade deadline, Zubac was traded to the Clippers along with Michael Beasley for Mike Muscala (!) in a cloak-and-dagger deal. Clippers agent Jerry West reportedly laughed, after learning the terms of the agreement. Today, Zubac is a solid starter, one of the most consistent shooters in years and recently lost a rare 30-30 game.
Thomas Bryant
Draft: 2017 | Choose: 42
Another example of how the Lakers are shaping NBA players through their G-League team. Bryant spent his entire rookie season in South Bay, but the Lakers fired the center after the game. In Washington, however, Bryant immediately became a starter and led a good center offensive.
He has since returned to the Lakers after a serious knee injury ended his career. However, the 25-year-old doesn’t have much time to play.
Alex Caruso
Draft: 2016 | Choose: not redacted
What a career! He didn’t want a team in 2016, after which the “Bald Mamba” played an unremarkable season in the G-League before the Lakers took notice. There the guard would recommend himself and come over and over again for shorter missions. The breakthrough for the bald man came in early 2019 when he shone alongside LeBron James. The “Carusshow” is born.
Caruso also played a big role in the 2020 title, and a year later the Lakers gave up the strong defensive guard for important reasons, even though he really wanted to stay. So Caruso now plays the Duracel bunny with the Chicago Bulls and is very popular there as well.
KYLE KUZMA
Draft: 2017 | Choose: 27
Another steal that formed part of the 2020 league squad. Kuzma came on as a pure goalscorer, but has also developed into a reliable defender on the wing over the years. First the title as a scapegoat for fans, but now it’s clear how much Kuzma is missing in Los Angeles.
Given that the 2021 Forward was part of the Russell-Westbrook trade, the Lakers are still looking for a solution for the winger alongside LeBron and Anthony Davis, and to date have not found an answer. And Kuzma? He’s having a really good season in Washington and should get a nice payday in the summer.
JOSH HART
Draft: 2017 | Choose: 30
Hart was very popular in Los Angeles. The guard is still one of the best rebounders for his position and can be a very unpleasant opponent. The hustle and bustle and hustle and bustle were the best attributes, but that wouldn’t do the 27-year-old justice.
New Orleans really wanted Hart when Davis was traded to Los Angeles, they have no regrets. Hart has since moved to Portland, where he also serves as a secondary playmaker, relieving the stars in the backcourt.
MORITZ WAGNER
Draft: 2018 | Choose: 25
The Berliner was also not a bad choice and is said to have developed in Orlando. His defensive flaws were well known, but offensively Wagner may have an interesting pitching and playmaking skill set that at least serves a niche.
Wagner made 43 games for the Lakers before he too had to leave in the wake of the Anthony Davis trade. Via Washington and Boston, the forward has for the time being found a home at the Magic and is currently the starter for the injured Wendell Carter Jr. there.
TALEN HORTON-TUCKER
Draft: 2019 | Choose: 46
THT was the youngest player in the draft in 2019, so it took some time to recover. In the second year he established himself in the Lakers rotation and was able to please with powerful drives. What’s still missing: THT isn’t efficient, but he needs the ball in his hands.
That doesn’t sit well with LeBron, so it came as no surprise that the Lakers traded Horton-Tucker to Utah over the summer, even though he’d been labeled an “untouchable” the year before. In Salt Lake City, his playing time continued to decline. THT will have to step up if he wants to stay in the NBA.
Austin Reaves
Draft: 2021 | Choose: not redacted
After Bald Mamba came Hillbilly Kobe – Reaves, like Caruso, knows how to play alongside the Stars and gets the ball rolling with smart decisions. The boy from Newark, Arkansas, with a population of 1,000, has won the hearts of fans and also enjoys the trust of head coach Darvin Ham.
In his rookie season, Reaves even expects a triple-double on e became a meme at a party in Brooklyn, when he looked completely puzzled as LeBron explained something to him on the court. Interesting from a German point of view: Thanks to his German grandmother, Reaves now has a German passport.
