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After an eventful 2017 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Laker continued dealing after the draft, landing South Carolina guard/forward PJ Dozier.
Undrafted rookie P.J. Dozier out of South Carolina has agreed to a free-agent deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, league sources tell ESPN.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 23, 2017
Dozier was one of the top undrafted players on the night and represents one of the only areas the Lakers did not address in the draft. Dozier is a wing player that can play either the shooting guard or small forward.
Unlike all four players drafted on Thursday night, Dozier is not a solid shooter. Last season, he shot just 29.8 percent from beyond the arc and just 40.7 percent from the field.
Where Dozier makes a case for being an NBA player is on the defensive end. Dozier averaged 1.7 steals per game and was apart of the Gamecocks’ suffocating defense that led the to a Cinderella run into the Final Four.
Dozier also is a quality role player on the offensive end, He sees the court well for a wing player and has the physical profile to become a solid player. Dozier measured at 6’6.25″ at the Draft Combine with a 6’11” wingspan and a 39″ vertical leap.
That length makes him an intriguing defensive prospect. At 20 years old, Dozier is more of a long-term play and could be a project down the line, possibly similar to David Nwaba, who worked through the Lakers’ G-League team and onto the Lakers last season.
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