With the draft behind them and free agency beginning, that makes Summer League the next thing on the docket for the Lakers offseason. The team will bring an exciting group to Las Vegas with Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Ivica Zubac set to be the marquee names on the roster.
Along with those three, the other 2017 NBA draft class members, Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart, and Thomas Bryant will be suiting up as well.
Lakers announce their summer league roster. Jud Buechler will be head coach, Brian Keefe, Mark Madsen & Miles Simon are assistants pic.twitter.com/pZQGum8LX9
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) June 30, 2017
There are a few familiar names that will join the team in Travis Wear and Vander Blue. Wear was with the Lakers last year for training camp before ultimately being cut. Blue on the other hand has been with the D-Fenders the past few seasons on his way to winning D-League MVP last season while averaging 24.8 points a game.
Some of the other intriguing prospects on this list are Alex Caruso and PJ Dozier. As an undrafted free agent out of South Carolina, Dozier brings elite level athleticism and the ability to score from a variety of ways. At just 20-years old he has unique physical tools and length that help him adapt to several positions on both sides of the floor. Caruso on the other hand is a point guard that spent last season with the Oklahoma City Blue and was very impressive. His feel for the game, three point shooting (39% with OKC Blue), defensive instincts, and athleticism helped him become one of the better guard prospects in the D-League last season.
Going into Summer League with such a young group of players is an opportunity for the organization to answer some of it’s biggest questions. How much have Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac improved since their rookie seasons? Will David Nwaba continue to be a spark plug for this team and can he improve his offensive role? Will Lonzo Ball take on a leadership role early on? What can we make of the team’s later picks in this year’s draft? Some of those things will be answered in Las Vegas, some of them will remain questions, but one thing is for sure, we’re getting closer and closer to the season.
