The success of NBA giants is not accidental, in addition to developing talented players, trade is also an important means for them to remain competitive. Take the Lakers as an example, since the beginning of the 21st century, although they have only cultivated Kobe Bryant, a superstar, they have introduced strong players such as O'Neal, Gasol, James and Thick Eyebrows through trades. However, in the process, the Lakers also neglected the growth of some rookie players. This article will explore five rookies who have developed better since leaving the Lakers, as well as their views and perspectives on this phenomenon.
The reason why NBA giants can remain competitive, and developing talented players is only a small part of the reason, and using trade to get stronger players is the fastest way to make up for it. The Los Angeles Lakers, for example, have only produced Kobe Bryant since the 21st century, but have brought in top players such as O'Neal, Gasol Da Gasol, James and Thick Eyebrows through trades. However, in the process, the Lakers also neglected the growth of some rookie players to a certain extent. Here are five rookies who have gone on to develop better since leaving the Lakers:
5. DeAngelo Russell ($117 million over 4 years)
Last season's stats: 19 points, 2.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists
43.1% shooting from the field and 38.7% from three-point range
In the 2015 NBA Draft, D'Angelo Russell was selected by the Lakers in the second place in the first round, and then signed a four-year, $23.02 million rookie contract, averaging 13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game in his rookie season. In the summer of 2017, the Lakers made a deal with the Brooklyn Nets with Russell as the main chip in order to dispose of Mozgov's contract, and the Lakers received the big Lopez and the No. 27 pick (selected Kuzma) in the first round. In the 2018-19 season, Russell was full of firepower on the offensive end, and replaced the injured Oladipo with 21.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 7 assists per game as an NBA All-Star that season. After the season, the Nets traded Russell to the Warriors in order to get Irving (signed for $141 million in 4 years) who expired his contract, and the Warriors immediately signed Russell with a 4-year 117 million maximum salary contract. In the middle of the 2019-20 season, Russell and Wiggins, who did not match Curry, swapped clubs for the Timberwolves. Russell helped the Timberwolves pick the top pick before the draft last summer, selecting Edwards, who exploded his physical talent. But Russell underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee earlier to remove free bodies from his knee and missed more than 30 games. Coupled with the team's main center Towns missing many games due to injury and infection in the early stage, the Timberwolves lived up to expectations and once again became the bottom team in the West. The main player is absent and the record is bottom, the Timberwolves who have no desire give Edwards enough opportunities to show his strength, he is currently averaging 19.3 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game, and Russell, who returned from injury, was also arranged by the head coach into the bench, an All-Star player to be a substitute for rookies, Russell's pain in his heart is estimated to be only he can understand!
4. Lonzo Bauer ($80 million over 4 years)
Last season's stats: 14.6 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.5 steals
41.4% shooting from the field and 37.8% from three-point range
In the 2017 draft, thanks to the gimmick of the ball daddy, Lonzo Ball entered the Lakers as a leader, with a rookie contract of 4 years and $33.47 million. The "crooked" shooting posture that fans questioned had a dismal shooting percentage, shooting 36 percent from the field and 30.5 percent from three-point range in his rookie season, averaging only 10.2 points per game, but his 7.2 assists and 1.7 steals per game proved his talent on the assist and defensive end. In the summer of 2019, in order not to waste James' prime, the Lakers reached a trade agreement with the Pelicans, in order to get the most powerful forward in the current camp, Anthony Davis, the Lakers sent Ball, Ingram, Hart and 3 first-round picks. At that time, the deal was a matter of taking what both parties needed, one with the capital to win the championship and the other with a bright future. Ball improved his shooting a lot last season, shooting nearly 40 percent from the field and making three three-pointers per game, becoming the Pelicans' trusted outside shooter. Ball became a restricted free agent this summer, according to his agent team, revealing that Ball wants a contract with an annual salary of more than $20 million, while the Pelicans have made it clear that they will not match. There is defense, assist, outside three stable ball brother, immediately signed by the Bulls for 4 years 80 million US dollars after entering free agency, plus 3 years 81.9 million to win DeRozan, the Bulls next season lineup for Ball + LaVine + DeRozan + Williams + Vucevic, the impact of the playoffs is just around the corner.
3. Kuzma ($39 million over 3 years)
Playoff stats: 6.3 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1 assist
29.2% shooting from the field and 17.4% from three-point range
Last summer, the Lakers renewed the contract of forward Kuzma for a three-year, $39 million contract, and the 2.08-meter-tall player with a 2.14-meter arm span has witnessed the Lakers' lows and peaks in four seasons in the league. As the No. 27 pick in the first round of 2017, Kuzma, who was not physically good and did not have delicate scoring skills, became a key player for the Lakers with his outstanding performance in the summer league (30 points and 10 rebounds in the final). Last season, Kuzma averaged 15.2 points and 5.7 rebounds per game in the regular season, shooting 44.8% from the field, which is not ugly, but with James and Thick Eyebrow brother after injuries, when Kuzma needed to step up, rough offensive skills and poor defensive ability made head coach Vogel abandon the limited talent. Less than 30% shooting in the playoffs made fans wake up to the fact that perhaps in the 18-19 season of the Lakers, Kuzma's average of 18.7 points and 5.5 rebounds per game was already his strength ceiling. After the Lakers were eliminated by the Suns, team management was frustrated with Kuzma's playoff performance and his own strength, and after the opportunity to get Wei Shao, the Lakers gave Kuzma, Pope, Harrell and draft picks chips in order to balance the "triple-double king" salary of $44 million, and finally Wei Shao "forced the palace" Wizards management to facilitate the deal. In an interview after being traded, Kuzma said: "In the Lakers need to win all the time, this is not compatible with developing young players, and I am excited that I can grow with players of the same level at the Wizards!" "It is clear that Kuzma is helpless about the Lakers' deal, but the unreliable ability does make Kuzma difficult to achieve great things!
2. Brandon Ingram ($158 million over 5 years)
Last season's stats: 23.8 points, 4.9 rebounds, 4.9 assists
46.6% shooting from the field and 38.1% from three-point range
In the 2016 draft, the Lakers used the top pick to win Ingram, known as "Durant Jr.", and his rookie contract was $23.82 million for 4 years. After three seasons of training with the Lakers, his average data has also reached 18.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3 assists, but under the temptation of the strong strength of the thick eyebrows, the Lakers cannot give him time to grow and decisively package and trade the Pelicans. In the ruined Pelicans, Ingram became the absolute core of the team, averaging 23.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game, and in the summer of 2019, the Pelicans, who had no one to sign in free agency, renewed Ingram with a five-year, 158 million maximum salary contract. Last season, with the healthy return of talented Zion Williams, beastly dunks and unreasonable interior play gave the Pelicans a group of loyal players, and Zion was selected as an All-Star this season with an average of 27 points, 7.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. As for who is the leader of the team, in fact, at the beginning of last season, Pelicans management and coaching staff determined the leader of the team in terms of technical and tactical distribution, and Ingram's ball weight and singles tactics reflected that he was the core of the team at that time. But with the team's declining record and Ingram's poor performance in key moments, the Pelicans' hopes of competing for the playoffs are getting dwindling, while also causing a serious loss of home fans. After more than a dozen games, the Pelicans finally let Zion carry the ball more and show his talent to the fullest, although the record did not improve much, but the excellent individual performance also made the Pelicans' ratings gradually climb. But Zion's limitations on the projection end doomed him to not be the core of the team, and Ingram, who is only 24 years old, has more room to grow, from a three-point shot that was questioned by fans when he just entered the league, but shot 38% last season, Ingram's improvement has never stopped!
1. Julius Randall ($117 million over 4 years)
Last season's stats: 24.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 6 assists
45.6% shooting from the field and 41.4% from three-point range
As the most successful player selected and sent away by the Lakers, Randle was taken by the Lakers with the seventh pick in the first round in 2014, and was reimbursed for only one game for the Lakers in his rookie season, and then played better and better in the following three seasons, and his average of 16.1 points and 8 rebounds per game slowly increased. But after hearing that James was coming to the Lakers, he decisively proposed a trade to management, because he knew in his heart that the Lakers no longer had a stage for him to play his talent. So he was sent to the Pelicans, averaging 21.2 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.4 assists in his first season, and the all-around star began to show his leads, and he was signed by the Knicks for three years and $62.1 million after his rookie season. After a muddy season with the Knicks, Randle has been on firepower this season, with career-high stats, and all-round individual ability to lead the perennial Knicks to the long-lost playoffs with fourth place in the East. In last season's Most Improved Player award, Randle beat Nuggets youngster Porter and Pistons Grant to be selected, and he also became the second player in NBA history after Larry Bird to shoot at least 40% from three-point range in a single season and average at least 20 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists per game. But when it comes to the playoffs with a higher defensive intensity, this one can do anything