The Los Angeles Lakers were in a state of flux for a long time, and before LeBron James joined, it was almost a backwater, and the team was looking forward to cultivating one young talent after another, but what was the end result? How are they doing now? Which of them has become mediocre and which have become stars? Today, let's take stock together.
It all started with the 2012 No. 60 show, the famous Robert Thackeray. When Thackeray entered the Lakers, the Lakers were still at their peak, and Kobe Bryant had not yet suffered a serious injury from a ruptured Achilles tendon. But Thackeray played all his talents on the bench towel, and finally played in the NBA for only four years, and once played in the Japanese league. In the end, Satshin chose to retire in 2019.
Fast forward to 2013, the Lakers, who had only one second-round pick, selected Ryan Kelly with the 48th pick, and similarly, after playing four years, he bid farewell to the NBA and also mixed in the Japanese league. In the 2014 draft, the Lakers at this time had a lot of chips. They selected Julius Randall with the No. 7 pick and Jordan Clarkson with the No. 46 pick they got from the Wizards, and focused on training.
Randall's first game of his career was reimbursed for injury season, so that the time to pay the salary was postponed for several seasons. The Lakers eventually let Randle go in 2018 to save money, who averaged 21.4 points, 8.7 rebounds and 3.1 assists per game at the Pelicans. This season, Randle was named an All-Star for the first time in his career with the Knicks with 23.4 points, 11 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game, as well as a 42 percent three-point shooting rate. This year, he is only 26 years old.
By contrast, Clarkson, 28, hit the price earlier than Randall. He averaged double figures in his rookie season and was named to the All-Rookie Team. His fourth season with the Lakers was sent to the Cavaliers. To this day, he still maintains a high scoring efficiency. Clarkson averaged 18.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for the Jazz this season, and he's a strong contender for the best sixth man of the season.
In 2015, the Lakers selected D'Angelo Russell with the 2nd pick, Larry Nance Jr. with the 27th pick and Anthony Brown with the 34th pick. Russell was known as "Water Pull" by the Lakers, and after being sent to the Nets by the Lakers, Russell went straight to the All-Star, averaging 21.1 points, 3.9 rebounds and 7 assists per game, and later became a chip to trade Durant, and also got the four-year, $120 million contract.
As for Nance Jr., he was known for his explosive physical fitness in the Lakers in his early years, but his scoring ability was mediocre. In the 2017-18 season, he was sent to the Cavaliers with Clarkson, fulfilling his dream of playing for his father's team and hometown team. This season, Nance Jr. averaged 9.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game, and he is still plagued by injuries. Fortunately, he has been awarded a four-year, $45 million contract. As for Anthony Brown, he has long said goodbye to the NBA.
In 2016, the Lakers won the top spot Brandon Ingram and the No. 32 show Zubac. Both played for the Lakers for only three years, one was sent to the Clippers by the Lakers, and the other was sent to the Pelicans as a bargaining chip for Anthony Davis. As a result, Zubac secured the Clippers' main position inside the line, averaging 9.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game.
Ingram, on the other hand, has averaged 24.2 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists this season and was named an All-Star in the 2019-20 season. You know, he is only 23 years old now, and the future is bright. In return, the Pelicans gave him the big five-year, $160 million contract the Lakers were reluctant to give. It's hard to imagine how he and Zion Williamson will play with the Pelicans, and will inevitably become an important force in the NBA in the future.
In 2017, the Lakers selected Lonzo Ball with the eye of the list, Ball has first-class organizational skills, but now he is even worse than his brother Ramello Ball. Of course, Ball is only 23 years old, averaging 14.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game this season, and has improved to 39.3% from three-point range. This year is his contract year and he needs to play better to win a contract of his own.
That same year, the Lakers also traded for No. 30 pick Josh Hart in the draft, and he was also one of the chips to trade thick eyebrows. This season, Hart has averaged 8.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game, making him a qualified role player. In addition, the Lakers also got Kuzma this year, and he is also the only Lakers young talent who has not been sacrificed to exchange thick eyebrows, averaging 11.1 points, 6.4 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game this season, and he also got a new contract of $40 million for 3 years.
As for the later Lakers lost draft Caruso, the 2018 No. 25 show Wagner, the 2019 No. 46 show Horton Tucker and other young people, there is still time to test their success. For now, at least, they're just role players. Tucker, for example, is only 20 years old now, and I believe that when they reach the age of 25, they may also become stars. Until then, there is a constant effort to win more opportunities.
The Lakers' draft vision is still good overall, Russell, Randall, Ingram have all become All-Stars, but it is in terms of training problems, these players to other teams to play the price. This is also worth reflecting on by the Lakers management. After all, the Warriors can cultivate Curry, Klay, and Green, the Thunder can cultivate Durant, Harden, Westbrook, and the Lakers management must continue to cheer.