NBA Draft 2018: 5 targets for the Los Angeles Lakers

COLUMBUS, OH - FEBRUARY 04: Ohio State Buckeyes forward Keita Bates-Diop (33) hangs on the rim after dunking the ball in a game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Illinois Fighting Illini on February 04, 2018 at Value City Arena in Columbus, OH. (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

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DAYTON, OH – MARCH 13: Aaron Holiday #3 of the UCLA Bruins reacts against the St. Bonaventure Bonnies during the first half of the First Four game in the 2018 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at UD Arena on March 13, 2018 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

3. Aaron Holiday (UCLA)

The Lakers have already had a bit of success drafting a hometown kid out of UCLA to run the offense, why not draft a guy to back him up?

It’s no secret that the Lakers struggled mightily on both ends of the floor when Lonzo Ball first went down with injury, and the overwhelming majority of the struggle began and ended with their lack of depth at point guard. Tyler Ennis was just short of abysmal on both sides of the ball while eating up a lot of the minutes left behind by Ball until the trade for Isaiah Thomas.

Holiday has already backed up Ball for a season at UCLA and has thrived in his absence. Last season, Holiday averaged 20 points (first in the Pac-12) and just under six assists per contest (second in the Pac-12).

Holiday shot over 41 percent from 3 in all three of his years in Westwood and has grown tremendously as a playmaker — something that the Lakers are in desperate need of at the point for the minutes that Lonzo is resting or out.

He isn’t the most athletic point guard in the draft nor does have the best size for his position, but he makes up for it for his ability to play the angles and a superior understanding of the game. Just like his brothers Jrue and Justin, Aaron projects to be a decent NBA player.

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