Josh Hart’s Summer League play foreshadows a major role in L.A.
By Ben Ladner
The Summer Lakers fell a game short of an undefeated run in Las Vegas and a second consecutive Summer League title Tuesday night, but L.A.’s most encouraging moment of the tournament occurred hours before tipoff. As Josh Hart accepted the Summer League MVP trophy, the Lakers had cause for optimism. Hart’s performance was meaningful not only for its prolificacy (22.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game over seven outings) and style, but because of the comfort it offered the Lakers for the near term. Hart – clearly too good for Summer League – appears, at worst, a functional piece on a team that hopes to compete immediately.
Acquiring LeBron James reset expectations for L.A. and its young core. Where Hart, Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, and Kyle Kuzma had time to jell and mature into a playoff team, they are now tasked with the responsibility of rounding James’ supporting cast – a change that will require adaption by all parties. Hart, who already looks the part of a bona fide 3-and-D wing, should have the smoothest adjustment of the bunch.
A three-year player at Villanova, Hart entered the NBA with high-level awareness and feel for the game. He hit nearly 40 percent of his triples as a rookie and established himself as a tough, versatile defender. His defensive rotations were purposeful and well timed, his offensive contributions sparse but organic. Hart clearly understands the basic elements that make for a healthy offense – how to space the floor, where and when to make the extra pass – and proved a trustworthy cog in the Lakers’ offense. With so little of the offense intentionally routed through him, Hart found open space without the ball in his hands and capitalized when it found him:
Hart shot over 41 percent on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers as a rookie and rarely even attempted triples that didn’t come with several feet of open space around him. That makes for a natural partnership with James, who sets up open 3s for teammates as well as anyone in NBA history. If L.A. truly intends on using LeBron more often as a weapon in transition, Hart will be useful in that endeavor as well. He was the Lakers’ most efficient and most frequent transition scorer last season due to his strong finishing ability and eagerness to run after turnovers:
Though Hart came into the league more of a finished product than most rookies, he has ample room for improvement, and he’s making use of it. This summer, he’s discovered new means by which to impact the game, including a more aggressive and well-rounded offensive arsenal. He’s launching off the dribble and attacking closeouts when defenders are too eager to take away his jumpshot. The left-shoulder spin to shed pressure has become a summer staple:
He still has more upside to explore as a slasher and playmaker for others. Straight-line drives past closeouts often led to tunnel vision on drives last season, and though Hart is a functional passer, he isn’t always an instinctive one. The ability to finish against high-level rim protectors will become more imperative as the Lakers become more competitive. But those weaknesses will be mitigated by virtue of sharing the floor with James, who unlocks role players with even the most basic capabilities, Ball and Ingram, a burgeoning playmaker in his own right. Hart won’t demand the ball, but can ably operate with it when needed. That sort of player has great value in today’s NBA, and will be amplified by the talent around him.
A great deal of learning and waiting still stands between the Lakers and title contention. James alone sets the foundation for a championship team, but what – and when – L.A. builds upon it remains to be seen. Old pieces will take time to fit with new ones, and Luke Walton must figure out just what he has on this roster. But whatever lineups they choose to configure around LeBron, the Lakers can rest assured that in Hart, they have another viable component.