The Los Angeles Lakers are 0-2 in Summer League action, but these three players look like potential NBA contributors.
The Los Angeles Lakers have one of the NBA’s most expensive cores after re-signing Austin Reaves, D’Angelo Russell, and Rui Hachimura in free agency. How Rob Pelinka and the front office fill out the rest of the roster could determine Los Angeles’ ability to compete next season.
Depth shrinks in the playoffs, but the best teams in the world have depth across the board and lineup adaptability. The Lakers’ Summer League roster is a great place to look for potential low-cost contributors.
LA is older than most teams with a mandate to contend for as long as LeBron James and Anthony Davis are on the team. Rookies and Summer Leaguers don’t often crack NBA rotations, especially not with contenders, but there are notable exceptions to the rule every year.
Who on the Lakers’ Summer League roster might contribute in the pros next season?
No. 3 Los Angeles Lakers Summer League sleeper: Colin Castleton
The undrafted 7-footer out of Florida has been rock-solid in LA’s two Summer League games to date. He was especially prolific against the Spurs on Wednesday, dropping 18 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and four blocks in 32 minutes. Quite the well-rounded performance.
Castleton was on a lot of draft boards due to his intriguing blend of size and skill offensively. He hasn’t stretched his range out to the 3-point line yet, but Castleton frequently faces up from the elbow before flowing effortlessly into pull-up middies. He has clean footwork in the post and feather-soft touch at the rim.
The Lakers signed Castleton to a two-way contract. He will probably start the season in the G-League, but the league is still preciously short on true 7-footers with the potential to shoot and pass. If Castleton can develop into a real playmaking hub on the elbows or in the post, that’s extremely valuable.
Defensive concerns definitely creep into the picture with Castleton, but his four blocks attest to sharp instincts and a gaping wingspan. He’s massive and he will wall off the paint to rim-hungry guards. The question is, does he hold up when NBA offenses get him guarding in space?
No. 2 Los Angeles Lakers Summer League sleeper: Maxwell Lewis
Both of the Lakers’ draft picks are facing an uphill battle for playing time this season. Los Angeles’ guard rotation is stacked. D’Angelo Russell, Austin Reaves, and Gabe Vincent all started for conference finals teams. LeBron James will get plenty of point guard reps. New arrivals Cam Reddish and Taurean Prince will eat into minutes on the wing.
Jalen Hood-Schifino was the No. 17 pick out of Indiana and he has been notably better through two Summer League games than Maxwell Lewis, the No. 40 pick out of Pepperdine. So, why is Lewis getting the nod here? Mostly for role and fit reasons. Hood-Schifino is an obvious talent, but his skill set doesn’t really serve much of an immediate purpose with Russell, Reaves, and Vincent soaking up minutes on the perimeter.
Lewis will have to work hard to prove that his skill set does serve an immediate purpose, but he’s the captain of his own destiny. Lewis has every physical tool: 6-foot-7 with long arms, good burst, and shifty stop-start handles. He’s a better 3-point shooter than Hood-Schifino and he showed great promise attacking off the catch at Pepperdine.
The hangup with Lewis before the draft — and why he fell all the way to No. 40 despite possessing the talent of a first-round pick — was his lack of success at Pepperdine. The Waves were bad last season in a weak conference, and Lewis’ effort frequently wavered. He didn’t always look invested in winning. He will have to bolster his consistency and ratchet up the effort to have success in the NBA, but the Lakers would certainly have use for a lanky shooter who can handle the rock and create off drives to the cup.
No. 1 Los Angeles Lakers Summer League sleeper: Max Christie
Entering the second year of his two-year rookie contract, it’s make-or-break time for Max Christie in Los Angeles. If his first two Summer League games are any indication, the Michigan State product is ready to make.
Christie was the No. 35 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft. He spent most of last season glued to the Lakers bench, but he managed a few brief flourishes to get the fanbase hooked. Christie appeared in 41 games averaging 12.5 minutes. He hit 26 of his 62 three-point attempts (41.9 percent) and looked comfortable enough on defense to keep the Lakers invested.
Through two games in Summer League, he’s averaging 21 points and comfortably operating as the Lakers’ primary offensive weapon alongside Hood-Schifino in the backcourt. On top of his buttery 3-point shot (4-of-5 in Wednesday’s loss to San Antonio), Christie is really popping as a driver. He’s beating closeouts, getting into the paint, and finishing with a nice variety of moves.
The Lakers could use a proper 3-and-D wing after Malik Beasley flamed out last season, primarily due to his deficiencies in the defensive category. Christie gets after it on defense and has tremendous physical tools for his position. Christie only turned 20 a few months ago; he was always going to need time. Now, with year two on the horizon and a second contract at stake, he very much feels like a candidate to break into the Lakers’ regular rotation.