The Lakers were busy last night during the draft, picking Kentucky power forward Julius Randle with the seventh pick in the draft and trading into the second round to take Missouri guard Jordan Clarkson.
Both are likely to play on the Lakers’ Summer League team in Las Vegas and the Lakers are already getting their team together, including a couple of players who probably expected to be drafted. One of those is Iowa State guard, DeAndre Kane, according to SNY’s Adam Zagoria:
Former Iowa State G @King_Kane50 will play summer league with the Lakers, agent Andy Miller tells @SNYtv
— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) June 27, 2014
Kane is a strong combo guard from Iowa State who averaged about 17 points, seven rebounds, and six assists last season for the Cyclones. He is considered one of the best players who went undrafted.
Another one of those top guys is Ohio State wing player LaQuinton Ross, one of the best pure scorers in the draft. Ross will also wear the purple and gold in Las Vegas according to Bob Baptist of the Columbus Dispatch:
LaQuinton Ross will play with the LA Lakers’ entry in the Las Vegas Summer League, per his agent. Games start July 11. #buckbk
— Bob Baptist (@BBaptistHoops) June 27, 2014
The Lakers are hoping to find a rotation player within the summer league. Many good players have gone undrafted such as Udonis Haslem, Ben Wallace, Wesley Matthews, and Jeremy Lin.
Just last year, the Lakers offered Elias Harris a contract based on his summer league play. Ross and Kane have to be hoping for the same outcome.