The first quarter of the 2017-18 NBA season is officially in the books, and the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves with an 8-13 record entering play on Saturday night.
Through the first 21 games of the season, the Lakers have picked up a handful of wins against playoff-hopeful teams, including the Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards.
While the Lakers rank near the bottom in 3-point efficiency, the young group of players have seen a vast turnaround on defense — ranking eighth in defensive rating (102) after placing 30th in the league last season.
Let’s look at the first month and a half of the season and hand out grades to each individual Lakers player, based on performance, expectations and health.
Lonzo Ball (Grade: C+)
The UCLA product entered the 2017-18 season with sky-high expectations as the Lakers’ second overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
In 21 games, Ball has averaged nine points, seven rebounds and 7.2 assists per game, on 31.5 percent shooting from the floor and 25.7 percent from behind the arc.
What’s more, he has totaled 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks per contest — which ranks third and fourth on the team, respectively.
Ball has struggled with his shooting form thus far, but nonetheless has been filling up the stat sheet in other ways. He became the youngest player in history to record two triple-doubles, and has posted an additional three double-doubles in the early going.
If not for his shooting woes, Ball’s grade would be much more favorable. In his most recent matchup against the Golden State Warriors, he scored 15 points on 5-of-12 shooting and connected on three of his seven attempts from behind the arc.
If Ball is able to consistently put up those kind of performances, Ball is headed for an excellent second quarter of the season.
Andrew Bogut (Grade: C-)
Injuries plagued the early portion of Bogut’s season, as the big man only logged an average of eight minutes over 14 games for the Lakers during the first quarter of the year.
Bogut hasn’t been effective on the offensive end, but showed flashes of being an elite rim protector, averaging 3.2 blocks per 36 minutes. When healthy, he can collect rebounds with the best of them — as evidenced by 13.8 total per 36 minutes.
If Bogut can stay on the court, his presence will only improve the Lakers’ surprisingly strong defensive unit going forward.
Corey Brewer (Grade: C)
A free agent at the conclusion of the season, Brewer has played a key role for the Lakers off the bench. He averages nearly one steal per game, despite only seeing 12.5 minutes of action per contest.
Brewer has struggled with his shot, but additionally adds value to the young squad being a veteran presence in the locker room.
The 31-year-old is an obvious trade candidate if the Lakers go that route in the coming months, but in the meantime,
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (Grade: B)
The offseason acquisition arrived to Los Angeles with a focus on improving the team’s defense and 3-point shooting.
After serving a two-game suspension to begin the season, Caldwell-Pope has suited up in the ensuing 19 contests, averaging 14.6 points and 5.4 rebounds with a field goal percentage of 42.2.
He ranks third on the team from behind the arc (35.4 percent) and has already accumulated nearly one full defensive win share. While his shooting can stand for improvement, he’s a large reason why the Lakers have performed so well defensively this season.
CONTINUE READING: Grades for Jordan Clarkson, Kyle Kuzma, and others
Jordan Clarkson (Grade: B+)
The fourth-year player out of Missouri has thrived off the bench for the Lakers this season, averaging 15.4 points, 2.9 boards and three dimes per game.
Clarkson has additionally posted career-bests in both shooting percentage (49.4) and 3-point field goal percentage (37.3). Should this level of play continue, the 25-year-old will be in contention for Sixth Man of the Year honors.
Luol Deng (Grade: F)
Just one year removed from signing a lucrative contract with the Lakers, Deng can no longer crack Luke Walton’s rotation. The veteran has appeared in just one game this season — starting in place of the suspended Caldwell-Pope on Opening Night — scoring one bucket to go along with an assist and steal.
Otherwise, he has primarily been a healthy scratch. Deng’s days with Los Angeles are clearly numbered, as both sides seem ready to move on.
Whether the organization can find a taker for him is the biggest question. Otherwise, Deng becomes an obvious stretch candidate next offseason.
Tyler Ennis (Grade: D+)
Last offseason, president of basketball operations Magic Johnson prioritized signing a back-up veteran point guard to complement the first-year Ball. After reported conversations with Rajon Rondo and Derrick Rose, the Lakers opted to re-sign Ennis.
After an impressive final two months with the Lakers last season, Ennis has seen his play take a step back. The 23-year-old is posting career-lows in nearly every category, while only seeing the court for an average of six minutes per contest (10 games).
However, Ennis has shown improvements on the defensive side in his limited minutes, accumulating an 83.3 defensive rating and 0.1 win shares. As a whole, Ennis’ grade has been reflected on his lack of production and inability to stay on the floor.
Josh Hart (Grade: C)
The rookie out of Villanova has logged an average of 13.6 minutes this season over 16 games, putting up 3.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 0.6 steals per contest.
On the defensive end, Hart has accumulated 0.3 win shares to go along with a defensive box plus/minus of 0.9. All-in-all, his play has earned him a consistent role in Walton’s rotation.
Brandon Ingram (Grade: B+)
After an up-and-down rookie campaign, Ingram has elevated his game to the next level.
In 21 games, the 20-year-old ranks second on the Lakers with 15.7 points and has improved in both shooting percentage (46.6) and three-point field goal percentage (33.3). He is additionally averaging 5.3 boards and 2.9 assists per game, to go along with 0.9 steals and 0.9 blocks.
In his most recent matchup against the Warriors, Ingram dropped a career-high 32 points and was later praised by Kevin Duran.
While Ingram has flashed glimpses of the player he’s expected to become, the Duke product looks to find more consistency in the second quarter of the season.
Kyle Kuzma (Grade: A)
After strong performances in the Summer League and preseason, Kuzma carried that success into the first quarter of the regular season.
The Utah product leads the Lakers with 16.7 points per game behind a terrific 50.4 shooting percentage, and has additionally shot nearly 38 percent from behind the arc.
Kuzma has lacked on the defensive end early on but otherwise established himself as one of the biggest steals in the 2017 NBA Draft. On Friday, he was recognized with Western Conference Rookie of the Month honors.
Kuzma missed the final game of the first quarter with back spasms, but he isn’t expected to be sidelined for an extended amount of time. When he returns, he’ll continue to provide the Lakers a boost regardless of his role, whether it’s in the starting lineup or off the bench.
Brook Lopez (Grade: C+) In one of the more controversial trades last offseason, the Lakers acquired Lopez in a deal that sent D’Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets.
The move was a homecoming for Lopez, as he grew up around the Los Angeles area and rooted for the Lakers as a child. To date, he hasn’t lived up to expectations and has taken a step back offensively.
With an average of 23.7 minutes, the 29-year-old has put up 13.4 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. To his credit, though, he’s averaging solid totals of 20.7 points and 6.9 boards per 36 minutes.
Lopez also is shooting nearly two 3-pointers each game, where he’s knocked down 30.1 percent of his shots. On the opposite end, Lopez has accumulated 1.7 blocks per contest and leads the league in contested shots.
With more playing time, Lopez would presumably post numbers closer to those from his Nets days, but he’s usually the odd man out when Walton opts for a small ball lineup.
Larry Nance Jr. (Grade: B) From his highlight-reel dunks to smothering defense, Nance provides the Lakers an energetic spark on game days.
He averages nearly two steals and one block in roughly 24 minutes per contest. Those numbers increase to 2.9 and 1.1, respectively, with 36 minutes on the floor.
Nance is also making 59.1 percent of his shots, establishing himself as one of the Lakers’ most efficient players on both ends. He missed some time with a fractured hand, but otherwise, enjoyed an excellent first quarter of the season.
Julius Randle (Grade: B)
After initially expressing his displeasure about coming off the bench, Randle has since thrived for the Lakers’ second unit.
With an average of nearly 22 minutes on the floor, Randle has put up 12.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game. He’s additionally totaling almost a full block per contest, and ranks in the top-five in defensive win shares among fellow teammates.
Randle has also thrived in isolation possessions, holding the opposition to a 14-for-46 mark — good for first in the league. Warriors forward Draymond Green referred to Randle as the “life” of the Lakers, and credits him for accepting a lesser role.
With Randle scheduled for free agency next season, his future with the Lakers is murky. But at the very least, his improved play off the bench has aided the team’s reserve corps in the early going.