NBA: The 3 best Los Angeles Lakers' performers of 2018
2018 was a year of change for the Los Angeles Lakers. The team ended the 2017/18 NBA season with another disappointing record (35-47), and this marked the fifth consecutive season in which the team had failed to qualify for the postseason.
Despite this, the franchise managed to attract LeBron James during the summer, and the team has since acquired a number of veteran players such as Rajon Rondo, JaVale McGee, Lance Stephenson, Tyson Chandler, and Michael Beasley.
These summer acquisitions have changed the dynamics of the franchise, as the combination of experience with the Lakers much talked about 'Young Core' has resulted in the Lakers making a 23-19 start to the season. The Lakers recent struggles are now a thing of the past and fans of the team now have an exciting future to look forward to.
Therefore, with 2018 now behind us, here we will reflect on the Lakers best performers from the previous twelve months.
#3 Josh Hart
Josh Hart was drafted as the 30th overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft by the Utah Jazz, although he was subsequently traded to the Lakers. Not much was expected from a player that had spent four years from Villanova, however, Hart quickly established himself as a member of the team's much talked about 'Young Core'.
In his debut season, Hart slowly earned more minutes in the rotation and finished the 2017/18 campaign averaging 7.9 points and 4.2 rebounds per game.
The 23-year-old was among the Lakers linked with a trade during the 2018 off-season, although Hart stayed in LA, and he has started nearly half of the Lakers games this season. Hart has also improved his points per game tally to 9.4 and is also averaging almost twice as many steals and blocks when compared to his stats for the 2017/18 season.