Will the Los Angeles Lakers run it back, or will they be forced to once again make big changes? That is the question hanging over them right now.
They have professed a profound interest in keeping guard Austin Reaves, who could command lots of money as a restricted free agent. In addition, D’Angelo Russell, Dennis Schroder and Lonnie Walker IV, all of whom were key to their success this season, will be free agents.
If even one leaves, Los Angeles could end up looking to the 2023 NBA draft for a replacement or two. One backcourt player they recently worked out is Terquavion Smith from North Carolina State University.
Smith has potential as a shooter
Smith stands 6 feet, 4 inches and has a scorer’s mentality. He loves to shoot, and he is a capable ball-handler, mainly to set himself up.
He averaged 17.1 points a game in two seasons with NC State; roughly half of his shot attempts came from 3-point range. He made 36.9% of his attempts from downtown as a freshman, but that figure dropped to 33.6% this past season.
The shooting guard isn’t a natural playmaker, but he went from 2.1 assists a game as a freshman to 4.1 a game as a sophomore.
In addition to his outside shot, Smith has a decent midrange game, and he can also get buckets moving without the ball, both in transition and in the halfcourt.
He is a very good athlete. His vertical leap was reportedly measured at 37 inches, and he is also fairly quick, which allows him to get around and past defenders.
One concern with Smith is the fact he weighs just 165 pounds, which will likely be a problem at the next level, especially on defense. In addition, he isn’t a great finisher at the rim when pressured. His overall efficiency is poor, as he shot just 38.8% from the field and 42.9% on 2-pointers in his two college seasons.
Smith seems likely to go in the second round of the draft.
