Lakers Rookie Sends Blunt Message Amid Brutal G-League Roster Decision, Lakers rookie Adou Thiero, Adou Thiero Lakers G-League, Lakers hire Tony Bennett NBA Draft Analyst, Bronny James Lakers G-League, Los Angeles Lakers NBA Draft history rookies
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Lakers rookie Adou Thiero has gone back and forth from the G-League and NBA with Bronny James this season struggling to get minutes this year.
The Los Angeles Lakersdon’t have a recent history of finding gems in the NBA Draft, and while that could change with new hire Tony Bennett, for now, rookie Adou Thiero is facing the reality that the teamdoesn’t have time to develop its young players.
Thiero, who hasbeen injured for much of the year, has only played in 18 games for the Lakers this season. However, he, alongside 2024 draft pick Bronny James, was recalled from the G-League South Bay Lakers for theteam’s Sunday night game against the Sacramento Kings.The two have spent alot of time this seasontogether, as Los Angeles has moved themboth back and forthfrom the NBAto the G-League on numerous occasions.
But for now, Thiero continues to spend most of his time with the South Bay team, while James has seen a lot more NBA action this year.While he might not want that, the rookie forward said he knows what hehas to do toget a full-timeshot with the Lakers.
“I’m just going out there, keep getting comfortable with the game, the pace, just trying to work on things that I need to develop and be better at,”Thiero said, according to Benjamin Royer of theOrange County Register. “Just trying to get 1% better every day, just keeping that mindset and just knowing that …there’s a bigger picture. So just making sureI’m ready for that day, when that day comes.”
For the Lakers this season, Adou has averaged 2.2 points, 0.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists on 39.7% shooting in 7.2 minutes per game.He’s been injured multiple times this year, but has put in some strong performances in the G-League so far.
Lakers Player Speaks On Rookie Adou Thiero
Thoughinjuries could be a cause for the rookieThiero’s lack of playing time, theteam’s title hopes, regardless of how strong or realistic, could be another reason why hehasn’t gotten the opportunity toshow his potential as much ashe’d hoped.
However, speaking as someone with experience of the brutal nature of the NBA,Lakers’ fourth-year wing Jarred Vanderbilt had a lot to say about Thiero and his situation.
“It’s definitely tough,”Vanderbilt said. “Sometimesit’s hard to see the bigger picture right then and there – I did the G League for three years, up and down. Been traded as well.It’s all a part of the process. Sometimes you got to go through that – especially not being a high first-round pick or lottery pick – being able to grind from the bottom and really put in the work and make it up here.”
Vanderbiltdid eventuallyland a full-time spot in the NBA, previouslyon the Minnesota Timberwolves before joining the Lakers. However, while Thiero is still fighting for a full-time roster spot early in his career, the 26-year-old believes the rookie is taking the right steps.
“He’s done a good job staying with it, the process of him going up and down,”Vanderbilt added of Thiero. “He’s been embracing the process, learning from it, and being able to showcase his strengths, while also being willing to develop his stuffhe’s not so good at right now, so, yeah,he’s made great progress over the year.”
While he has been in and out of theLakers’ full-time lineup, the rookie Thiero has had some standout performances in theG-League alongside James, but has yet to gain the trust of head coach JJ Redickwith consistent NBA minutes.
Lakers New Hire Of NBA Draft Analyst Tony Bennett Could Help Fix The ‘Adou Thiero-Type Problem’
As mentioned, the Lakers do not have a strong recent history of turning draft picks into major contributors on their team. Players that the team chose to move away from have, but as it relates to the past few years, Los Angeles pales in comparison to a team like the Oklahoma City Thunderregarding their draft analysis.
However, now under new ownership that has already made a few major internal changes, the Lakers recently hired former NCAA head coach Tony Bennett as their newest NBA Draft Analyst. Bennett has a strong history of putting college basketball players in the league, is a three-time National Coach of the Year award winner, and is a national champion.
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Former UVA coach Tony Bennett will be the Lakers NBA Draft advisor
“We’re thrilled and honored to welcome Tony as an advisor to the Lakers basketball operations department,”general manager RobPelinka said in a statement. “Tony will be an incredible asset to our basketball leadership, to our scouts and to our draft department as a whole. We are truly excited.”
With his hiring, the Lakers can expect to have a bit more stabilityas it relates to who they selectout of the draft.
Writing for LakeShowLife.com, Quinn Everts is hopeful Bennett can help turn around theLakers’ recent poor draft history.
“This team has acquired stars over the past decade simply becausethey’re the Los Angeles Lakers.That’s never been an issue. But building out the roster around those stars has been an issue, and a huge part of that issue stems from the lack of attention paid to the draft,”he wrote.
“Maybe the Lakerswon’t immediately start finding hidden gems in the draft because they hired Tony Bennett. But theycan’t be much worse at drafting thanwe’ve seen over the past five-plus years, so… Can’t hurt!”
Though not a guarantee, especially if the Lakers continue to put themselves in championship contention, perhaps adding Bennett as a draft analyst will give the team a bit more stabilityas it relates to draft picks and rookies, hopefully minimizing the types of situations a player like Thiero finds himself in now.