The Los Angeles Lakers have signed a lot of new players this NBA offseason, but one of the most intriguing moves was the deal with former Miami Heat guard Kendrick Nunn. While he never found major consistency with his play or his role while on the Heat, Nunn is a capable scorer and a guy who could make some noise for the Lakers in the back-court.
Looking at the current roster, the Lakers have Russell Westbrook as their starting point guard and Wayne Ellington likely penciled in as their starting shooting guard. Behind those two guys, Nunn could find a very valuable role. He can play both point guard and shooting guard and could bring some much-needed scoring and energy off the bench.
One NBA scout spoke to NBA Analysis Network about Nunn and is expecting big things from him with the Lakers.
“I think the Lakers signing Kendrick (Nunn) was one of the most underrated moves of the offseason. He’s going to play a huge role, much bigger than many think. Nunn can score the ball at a high level and I think he’s going to be the biggest offseason addition for L.A. outside of Russ (Westbrook).”
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During the 2020-21 NBA season with the Heat, Nunn ended up playing in 56 games and started in 44 of those appearances. He averaged 14.6 points per game to go along with 3.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists. In addition to those numbers, Nunn shot 48.5 percent from the floor overall and knocked down 38.1 percent of his three-point attempts.
Granted, he will have some work to do to beat out guys like Rajon Rondo and Talen Horton-Tucker for minutes. But, the Lakers obviously liked him a lot. They signed him to a two-year, $10.25 million contract this offseason, although there is a player option on the second year of the deal.
At 26 years of age, Nunn is entering the prime of his career. He can get to the rim or shoot from the outside. Nunn also has the ability to create his own shot, which will be important for the Lakers off the bench.
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He may not be the piece that powers the Lakers back into the NBA Finals, but he could very well be a vital role player. Nunn is a name to keep a close eye on this season.
Expect to see Kendrick Nunn come in with hard work and a great offensive skill-set. If what the scout believes will happen becomes a reality, the Lakers will have gotten a major steal with the addition of Nunn in free agency.
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