Could Adou Thiero be a Hidden Gem for the Lakers?

The Lakers made an aggressive move to trade up for the 36th pick in the NBA Draft in order to take Arkansas combo forward Adou Thiero, an athletic swingman who can affect games on both sides of the ball. Thiero averaged 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game last year with the Razorbacks, and provided versatility on the defensive end paired with great physical ability.

The move makes sense when taking into account that Dorian Finney-Smith signed with the Houston Rockets – Thiero can fill his role to an extent, and though he is not the shooter that Finney-Smith was, he provides other things of value to the Lakers organization.

Standing at 6-foot-8, Thiero is a lob threat, a slasher and cutter that can get to the rim using his explosive athleticism. Given that one of Los Angeles' primary problems last season was scoring at the rim from off-ball players, Thiero can help to provide that.

He was arguably Arkansas' best player last season, and though he fell into the second round, many had him as a first-round talent. Playing two years for Kentucky before following head coach John Calipari to Fayetteville, Thiero had three years of SEC experience before going into the NBA Draft, meaning he has dealt with high levels of physicality at the collegiate level.

This new era of the Lakers, built around point guard Luka Doncic, is in dire need of athletes and defenders, both roles that Thiero can fill. He does have room to grow on the offensive end of the floor, of course, as he shot just 25.6% from deep last season on 1.6 attempts per game, but a slight improvement there can open up so many things for him on the offensive end.

Ultimately, Thiero does not project as a star, but is a high-upside developmental piece that can turn into a very useful role player as the Lakers try to reclaim their glory days in the Luka Doncic era. If he hones in on his shooting weakness and improves enough to be a threat from deep, he can become a crucial piece to this roster.

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