L.A. Lakers draft profile: Malachi Flynn

With the NBA Draft less than two weeks away, we will take a closer look at players that could make sense for the Los Angeles Lakers as they work to build a roster to defend their NBA title.

Point guard should be a position the Lakers potentially target in the draft, with the uncertainty of Rajon Rondo and Avery Bradley’s return to the team.

The lakers could use a young point guard in the pipeline to develop as the team’s main ball handler down the road.

And in the even Rondo returns, this player could learn from watching a veteran player that knows how to lead a team in the NBA.

Malachi Flynn
School: San Diego State
Height: 6-1
Weight: 185
Position: Point guard

The Ringer has the Lakers taking Flynn in the first round at No. 28 in the web site’s latest mock draft.

Strengths: Flynn is a heady, smooth playmaker that understands how to run an offense and distribute the basketball. He averaged 17.6 points, 5.1 assists and 1.8 steals a game in his only season for the Aztecs, leading them to the Mountain West conference title. San Diego finished 30-2 last season.

Flynn also was solid from 3-point range, finishing with a 37.3 percentage from beyond the arc.

Defensively, Flynn is a good, on-the-ball defender who is pesky and can stay in front of most guys bringing it up the floor.

But he’s even better off the ball, showing an innate ability to anticipate passing lanes and does a good job as a help defender.

Malachi Flynn @malachi_flynn3 highlights from college pic.twitter.com/O0O2L4mJmG
— Swish Cultures (@swishcultures_) October 31, 2020

Weaknesses: Flynn is a good, but not great athlete who at times will have trouble finishing at the rim against taller players with length.

Flynn also could struggle defending bigger guards in the NBA and may need to add a few pounds to help be more physical defensively.

Bottom line: Flynn is an NBA-ready player who would be a good fit for an L.A. squad looking for point guard help off the bench to spell Rondo and take some of the ball-handling pressure off James. He’s good in pick-and-roll situations, plays with poise and thrives in high-pressure situations. Playing in the bright lights of L.A. should not be too big for him.