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Will DeAndre Kane be at Los Angeles Lakers training camp?

By Brian Spaen

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Will DeAndre Kane get a shot to play during the Los Angeles Lakers’ training camp? Let’s break down his time in the summer league and give out a projection.

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There was a great post over at FanSided’s Los Angeles Lakers blog, Lake Show Life, that broke down Kane’s game at the Las Vegas summer league. Specifically, here was how he handled pick-and-rolls and why he could thrive under Byron Scott and the potential for him to install the Princeton offense.

"During pick-and-roll situations, his success rate increased dramatically when he called the screens at the 3-point line instead of two feet behind it.  When the screen was high, he looked lost; too far away to get to the cup, the roll-man was too far from the cup, and didn’t draw enough defensive attention to open up a corner shooter.Coach Byron Scott may implement the Princeton Offense slowly, and Kane’s triple threat skills may excel under that system.  His versatility in terms of ball-handling, passing, and perimeter shooting would go far in a structured offense."

There were two players that thrived for the Lakers during their summer league — draftees Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson. Thanks to Clarkson, Kane played out of position but ended up receiving more playing time — including getting a look at the one — as the week progressed. Especially against Denver.

Two things are working in Kane’s favor to make the Lakers. First, there’s not a lot of depth at the guard positions. Now that Kendall Marshall is gone, the team has Jeremy Lin, Steve Nash, and Clarkson. Who knows how much Nash will actually play in what’s considered to be his final season.

Secondly, Kane is incredibly smart. Free throws are a lingering problem that he has to improve on, but he would now how to run this offense. As last season progressed, Kane improved on his decision making. He knew when the best time was for him go to the rim or dish it off to somebody else for a better shot opportunity.

This is where his mature age will benefit him. Clarkson could show signs of inconsistency and depending on Nash’s durability, Kane could move all the way up to the team’s backup point guard.

Kane clearly showed potential, more than any other Cyclone in the summer league, to play in the NBA right now. He deserves a shot at training camp, and we’ll see what happens if he does get that opportunity.

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