EL SEGUNDO – The Los Angeles Lakers have signed guard Lonzo Ball, forward Kyle Kuzma and guard Josh Hart, it was announced today by General Manager Rob Pelinka. Per team policy, terms of the deals were not released.
Drafted with the second overall selection of the 2017 NBA Draft, Ball averaged 14.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and an NCAA-best 7.6 assists per game in his lone season at UCLA. A consensus First- Team All-American, Pac-12 Co-Player of the Year and Pac-12 Newcomer of the Year, Ball finished the season first among the Pac-12 in assists (7.6), third in steals (1.8) and fifth in field goal percentage (.551). In 2016-17, he became the first player in the conference to average at least 14 points, six rebounds and seven assists per game since Jason Kidd in 1992-93.
Kuzma, the 27th selection in this year’s draft, acquired via trade with the Brooklyn Nets on draft night, averaged 16.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists for Utah last season. The former All-Pac- 12 First Team and Pac-12 All-Defensive Team selection appeared in 96 career games (64 starts) for the Utes, tallying 10.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists per contest.
Originally selected by the Jazz with this year’s No. 30 draft pick, Hart averaged 18.7 points, 6.4 rebounds and 2.9 assists for Villanova in 2016-17. A consensus First Team All-American and the reigning Big East Player of the Year, the 22-year-old finished the season ranked first in the Big East in points (18.7), fourth in field goal percentage (.510) and fourth in rebounds (6.4).