:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/64058986/usa_today_12392302.0.jpg)
The Los Angeles Lakers are continuing to assemble their roster for summer leagues in Sacramento and Las Vegas, and the latest name to join aboard is Aric Holman, who went unselected in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Mississippi State:
Mississippi State forward Aric Holman has agreed to a deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 21, 2019
Holman went undrafted after a lackluster senior season at Mississippi state, where he averaged 9.5 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.2 assists and 1.6 blocks per game, but his ability to shoot the 3-ball is probably what earned him a look from the Lakers. Through 34 games with the Bulldogs, Holman shot 42.9 percent from behind the arc while averaging 3.1 3-pointers per game. For his collegiate career, he shot 38.2 percent from 3-point territory.
Holman is a legitimate catch-and-shoot threat at the power forward position, but he can also take guys off the dribble and spot up for 3-pointers. Here’s a breakdown of Holman’s offensive versatility and impressive numbers, courtesy of Silver Screen and Roll’s own Alex Regla:
The Lakers reportedly also came to an agreement with 6'10" forward, Aric Holman. Here are VERY notable numbers on the signee:
— Alex Regla (@AlexmRegla) June 21, 2019
89th percentile in spot-ups (1.15 ppp)
95th percentile in jumpers in the half court (1.24 ppp)
92nd percentile in catch and shoot attempts (1.31 ppp)
On those catch & shoot attempts, Holman scored 1.47 ppp (87th %-ile) on his unguarded looks this past season. Good lord. Here is Holman on his shot during pre-draft workouts & why it is important to stretch the floor. Also seems like a really nice guy too: https://t.co/kuCtaz3Cct
— Alex Regla (@AlexmRegla) June 21, 2019
Last number on Holman for now, because the shooting efficiency relative to his size is pretty unreal. He didn't have many possessions as the roll man last season, but when he popped (72.2% of the time) his 1.15 ppp ranked in the 80th percentile.
— Alex Regla (@AlexmRegla) June 21, 2019
Holman’s deal might be just for summer league right now, but given the Lakers’ need to fill out their roster with cheap, young talent, he could feasibly carve out a spot in Frank Vogel’s rotation if his 3-ball starts falling right away. However, in order for Holman to see meaningful minutes during his rookie season, he needs to improve as a defender. He’s shown flashes of a multi-position defender despite being 6’10’ but he’s yet to put it all together.
Hopefully some time under his new defensive-minded coach will help his development in that regard. If Holman shows he can defend at a respectable level early on, expect him to be in the conversation for a two-way deal with the Lakers, if not a regular season roster spot.
For more Lakers talk, subscribe to the Silver Screen and Roll podcast feed on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher or Google Podcasts.