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At the moment, the Los Angeles Lakers own just one pick in the NBA draft: No. 22. But the Lakers are still taking a look at players outside of that range.
According to Darren Wolfson of KSTP-TV in Minneapolis, the Lakers have Duke forward Matthew Hurt scheduled for a workout.
Hurt is projected to be selected in the late-second round, but it is also possible that he will go undrafted and get picked up as an undrafted free agent. Unless the Lakers make moves to acquire a second-round pick, Hurt could be on their radar as a potential free agent signing.
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Hurt’s Background
Hurt is a 6-feet, 9-inch-tall forward who comes to the NBA draft after two seasons at Duke. His game saw a vast improvement from his freshman to sophomore seasons — enough to earn him the honor of ACC Most Improved Player for the 2020-21 season. He was also named to the All-ACC First Team.
As a freshman, Hurt averaged 9.7 points and 3.8 rebounds in 20.5 minutes per game while shooting 48.7% from the field and 39.3% on 3-pointers. As a sophomore, his numbers improved to 18.3 points and 6.2 rebounds in 32.7 minutes per game while shooting 55.6% from the field and 44.4% on 3-pointers. These numbers made him not only Duke’s leading scorer but the ACC’s top scorer.
Hurt’s Game
Considering his percentages, shooting ability and efficiency is the main appeal of Hurt’s game.
In his first season at Duke, Hurt was already an efficient scorer. But the improvement he made in his second year is telling of his ability to be more productive and make more of an impact when given the opportunity.
Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman acknowledged Hurt’s confidence as a shot creator, so he doesn’t have to rely on others to create opportunities for him in the same way a catch-and-shoot player would.
The Lakers could use more long-range shooting, and Hurt could provide exactly that. But his game as a scorer is more than just 3-point shooting.
Alan Lu of NBA Scouting Live noted that Hurt is a “solid low post scorer,” so he has shown an ability to use his size to score inside and not just to stretch defenses as a shooter.
Furthermore, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony also pointed out that, should Hurt be drafted, he’ll be making history:
“Hurt will be only the second player in the past 30 years of college basketball to be drafted after shooting over 63% inside the arc and 44% outside it, along with Creighton’s Doug McDermott.”
McDermott just completed his seventh season in the NBA, playing for the Indiana Pacers, and it was one of his best. Although not quite the prolific scorer McDermott was in college, Hurt could make a name for himself in the league if he can translate his efficient scoring and elite 3-point shooting to the NBA.
Hurt’s Limitations
While Hurt’s shooting is a major upside for his game, his defensive ability is of concern.
Eric Gim of The Chronicle mentioned that Hurt struggled to switch and work through screens on defense during his sophomore season. Kevin Connelly of Ball Durham concurred and also referred to athleticism as an issue. Brian Geisinger of ACCSports.com specifically pointed out Hurt’s limited lateral quickness, which could prevent him from being a more effective defender.
Knowing this, Hurt’s NBA potential relies heavily on his ability as a shooter. To put himself in a better position to succeed professionally in the NBA, he will need to work on his defense so that teams aren’t discouraged by his being a defensive liability.
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