Playing for a franchise with a huge market is always a good thing for NBA players. The allure of having more media coverage and a lot of fans watching your every move will definitely do wonders for a baller’s career. Just take a look at guys who gave suited up for teams like the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks, two squads that have massive fanbases on the side. Among the teams that will never be left out in this conversation is the Los Angeles Lakers.
For the longest time, the Purple and Gold remain one of the franchises most players would love to play for. Doing so would boost their respective careers, and coincidentally, their value in the card market. We take a look below at three Lakers who have benefitted from their current stint in Los Angeles.
Andre Drummond
It’s never pretty when you see your team’s star go out with an injury. In the case of the Los Angeles Lakers, it’s twice the worry with LeBron James and Anthony Davis out of the lineup for quite some time now. Thanks to this dire situation, the Purple and Gold have turned to Andre Drummond to keep the team afloat while the two All-Stars get back to shape.
In the seven games Big Penguin has played in Los Angeles, he is currently averaging 11.6 points 8.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.6 steals. In contrast, Drummond’s numbers with the Cleveland Cavaliers this season have been better with 17.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks.
While Drummond’s stats seemed to go down, his on-court impact states otherwise. With James and Davis out of the lineup, the Lakers have a gaping hole in terms of defense. Drummond’ s presence helps resolve that problem, with Los Angeles placing first in the league in terms of defense with a 106.2 rating. This stat is valuable to a Western Conference team facing offensive powerhouses, such as the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns.
Proof of Drummond’s value to the Lakers has certainly reflected on his card value. Last February, his PSA 10 Prizm rookie card was valued at $247.5 on eBay. After being traded to Los Angeles, the Big Penguin’s stock on the same platform is now at $345. This price can still potentially go up once James and Davis return to the lineup soon.
Kyle Kuzma
With the King and the Brow out of the lineup, getting the offense running on the floor can be a struggle for the Lakers. In this case, the Purple and Gold faithful turn to one of several options available in the roster – Kyle Kuzma.
The fourth-year forward isn’t exactly lighting up the board with insane stats this year. He’s currently averaging 12.9 points 6.5 boards, and 1.7 dimes in 28.4 minutes per game. On the other hand, Kuzma is having an efficient year, mainly his 35% success rate from downtown all season long.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loVVkYTuVqM
Kuzma’s potential was fully realized in a game against the Charlotte Hornets just recently. In that contest, the forward notched 24 points to lead the Lakers to a 101-93 victory. In a game without James and Davis, Kuzma’s performance here is worth noting.
As February ended, Kuzma’s PSA 10 Prizm rookie card reached $66. This month, his PSA 10 value has peaked at $99. Keep an eye on his prices as they can go up after a monster game in the playoffs or go down if he doesn’t get sufficient playing time in the postseason.
Talen Horton-Tucker
Refusing to trade Talen Horton-Tucker to the Toronto Raptors for superstar Kyle Lowry before the deadline must mean something. In all cases, the Lakers could have used the All-Star guard’s services to contend, rather than have the sophomore guard playing from the bench.
Turns out, the Lakers’ front office sees something in Horton-Tucker that can provide great value down the road. As of the present, he’s posting 9 points, 2.8 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and a steal in 19.8 minutes per game as a reserve. If you take things up a notch and look at his stats per 36 minutes, his numbers are projected to be 16.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.7 steals per game. Those stats look solid and will come in handy, especially when James and Davis are resting on the bench.
While Horton-Tucker’s true potential as a Laker remains to be seen, his value in the card market certainly has its own share of dedicated fans. At the start of February, his PSA 10 Optic Rated Rookie card sold for $107.5 and peaked at $200. A month later, that number went down to $110. This week, copies of that graded card are now at $126.5. Horton-Tucker’s stock can be seen as volatile and dependent on how he performs with the minutes he gets on the court. It’s wise to buy low on him and sell high after a big game.
With James and Davis set to return soon, fans of the Los Angeles Lakers have so much to look forward to. Ther cards, and those of their teammates, have the potential to spike up in the coming postseason. All in all, it might be a good idea to invest in these guys since the Purple and Gold have a strong chance of making a deep and worthwhile playoff run.
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