Devontae Cacok much impressed for the South Bay Lakers in the NBA G-League this season. After signing a two-way contract with the Lakers, Cacok spent the season with South Bay due to the Lakers’ depth in the frontcourt. LA remained healthy enough that they never needed his talents.
That shortcoming isn’t a representation of his production, though. It never made sense for the Lakers to bring him up to the main roster to sit on the bench. Instead, he was able to remain in the G-League and work on his game. Safe to say, his game is improving. Cacok looks like he’s on track for a productive NBA career as a role player. It would be another find for the Lakers’ underrated scouting department.
Cacok Cleans the Glass
Cacok’s greatest strength coming into the NBA was undoubtedly his rebounding. As a 6’7” big, some questioned how well his glass-cleaning would translate. In the G League, he didn’t just display himself as a capable rebounder. Instead, he dominated the boards on a nightly basis, averaging 11.9 per game in a bit under 24 minutes per game.
For context, the league leader averaged 12.1 RPG but played six more minutes per game. The Lakers’ two-way player was uniquely talented in grabbing boards, but his inability to avoid fouls limited his minutes. His rebound percentage was best in the G league at 21.8%, which is incredible for a player his size.
Playing against stronger NBA opponents will require continued training and development, but Cacok’s instincts and hustle are where they need to be. NBA teams will always value rebounding, and being an ace glass cleaner holds excellent value. As he gets stronger physically, Cacok will round-out his rebounding game to the point of being desired by NBA clubs.
Developing Offensively
Devontae Cacok led the South Bay Lakers in scoring at 19.4 points per game on 65.9% field goal shooting. The UNC Wilmington alum never averaged more than 17.7 per contest in his four college seasons. In his two highest-scoring campaigns, he failed to reach the 60% shooting clip, as well. That is extremely difficult to do in your first season in the G League, and Cacok deserves a lot of credit for the work he has put in.
85% of his FGA’s came from within five feet of the rim. In that five-foot range, he made 67.1% of his attempts but made a total of 36 shots from further out.
One can take both good and bad from those numbers. The good is that he understands his game and where it stands right now. Not only is he not hurting his team by taking bad shots, he also has an understanding of where he needs to improve offensively. The bad is that if he doesn’t improve significantly as a shooter, he’s incredibly one-dimensional.
There are obvious areas he must work on, but the production doesn’t lie. He has the told to be a useful player, and upside to be a pretty good contributor.
Defensively, Cacok is Not Where he Needs to be
As a rebounding specialist with a minimal offensive game, Cacok needs to develop into at least a solid defender. He needs to learn how to contest shots without fouling because he’s only going to see the floor as a big in the NBA. If he can’t stay out of foul trouble in the G-League, he definitely won’t be able to in the NBA. It’s challenging to be good at contesting shots at the rim in the NBA at Cacok’s size, but not impossible.
Even if it can’t be a strength, it needs to be a neutral area for him. Just working on not fouling while making the shot as difficult as possible will be tremendous for him. That way, a coach can get what he needs from him on the floor, without worrying about how many minutes he will be available on any given night.
Future Outlook
The Lakers made Cacok one of the few two-way players with a two-year contract, meaning he will be back with them next year. With enough improvement in the off-season, he may see himself being converted into an NBA contract. While unlikely, given LA can develop him again next year when needed, it is an option if LA sees a prospect they want to use his two-way availability on.
Given it’s much more likely a contending team will keep him on his two-way deal, I’ll assume LA takes that route. Cacok then must continue to grow offensively, while working on being a smart, in control defender. In the training room, he can increase his strength gradually. LA is likely to have mostly the same roster next year, so Cacok may not find many NBA minutes.
If all goes well, Cacok will find LA locking him as an NBA player next season. Anthony Davis is the future of the franchise, and his shooting touch allows him to play alongside Cacok. At a reasonable price, Devontae Cacok could be a critical piece for the Lakers as they move forward.
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