#3 Trey Murphy III – Guard/Forward – Virginia

One player not many people know about but is quickly becoming a quick riser up many draft boards is Trey Murphy III from Virgina. Murphy seems to be locked in to being a first-round pick at this point and that is in large part because of his versatility and size. 

Measuring in at 6’9.25” with shoes on and with a 7’0” wingspan at the NBA Combine, Trey Murphy seems to be a guy that has the size to be a modern-day wing in the NBA, as well as a guy who can defend numerous positions. 

After spending two years at Rice University in Houston, Murphy transferred to Virginia to play under head coach Tony Bennett, which proved to be a very smart decision for him in terms of his draft stock. Not only did he shoot 43.3% at Virginia, but Trey Murphy continued to grow as a terrific one-on-one defender against numerous positions. 

Whether it is out on the perimeter or in the low-post, Trey Murphy III has the ability to guard virtually any opponent and his 7-foot wingspan is a major plus for NBA teams. There is an added emphasis on “3-and-D” guys in today’s NBA, which is the exact role that Murphy will fit into. 

Being 21-years-old and a guy that had numerous years of college experience, not only can he come into the NBA and be ready to play, but Trey Murphy has become a target of numerous playoff contending teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers. 

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With Talen Horton-Tucker being a restricted free agent this offseason and the possibility of the Lakers moving on from Kyle Kuzma, they could have an immediate need for a two-way wing like Trey Murphy. While they could probably trade down from 22 and get Murphy later on in the first-round, if the Lakers like what they see in him, they should have no problem taking him 22nd overall. 

Offensively, a lot of his games revolve around being a strong perimeter shooter, which is pretty much the role he would play with the Lakers. They do not really need him to be a facilitator or playmaker, as LeBron James and Anthony Davis take care of everything for this team. 

Having guys who are comfortable moving around on the perimeter to knock down shots on offense and then being a terrific one-on-one defender is extremely valuable to any team in the league, especially a team like the Lakers who are contending for titles. This is why Trey Murphy III would be a solid pick for the Los Angeles Lakers.