Lakers Adou Thiero hopes summer showing cements solid role next season

LAS VEGAS — Adou Thiero’s summer league debut didn’t go how he imagined.The Lakers’ 2025 second-round pick came into the summer wanting to dominate.He had an idea of what being dominant looked like.

And then when he tried to execute that vision during the July 3 loss to the Warriors, it didn’t go how he imagined. He predetermined his drives.He didn’t let the game come to him, instead trying to force his will on the game. The result was not only a 32-point loss but also Thiero shooting 3-of-10 from the field for nine points. “Multiple conversations with coaches, multiple film sessions,” Thiero told The California Post about the aftermath of the first game.

“I knew after the first game, I knew I didn’t play well myself.So just talking to coaches that night and picking their brain and already knowing what I got to do better for the next games.”Since then, Thiero has changed his approach — allowing the game to come to him — and his performances reflect it.“It’s just about him just being available and getting the reps,” Lakers assistant/summer league coach Ty Abbott told the Post.

“And as he’s gotten more reps, he’s been able to get a better understanding of how teams are trying to guard him, what his strengths are, what he can go to, right? You don’t really know what you can do until you do it.It’s like a trial-and-error type of thing.

He’s kind of gone through that a little bit, and now he knows how he wants to go, where he wants to go, and he’s slowed down.”Thiero scored in double figures in all four of the games he’s played since the Lakers’ initial loss, including having his best and most efficient performances during the Las Vegas summer league games. There was the 20-point performance on 8-of-14 shooting to go with four rebounds, four assists, three steals and two blocked shots during Friday’s win over the Thunder. He had 13 points on 5-of-6 shooting to go with six rebounds and three assists during Tue...