The Los Angeles Lakers’ future became brighter upon securing the number two pick in the 2015 NBA Draft this upcoming June 25. After the Minnesota Timberwolves draft the first player, L.A. has the opportunity to land one of the top two centers or the top guard available. The Lakers have several options to sort out however, before the day of the event.
The team could trade the number two pick in the event that perhaps Oklahoma City Thunder forward Kevin Durant or Sacramento Kings center Demarcus Cousins were available in free agency. The more likely scenario is the purple and gold deciding among former Duke University center Jahlil Okafor, former University of Kentucky center Karl Anthony-Towns and former Ohio State University guard D’Angelo Russell; the top three players of the draft class.
The Lakers could improve in the post and select a center or go small and land the top guard in the draft.
Looking back at how well the second player drafted has fared in the league, it is safe to say that Durant is the top number two selection in the last 15 years. Although with all due respect to Hall-of-Famers Jerry West, Earl Monroe, Bob McAdoo and even All-Rookie Isaiah Thomas; the best number two pick of all time was Hall of Fame center Bill Russell.
Russell set the bar tremendously high with 11 NBA Championships, 12 All-Star appearances. He was a defensive specialist who also won five Most Valuable Player awards. The Lakers need a center and have had a revolving door in the middle since the departure of Andrew Bynum. Let’s not forget that former Laker Pau Gasol (now with the Chicago Bulls), despite being a seven-footer, was a power forward.
L.A. has an unmatched legacy of some of the top centers in the history of the game.
Jahlil Okafor or Karl Anthony-Towns? Needing to bring in one of these two is the prevailing opinion by many. Remove one from the discussion and that player will call Minneapolis home.
Both players have high powered agents; Towns is represented by Leon Rose of Creative Artists Agency Sports. Okafor is represented by Bill Duffy of BDA Sports Management.
Ironically, Duffy was once Timberwolves’ Head Coach Flip Saunders’ college roommate. There has been a lot of talk that Saunders and the Timberwolves favor Okafor over Towns. Both are true centers with good size, length and basketball IQ for the position.
Okafor is further along offensively and will probably average 20 points and five to seven assists per game. But right now it is difficult to envision that he will play next to Lakers’ forward Julius Randle, be a much-needed rim protector and anchor a top defense. At 19-years-old, Okafor will have the opportunity to eliminate the doubts about him in addition to developing into a strong defender.
Los Angeles would be elated to land either Okafor or Towns and both would be instrumental in the team’s return to relevancy and competitiveness in the Western Conference. However, if the rumors are true and Minnesota selects Okafor, the Lakers should run to the podium with Towns’ name on the card.
Towns is a super-skilled big man and has a tight handle for a big man. He is an excellent shooter from mid-range out to the three-point arc, a very good rebounder, an explosive athlete and is an elite shot-blocker with a tremendous upside. If the T-wolves select Towns with the first pick, the best fit for the Lakers with the second pick would be former Ohio State’s Russell.
Low post players remain a necessity, although today’s game is played from the perimeter into the post. The point guards are the most vital position on the court. The league is no longer ruled by big men doing damage in the post. The point guards are inflicting the most damage.
In conclusion, consider that some of the greatest athletes in the game are point guards. Five of the Top 10 players in win shares this season are point guards, tied for the most in 40 years.
The top Most Valuable Player candidates in the NBA and eventual league MVP is a point guard. All of the top 10 point guards led their teams to the playoffs this year. When ranking the NBA’s top 30 point guards, the Lakers’ Jeremy Lin ranked 28th.
The Lakers have young talent in Randle and Jordan Clarkson. They need a transitional talent. Clarkson has a bright future with the team. He had a great rookie season and was the steal of the draft. He received starters’ minutes on an awful team and this escalated his development.
Russell has a higher talent level unless L.A. General Manager Mitch Kupchak is convinced Clarkson is a future All-Star. Russell is a 6’5” 180 lbs. versatile scoring guard. He is an excellent ball handler that can score at all levels and has the physical tools to play point guard or shooting guard in the backcourt with Clarkson.
What sets Russell apart from other guards in the draft is his scoring ability, passing instincts, basketball IQ and feel for the game. The former Buckeye is an adequate defender that moves well laterally with a 6’8”+ wingspan. Russell is an excellent pick and roll player. He is good in transition, can change speeds and does a good job scoring off the dribble.
In 35 games at Ohio State, Russell averaged 19.7 points and shot 47.9-percent from the field. He shot 41.1-percent from behind the three-point arc and 75.6-percent from the free throw line. He also had six rebounds and five assists per game. The Lakers’ starters before any free agent additions would be able to succeed playing this smaller lineup: point guard D’Angelo Russell, shooting guard Jordan Clarkson, small forward Kobe Bryant, power forward Julius Randle and center Jordan Hill.