☆2015 Lakers Draft Thread ☆ Drafts D'Angelo Russell at #2

[bladefd]

If we get a guard, I'd rather get Russel than Mudiay. Russel is a great shooter that can also play the point -- these sort of combo-guards are very hard to find.

The thing with great centers is you can often directly stick them into starting lineup and get good performance off the bat.

PGs take longer to develop as they have to get used to the change because they would have the ball for long periods to make stuff happen + they would defend another primary ball-handler. That takes time to develop & gain confidence -- it's also why PG is a more important position overall than C.

If you want instant difference-maker that you just plug into lineup then you get a center.

[brandonislegend]

Russell = Brandon Roy

[magicmanfan]

Russell = Brandon Roy

Emmanuel Mudiay seems closer to Brandon Roy.... Powerful,
take it to the hole type of player.... gets low to defend.....

Russel is a cross between Nick the Quick and Jalen Rose...
His passing ability could be the critical factor....

[crisoner]

We need a big......
We need two bigs to be correct.

Draft a defensive rim protector and get a scorer

[brandonislegend]

We need a big......
We need two bigs to be correct.

Draft a defensive rim protector and get a scorer

We need everything. Honestly other than Randle (big) and maybe Clarkson (might have been a fluke) who else do we have worth mentioning?

[dd24]

I think to compete in the West right now the Lakers need guards more than bigs. Of course, if they could manage to land Jimmy Butler then it kind of changes everything.

[ihatetimthomas]

I feel like Russell could end up being the best player in the draft. He has it all, passing, scoring, range. I kind of want them to get him but I dont see them passing up on Okafor. The game has changed and perimeter players seem to dominate but its tough to pass up on a big touted as one of the most skilled offensively in some time. So I get why they will most likely get Okafor.

Okafor came into workouts in better shape than expected, seems like a good kid and wants to be here. Proven champion and highly skilled. While I like Russell, no problem with Okafor.

[bladefd]

Lakers are giving Mudiay a 2nd tryout, which means...

a) He was a bust in first tryout so they want to give him 2nd chance
b) He was spectacular and they want to ask him to try out a few different things


I'm leaning towards 'a'. If he was great, what else would they want to try?

[ihatetimthomas]

They are also giving 2nd workouts to Russell and Okafor. So I think it's a matter of just wanting to make sure they see everything they need to make the pick. This draft is going to dictate a lot of the Lakers future. They are probably just getting one last look at all the guys they may pick.

[bladefd]

Another possibility I have seen thrown out there is Porzingis. He is a Gasol-type player. He can play some center, but you don't want him starting at center.

Very smooth with the ball and range out to 3pt line like a guard. Great passer, good at dribbling, pretty good rim-protector as he has very long arms/wingspan. He is weak though if you put him at center for long periods - just like Gasol, he is not a center.

I think Knicks will draft Porzingis. He is perfect for Phil Jackson triangle-offense. Not for us though - we already have Randle. His game complements Randle perfectly, but Porzingis would need to add 30-40 pounds for it to work on defensive end. Too many risks.

[ihatetimthomas]

Porzingis probably is the highest risk/highest reward player of the draft. He has a very versatile skill set. Great mobility for a guy if his size. He has range and natural bball instincts. We can't roll the dice on him but it would be very interesting if we had the 4th pick.

[magicmanfan]

I feel like Russell could end up being the best player in the draft. He has it all, passing, scoring, range.

Only problem is his lack of effort on D.... Lakerholics.net had this on Russell:

But he can

[bladefd]

[QUOTE=magicmanfan]Only problem is his lack of effort on D.... Lakerholics.net had this on Russell:
But he can

[Lakers91]

Interesting getting closer to the draft, don't think much has changed despite certain reports, I'd be extremely surprised if Towns or Okafor go anything but 1 and 2 (I am not entirely sure which order but probably Towns first, we get Okafor) I'd be surprised if it's anyone else. Far more intrigue or curiousity about the later pick about who could be taken as far as I see number 2 it's pretty much done deal, whoever the Wolves don't take at center the Lakers do (not really going into strengths or weaknesses of players) just what it looks like.

[dd24]

Yeah, 1 and 2 are locks. The rest of the draft could go any number of ways. It seems like this year is a lot more fluid than other years.