Did The Los Angeles Lakers Draft Go As They Hoped?

Did the Los Angeles Lakers draft go as they had hoped?

Did the Los Angeles Lakers get it right this time?

In a reverse of fortune, one of the NBA’s most prestigious franchises wound up in the NBA draft lottery for a second consecutive year. Last year around this time they had the seventh pick in the draft, and this time the Lakers draft became a standings cellar-dweller’s dream scenario.

Minnesota Timberwolves won the right to select first. With that pick they chose Kentucky’s Karl Anthony Towns. Towns was one of three players who could conceivably be the number one pick. Once NBA Commissioner Adam Silver made the announcement that it would be the Kentucky center getting the call, the Lakers draft became about two players.

.@KarlTowns, the 2015 No. 1 pick and newest member of the @MNTimberwolves. pic.twitter.com/Eg1IHMvjFu

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) June 25, 2015

Do they go with the other center, Duke’s Jahlil Okafor?

Do they stun many people by selecting D’Angelo Russell from Ohio State?

Do they work at consummating a deal for a veteran center?

Before the NBA Draft the Los Angeles Times reported that the Lakers were in exploratory talks with the Sacramento Kings, looking to acquire DeMarcus Cousins. As of now, any deal including Cousins will not happen.

The Timberwolves going with Towns left the Lakers draft plans in an enviable position.

The Lakers could have gone with Okafor, who is regarded as a sure thing on offense. On defense he will need some work. Scouts compared him to Cousins, sans any bad behavior and other baggage.

He would have fit the bill of a long tradition of centers who played for the Los Angeles Lakers. From Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Wilt Chamberlain of the 1970’s and 80’s, to Shaquille O’Neal and Andrew Bynum of the last decade.

They ignored their lineage and tradition. The Los Angeles Lakers drafted Russell, a dynamic guard who can play at the point guard or shooting guard positions. Given his height – Russell is listed at 6’5″ – he could play some small forward as well.

D'Angelo Russell sits down with @LakersReporter to talk about coming to LA & answer a few fan questions. #LALoadinghttps://t.co/cqEXMlwfGV

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) June 26, 2015

Did the Lakers draft well?

According to a USA Today interview with Russell, the new Laker declared himself as the best player in the draft.

“I definitely believe that I am the best player in this draft because of my hunger. I just feel like what I bring to the game, you don’t see a lot at my age. Things that you don’t teach; high IQ, leadership skills, passing ability – I have those intangibles.”

If Russell does live up to his claim it will be easy to call the Lakers draft a success. He is a good building block for a team looking at returning to prominence sooner rather than later. The Lakers will also have a good chunk of cap room to lure interested free agents. Kevin Love, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Dwyane Wade are just a few of the names mentioned with the Lakers.

Wyoming power forward Larry Nance Jr. and Stanford’s Anthony Brown were the other selections from the Lakers draft. The Lakers draft will be graded out as a good one.

What is always interesting is that in sports it usually takes a few years before you can truly get a feel for how good players are. Many of them do not reach their potential, earning the label of busts when their names are mentioned. Everything about D’Angelo Russell should ease fans minds some. In the eyes of Laker fans his selection does not have to be explained. It is the type of pick that can energize a fan base and place a few more butts in the Staple Center’s seats.

There was only one slight reach from the Lakers draft and that was the selection of Larry Nance Jr.

Kupchak on Nance: "The two times we had him in here, he tested as an incredible athlete. Just off the charts."

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) June 26, 2015

If you are only judging from a standpoint of need, then he makes sense. He will add similar flexibility in the frontcourt as D’Angelo Russell will add to the backcourt. Having Anthony Brown, who had a first round grade on many draft boards was icing on the cake.

As the NBA Draft has come to a close It is still too early to tell if there will be any superstars among those who were selected. That said, based off of today alone, the Los Angeles Lakers draft went well for them.

(Photo by Elsa/Getty Images Sport)