The #2 Pick

[dockingsched]

[tweet]http://twitter.com/billoram/status/611249510967160832[/tweet]

[TheGoodDoctor]

If I were you guys I'd take Okafor and stay away from Russell.

I just rather not take a shot that the player busts when Okafor is pretty much guaranteed to be a top big man in the league that can work on becoming defender, sure he'll never be elite but it's not like he can't becoming at least half decent.

[Danny Darko]

me too brother... all this time over thinking the pick has gotten people over thinking this.

All freaking year everyone was 100% agreed #1 was Okafor. Now you are looking at him going #2 in a stroke of lottery luck and people want to start considering gambles. I know history states this draft will likely have a lillard, George, Jordan, or westbrook hiding in the 1's, 2's, or 3's but Okafor is a great pick and we can't afford to whiff.

[TyCobb]

me too brother... all this time over thinking the pick has gotten people over thinking this.

All freaking year everyone was 100% agreed #1 was Okafor. Now you are looking at him going #2 in a stroke of lottery luck and people want to start considering gambles. I know history states this draft will likely have a lillard, George, Jordan, or westbrook hiding in the 1's, 2's, or 3's but Okafor is a great pick and we can't afford to whiff.

Just agents doing their jobs. Paying writers, draft websites, nothing would surprise me.

[EArl]

[tweet]http://twitter.com/billoram/status/611249510967160832[/tweet]

Thats probably our big board of players for the 2nd pick.

[kblo247]

If I were you guys I'd take Okafor and stay away from Russell.

I just rather not take a shot that the player busts when Okafor is pretty much guaranteed to be a top big man in the league that can work on becoming defender, sure he'll never be elite but it's not like he can't becoming at least half decent.

But the lakers generally always draft the perimeter player. They buy the already formed big. Plus the fact is these new age bigs out of college are **** fragile and soft, they miss a lot of time, and all of them get hurt their first year in this generation. I'm hesitant to take a big just because they all can't handle the pressure year one and fall apart. I feather take the small, sign a proven big, and get a SF.

I can live with Okafor or a guard and the right signings. Proz on top of the coaching hires, Nash/Dwight/session trades, and all would be the final straw in proving Mitch and Jim got to go

[PKABOOICU]

I wanted Russell, but I'm starting to lean towards Okafor now. I feel like there are so many Russell's in the NBA that you could just trade for one or find one in free agency.

[Biased_Fan6425]

Draft Okafor and go home happy.

[crazyeights]

If I were you guys I'd take Okafor and stay away from Russell.

I just rather not take a shot that the player busts when Okafor is pretty much guaranteed to be a top big man in the league that can work on becoming defender, sure he'll never be elite but it's not like he can't becoming at least half decent.

But the lakers generally always draft the perimeter player. They buy the already formed big.

You keep repeating this but really the last substantial guard we drafted was Kobe, 20 years ago. (Our last 2 lotto picks have been bigs, by the way.)

With the new CBA restricting free agency, more teams are forced to build through the draft for their core (i.e. the Lakers tanking)--this is a totally different NBA landscape.

Judging this by 20-35 years ago is useless. Especially as Mitch and Jim weren't even at the helm in the 80s/90s. Their only 2 lottery picks have been Bynum and Randle, two bigs.

Mitch is gonna go BPA, but "ties" going to the bigs.

[Drones]

me too brother... all this time over thinking the pick has gotten people over thinking this.

All freaking year everyone was 100% agreed #1 was Okafor. Now you are looking at him going #2 in a stroke of lottery luck and people want to start considering gambles. I know history states this draft will likely have a lillard, George, Jordan, or westbrook hiding in the 1's, 2's, or 3's but Okafor is a great pick and we can't afford to whiff.

Ain't that the truth...all year Lakers fans were stressed about losing the pick, now they move up and people start over-analyzing things...there's no real need to reach and gamble.

Okafor is such a beast and sure thing offensively, people have started nitpicking his defense...even if he's a minus defender (which he might still improve, he's only 19) his scoring will still overshadow that. And if I'm being perfectly honest, drafting finesse Euros (Porzingis) in the top 5 scares the hell out of me.

[BEazy]

Seems like Towns will go #1. I'm happy with Okafor. If he can develop or even surpass the amount of post moves Pau had I will be a very happy camper. Defense will improve, he's only 19 years old and no major injury. I got faith in Okafor's development.

[kblo247]

If I were you guys I'd take Okafor and stay away from Russell.

I just rather not take a shot that the player busts when Okafor is pretty much guaranteed to be a top big man in the league that can work on becoming defender, sure he'll never be elite but it's not like he can't becoming at least half decent.

But the lakers generally always draft the perimeter player. They buy the already formed big.

You keep repeating this but really the last substantial guard we drafted was Kobe, 20 years ago. (Our last 2 lotto picks have been bigs, by the way.)

With the new CBA restricting free agency, more teams are forced to build through the draft for their core (i.e. the Lakers tanking)--this is a totally different NBA landscape.

Judging this by 20-35 years ago is useless. Especially as Mitch and Jim weren't even at the helm in the 80s/90s. Their only 2 lottery picks have been Bynum and Randle, two bigs.

Mitch is gonna go BPA, but "ties" going to the bigs.

The lakers including Mitch and Jim live off what Dr Buss and Jerry West did. If they didn't, they wouldn't try to rehash Showtime with Pringles and would not fear rfa. They are formed as much by their mentors as any front office in the league. FYI before randles foot injury became known, it's been confirmed that the board was McDermott, Payton, Exum, and Smart all perimeter players. With Bynum the team was split as Mitch wanted Granger but got out voted by Jim and Ronnie Lester. Still its hard to ignore Kobe, Nick, Eddie, Scott, Coop, Worthy, West, Goodrich, and Magic are all perimeter guys they drafted and milked for years while their bigs are Divac (traded for Kobe, played best in Sacramento), Bynum (one all star nod, Luc Longley title run stats, and out the league for being a bonehead), and Campbell. Hell Randle himself just proved that this class of big men from this generation are fragile by breaking his own leg in less than 15 minutes and missing a year.

Russell may be the safer bet. They can't afford to **** it up yet again. The team may see drafting Russell and signing a big be it a max guy or even a second tier guy like Tyson, Hibbert, Lopez, or Monroe more viable to improving their play on the court and outlook to real free agents as you have to have something. Hell if they sign a second tier guy they can still sign a damn good wing for 8-10mil and multiple years to shore up a hole alongside Russell.

I like Okafor, but he has his detractors much like Russell. They are a true coin toss because they aren't anywhere near the athelte Towns and Mudiay are, so it will come down to personality, work ethic, and marketability. Dangelo may win solely on intangibles and look especially when the lakers have to look at Blake missing a year, Randle missing a year, Davis being hurt multiple, Oden, embid, and a list of modern bigs breaking in a mans world far faster than a guard.

I will be happy with whatever we do as long as its a legit move and not some bs spin job like last summer

[kblo247]

I also stick by the fact they need to truly test them in workout two. Make Okafor go against Metta and his grown man strength since he did struggle vs big guys at times in college. And if you really want to see what Russell has inside him, drop a ball between him and Mudiay and let them go to 21.

[TylersLakers]

I also stick by the fact they need to truly test them in workout two. Make Okafor go against Metta and his grown man strength since he did struggle vs big guys at times in college. And if you really want to see what Russell has inside him, drop a ball between him and Mudiay and let them go to 21.

I would love this, however, I don't think their agents want that. For those 3 guys it's all individual work outs with the coaches.

[TylersLakers]

I REALLY hope we're not over thinking this. DD mentioned it a few pages ago, Okafor has been the clear #1 option all college season long.. don't let the Finals and the fact Curry won MVP dictate otherwise.

[kblo247]

What's your plan A and B for the rosters if we draft Mudiay, Russell, or Okafor? Rules being you have 22 mil to split between a wing and a big in the case of drafting a G and you have to split the 22 between a guard and wing if you draft Okafor?

Mudiay
- Plan A - Carroll and Robin Lopez
- Plan B - Monroe and Brewer

Russell
- Plan A - Tyson and Danny Green
- Plan B - Tobias and Ed Davis

Okafor
- Plan A - Dragic and Pierce
- Plan B - Rondo and Deng

[DEEP3CL]

me too brother... all this time over thinking the pick has gotten people over thinking this.

All freaking year everyone was 100% agreed #1 was Okafor. Now you are looking at him going #2 in a stroke of lottery luck and people want to start considering gambles. I know history states this draft will likely have a lillard, George, Jordan, or westbrook hiding in the 1's, 2's, or 3's but Okafor is a great pick and we can't afford to whiff.

Yep....I don't understand how guys want to start a rebuild with gamble picks. You know Double D, guys are so blinded by the "explosive guard" that they think we need to play the same way. They don't realize these so called guards won't have long careers because of the exertion they'll put their bodies through.

Can you imagine passing on Big Jah and 5-6 years later seeing him rip patches out of teams on a nightly basis ?

[ratra_1211]

big is the way to go guys.. i mean, how can you not want to pick okafor/towns? no injury issues (amen), great skill (post moves, footwork etc), great potential (towns with his 2 way impact), big body in the middle (okafor can be taught to be a decent to good help defender to atleast alter shots and maybe move his feet faster to ice the P&R properly), and they are all friggin YOUNG, like 19 years old. with lakers great lineage of big man (kareem teaching bynum etc) i dont see how these kids cant thrive and be a great player

and we have clarkson to be our combo do-it-all guard, all we need is to sign or draft another complementary shooter guard (if you arent content with jabari brown at 2 or want kobe at 3).

[PKABOOICU]

I'm totally fine with okafor. i don't care if he doesn't block 2-3 shots a game...but what i do care about is if could box out and alter shots and switch on screens and read plays before they develop, and have the few 20 rebound games a year.

[crazyeights]

I still think Minny might take Okafor.