The #2 Pick

[dipstick]

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

Regardless of who we draft, there probably will be no urgency to fill out the roster this year since it is farfetched that we will become contenders on a rookie heavy team. We will try to get the best available players that fit. But even if we retain flexibility with the cap spike next year, I doubt if Mitch will be overpaying anyone.

Pierce is unlikely since he probably won't play for a lottery team and I don't see us paying him more than what he can opt in with the Wizards.

But in the spirit of fantasizing, I agree that Dragic becomes the target if we get Okafor. Hopefully we will still have room for a 3&D like Carroll, Green or Afflalo. Worst case... Aminu?

In any case, if we use up the cap, we can get 2-3 players with the space and 1 with the cap exception. We would need a 3&D guy, a vet big and a point guard. Not all of Clarkson, Randle and Okafor need to start. As long as they get a minimum of 20-25 minutes a game, their development will not be stunted.

[Penberthy]

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

Dragic Clarkson
Kobe Clarkson Brown
Pierce Young Petteway
Randle Hernangomez Black Kelly
Okafor McGee Hernangomez Sacre

2016: Durant

[iamworthy]

Okafor worked out for the wolves today and I haven't heard anything. I guess they are keeping it pretty hush

[dipstick]

Okafor worked out for the wolves today and I haven't heard anything. I guess they are keeping it pretty hush

Are you sure? Because this tweet from twolvesnow is pretty recent. I don't know how in the know he is or what but seems like there's no schedule yet:

[tweet]https://twitter.com/twolvesnow/status/611221570032414722[/tweet]

[teerfour+40LG]

Porskinniest is up 7'2" now ? He'll be 7'5" by the draft, this cat grows an inch a day.

Sabonis is 7'3, right?



Not sure if either height is accurate, but they're both really tall. Though except for his arm length, Prozingis' torso looks like it belongs on a 6'3 guy.

[oldschooled]

Give me Okafor. Sign Dragic/Rondo then sign a 3&D in Danny Green/Carroll...

playoffs baby!

[One Love]

Lakers bring Mudiay back for a second look... Word is they aren't enamored with Okafor or Russell... One more week fellas...

[Danny Darko]

Lakers bring Mudiay back for a second look... Word is they aren't enamored with Okafor or Russell... One more week fellas...

all three are supposed to get second looks. Where's the link?

[loveshaq786]

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

Regardless of who we draft, there probably will be no urgency to fill out the roster this year since it is farfetched that we will become contenders on a rookie heavy team. We will try to get the best available players that fit. But even if we retain flexibility with the cap spike next year, I doubt if Mitch will be overpaying anyone.

Pierce is unlikely since he probably won't play for a lottery team and I don't see us paying him more than what he can opt in with the Wizards.

But in the spirit of fantasizing, I agree that Dragic becomes the target if we get Okafor. Hopefully we will still have room for a 3&D like Carroll, Green or Afflalo. Worst case... Aminu?

In any case, if we use up the cap, we can get 2-3 players with the space and 1 with the cap exception. We would need a 3&D guy, a vet big and a point guard. Not all of Clarkson, Randle and Okafor need to start. As long as they get a minimum of 20-25 minutes a game, their development will not be stunted.

Why not Brandon knight, tristan t, Patrick Beverly, Marc gasol, Alexis A. as targets?

We should definitely consider trading Clarkson, while his value is high. I like the idea of bringing ariza back. Clarkson, swaggy, and #34 for #18, kj McDaniels, and ariza. We solidify our guard/forward rotation.

After doing that, we go hard at Brandon knight. He is younger than dragic and has better defense.

[LApwnd]

if NY is more enamored with Russell, could we do a pre-arranged hand shake deal with an out with NYK? The deal would be Young/Russell for Ok4/2018 pick swap in our favor or get that pick altogether whichever is easier to get done. But should Phili F up the plan and take Ok4 @ 3 then deals off and we keep Russell. Not like he's total reach since supposedly he is the "most talented" of the top 3 according to most gm's and scouts.

[Spanish_Laker]

Don't mess it up Mitch, we already have a promising PG who could eventually become an AllStar in this league. Just draft one of two hyped big man.

[Gus McCrae]

Grantland article on the top 3 picks...

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/ryen-russillos-nba-draft-confidential-real-scouts-on-towns-russell-and-okafor/

Makes me want Russell

[The Prodigy]

Grantland article on the top 3 picks...

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/ryen-russillos-nba-draft-confidential-real-scouts-on-towns-russell-and-okafor/

Makes me want Russell

It sounds like a lot of Okafor's issues are related to poor conditioning. This is correctable, and he seems to have gotten in better shape already, but it's one thing to get in really good shape for a life changing event like the NBA draft and another to continue to push yourself to stay in peak physical shape throughout your NBA career. Does he have that discipline in him?

[LApwnd]

Grantland article on the top 3 picks...

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/ryen-russillos-nba-draft-confidential-real-scouts-on-towns-russell-and-okafor/

Makes me want Russell

Out of the 3, the article makes it sound as if kat has no downside.....quite fishy imo, if he is such a player he should have been consensus #1 all yr. Like saying goes "if its too good to be true it normally is"

[Slava]

Grantland article on the top 3 picks...

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/ryen-russillos-nba-draft-confidential-real-scouts-on-towns-russell-and-okafor/

Makes me want Russell

Yeah that article does put his Arizona game into perspective for me, which was my biggest issue with Russell, playing against elite athleticism and length like Stan Johnson and Rondae Hollis Jefferson.

The points about Okafor being similar to Sullinger in his attitude are slightly concerning as well. The comparisons to Duncan are well and good but Timmy had a great competitive spirit.

[Danny Darko]

my favorite quote from the scouts on Grantland:

My issues with him are defensively. He guards with his instincts, that’s it. He’s so creative with his offense, so he knows the game, he’s smart. He knows how to defend — he’ll get into the passing lanes, he knows how to dig and recover, he knows rotations. But he can’t **** guard anything. He’s disinterested.

This is not a quote about Okafor, this is about D'Angelo.
This is the thing people keep over accusing Okafor and under accusing Russell of.

[The Prodigy]

my favorite quote from the scouts on Grantland:

My issues with him are defensively. He guards with his instincts, that’s it. He’s so creative with his offense, so he knows the game, he’s smart. He knows how to defend — he’ll get into the passing lanes, he knows how to dig and recover, he knows rotations. But he can’t **** guard anything. He’s disinterested.

This is not a quote about Okafor, this is about D'Angelo.
This is the thing people keep over accusing Okafor and under accusing Russell of.

Absolutely. I like Russell but he's getting a free pass for his **** defense.

This is probably because he hasn't been in the spotlight as long as Okafor has, and scouts haven't had as much time to focus on his weaknesses.

[Slava]

To be fair, bad defense from the guard position is relatively not as significant as bad defense from the last line, which is the center position. Your center almost always has to be a plus defender for a good team defense.

[M2K]

I believe it would be a mistake to take Jahlil Okafor with the 2nd pick of the draft.

I won't compare Okafor with Towns or Russell... I'll just say my reasoning for avoiding Okafor are:

Pros
- best post-up game in college basketball (will translate well in the NBA)
- average passer out of the post
- been a winner everywhere he has played

Cons
- utterly useless against the pick & roll
- terrible free throw shooter
- terrible outside shot
- poor defensive rebounding
- poor defensive positioning
- terrible shot blocker
- terrible help defender
- poor athleticism and slow to react
- "below the rim" player (similar to Julius Randle)
- concerns over his long term weight & conditioning
- never showed any improvement (other than in his conditioning) throughout Duke's entire basketball season

Lakers Situation
- like the rest of the NBA...its a game of match-ups...which makes versatility extremely valuable...Okafor is one-dimensional
- J Randle is a post up player, average shot blocker who plays below the rim (getting a player with similar traits limits versatility)
- Lakers suffered from not having a shot blocker or anyone at the Center position that was effective defending the pick & Roll
- Kobe's days are numbered and the Lakers are on the verge of needing a replacement which provides reasoning that we are not limited to needing a Center in the draft.

Everyone wants to see Jahlil Okafor as potentially the next Tim Duncan. Its pure fantasy. Duncan was an excellent defender, rebounder, shot blocker, etc coming out of college. Okafor is simply the defensive antithesis of Duncan.

The pro game is so different from the college game which is why, annually, we see the makings of a new draft bust. My biggest concern is that Okafor knows he will always have a job in the NBA because of his post up game. Just that fact may keep him satisfied enough that he doesn't have the passion or willingness to sacrifice and work harder to improve his deficiencies. This will be like a repeat of his development at Duke during a Championship year... there was none.

I feel the Lakers would be making a huge mistake by drafting Okafor with the 2nd pick... not because there are or are not better players (I think there are). It's because I believe that Okafor's game will severely damage the Lakers on the defensive end of the court and that is a liability the Lakers can't afford from a player they are banking to become one of the cornerstones of the franchise.

[dipstick]

Julius Randle is not a post up player.

On the bad D of Russell and Okafor, its more alarming that supposedly Russell seems disinterested and the defense had to change systems to accommodate his shortcomings. But yes, defense is more important coming from the C. On the other hand, Coach K wasn't complaining so ill reserve judgment until he's under a coach that forces him and teaches him to play D.

Based on what they bring on the court, I'm still for Okafor. But if there are mentality questions, then ill leave that to the FO.

Regardless who we pick Ill be excited for his potential coming into the season.