Future Draft Picks - Where do we stand?

[Karmaloop]

Ideally the Lakers keep the '17 top 3 pick, sign and trade for superstars in the summer of '17 and the '18 pick is in the 20's. Then those trades wont seem as bad.

Pretty much. The ideal situation is the Lakers find a lot of individual success early in the season, but struggle in terms of team success and translating it into wins. But in the second half, we find that individual success translating into team success and become a high quality team late in the season. Translating into a 5-8 ranking in the lottery standings, and see some lucky ping pong bounces where the Lakers keep their pick.

[Landsberger]

Unfortunately in one respect, I think we have a decent shot at keeping our pick again. More youth, new system, different vets and no true team leader. On top of this we have a rookie coach. We can be better than last year but still be 3rd worst in the league.

If we do and we pick another good youngster it will be about time to start trading some of the youth for vets to build the right mix of experience. Philly has been picking at the top of the draft for years and has not gotten any veteran leadership to help them and in the face of all of that young talent they still are the worst team around. That could be us if we don't do this right.

[Teen Girl Squad]

Unfortunately in one respect, I think we have a decent shot at keeping our pick again. More youth, new system, different vets and no true team leader. On top of this we have a rookie coach. We can be better than last year but still be 3rd worst in the league.

If we do and we pick another good youngster it will be about time to start trading some of the youth for vets to build the right mix of experience. Philly has been picking at the top of the draft for years and has not gotten any veteran leadership to help them and in the face of all of that young talent they still are the worst team around. That could be us if we don't do this right.

Agreed. We'll still more than likely lose our pick but it would be a blessing to get it this year, not only do we keep an extra first rounder but then we also get one in a deep draft.

[danfantastk32]

I'd love to keep the pick, but I think it will be through sheer luck of the lottery.

I don't think we're a 40 win team. Prob not even close. But I don't think we will be under 25 wins either. Losing this pick will be a bummer, but it will also be nice to get the debt paid off. The sooner we no longer have all these things looming over us, the better, I say. I also feel that if we're a bottom 3-4 team in the NBA again, then we have to start questioning how far all this young 'talent' is going to take us. I know these guys are young, but (if these guys are REALLY stars in the making) your supposed to see it building rather quickly. You look at most (to be fair...not all) stars, and they either start out pretty damn good out the gate (Durant, Lebron, Duncan..etc) or perhaps they have a typical rookie year, but year 2 is quite improved, and by year 3....your seeing serious numbers.

It's rare to see a guy (injuries aside) be a 'role player' type talent 4-5 years into the league...and then suddenly he's an Star player. It's very rare. So back to my point....if none of these guys are starting to look like they have the goods in the 2nd half of this season, and we're just treading water, then we have a much worse problem than losing our pick.

[LakersSoul]

I'd love to keep the pick, but I think it will be through sheer luck of the lottery.

I don't think we're a 40 win team. Prob not even close. But I don't think we will be under 25 wins either. Losing this pick will be a bummer, but it will also be nice to get the debt paid off. The sooner we no longer have all these things looming over us, the better, I say. I also feel that if we're a bottom 3-4 team in the NBA again, then we have to start questioning how far all this young 'talent' is going to take us. I know these guys are young, but (if these guys are REALLY stars in the making) your supposed to see it building rather quickly. You look at most (to be fair...not all) stars, and they either start out pretty damn good out the gate (Durant, Lebron, Duncan..etc) or perhaps they have a typical rookie year, but year 2 is quite improved, and by year 3....your seeing serious numbers.

It's rare to see a guy (injuries aside) be a 'role player' type talent 4-5 years into the league...and then suddenly he's an Star player. It's very rare. So back to my point....if none of these guys are starting to look like they have the goods in the 2nd half of this season, and we're just treading water, then we have a much worse problem than losing our pick.

You normally see the big jump in year 2+ but many also show flashes of potential in their freshman year. I think Ingram will show all that this year if he is given enough minutes. With Dlo, Randle and Jr, I think they will make a big jump this upcoming year. With Kobe minutes and shots given to these guys, I think they and the team will make a huge jump that could surprise many. This jump could make the difference from a high 20s to low 40s wins team. I still say in the low 30s is a safe bet. This should be fun to witness.

[Jody Smokz]

I don't understand this thinking. We haven't even been better overall than the Sixers the past 3 years. They also didn't have a 2 year head start. We have been garbage since 13-14, the same year they decided to start tanking. It also appears they are doing the same things we are. Paying to put vets around their young guys.

blahhhhh...lol stop with the tank talk... it's time to start on a different path, we're not the 76ers, look where that path has taken them, they are no closer than when they started and they had a two year head start on the Lakers.

Sooner or later you have to say OK we have more than enough young talent to groom for the future let's start teaching them how to win now
we didn't hire Luke Walton and an all new coaching staff to find new ways to lose

[danfantastk32]

I don't understand this thinking. We haven't even been better overall than the Sixers the past 3 years. They also didn't have a 2 year head start. We have been garbage since 13-14, the same year they decided to start tanking. It also appears they are doing the same things we are. Paying to put vets around their young guys.

Let me preface this by saying that there are differing opinions on this, but as far as I see things....the biggest difference between us and the 6-ers was we had Kobe Bryant.

IMO....the front office has always felt that the Lakers / Kobe could attract FA's...and that we were a "Carmelo" or an "Aldridge" away from getting back into the playoffs. You get into the playoffs with the Mamba, and anything can happen....yada yada yada. Therefore we never really committed to tanking. It was bad luck....some serious injury seasons, our inability to sign anyone of note, that sorta forced us into where we are. It's a case of "when the dust settled...we had tanked" more so than that being the plan at the start of each season. At the end of it...we got some good luck with the lottery the last 3 years...and I think we could be in a much, much worse place than we currently are. Kobe just never got it back. He was playing at a truly high level right up until that Achilles tear. They thought he'd get most of that back, and it just never happened. Not even close.

Again...this is my opinion...but we never meant to rebuild like this. They thought we'd keep Dwight/Pau....resign Kobe (who'd still be a great player) and then get that 3rd guy for our big-3. Instead Dwight walked....Pau Walked. Nash couldn't walk. Randle made it 6 minutes into his first season. Kobe never returned....and nobody would take our $$. Throw in a little lottery love....and it looks like we pulled a 6-ers, but that was never really the case.

Our Coach hire...and our FA signings are not indicative of a team trying to keep it's top-3 protected pick. I think it will be a very bad sign if this team can't reach at least 25 wins this season. That's not a team playing for picks.

[Jody Smokz]

I don't believe much "we can make the playoffs" talk that came from the FO. I think wanted to sell the idea to the casual fans that they could but overall none of the roster moves they made screamed we are really going to be good. Everything they did screamed stealth tank. Philly was just more open about it.

Regardless of if we were "trying" to be bad or not we were and we were at the expense at times of our young guys NOT playing. Clarkson doesnt see the floor much at all if Ronnie Price doesnt get hurt in 2015. Byron routinely went with Lou Williams when Russell/Clarkson should have been closing the bulk of games, particularly the ones where Kobe wasn't playing.

Even worse we actually LOST to the Sixers. I wasn't a fan of them trying to be terrible but they had to be after losing a crapload of assets in the Howard/Bynum trade. I think you need to go look into how much they were set back. We're are the ones that have gotten lucky to keep our picks. They had a plan WE didnt.

I don't understand this thinking. We haven't even been better overall than the Sixers the past 3 years. They also didn't have a 2 year head start. We have been garbage since 13-14, the same year they decided to start tanking. It also appears they are doing the same things we are. Paying to put vets around their young guys.

Let me preface this by saying that there are differing opinions on this, but as far as I see things....the biggest difference between us and the 6-ers was we had Kobe Bryant.

IMO....the front office has always felt that the Lakers / Kobe could attract FA's...and that we were a "Carmelo" or an "Aldridge" away from getting back into the playoffs. You get into the playoffs with the Mamba, and anything can happen....yada yada yada. Therefore we never really committed to tanking. It was bad luck....some serious injury seasons, our inability to sign anyone of note, that sorta forced us into where we are. It's a case of "when the dust settled...we had tanked" more so than that being the plan at the start of each season. At the end of it...we got some good luck with the lottery the last 3 years...and I think we could be in a much, much worse place than we currently are. Kobe just never got it back. He was playing at a truly high level right up until that Achilles tear. They thought he'd get most of that back, and it just never happened. Not even close.

Again...this is my opinion...but we never meant to rebuild like this. They thought we'd keep Dwight/Pau....resign Kobe (who'd still be a great player) and then get that 3rd guy for our big-3. Instead Dwight walked....Pau Walked. Nash couldn't walk. Randle made it 6 minutes into his first season. Kobe never returned....and nobody would take our $$. Throw in a little lottery love....and it looks like we pulled a 6-ers, but that was never really the case.

Our Coach hire...and our FA signings are not indicative of a team trying to keep it's top-3 protected pick. I think it will be a very bad sign if this team can't reach at least 25 wins this season. That's not a team playing for picks.

[danfantastk32]

Well there are certainly differing opinions on it. I will say this though:

If Nash could actually play, or if either Dwight or Pau resigned, or if Kobe was able to play, or if Randle doesn't break his leg 6 minutes into the season, then there is no D'angelo Russel on this team. I will never buy that Jim pulled some slick 3-year tank job. If you wanna make that argument that his plans fell through....Kobe would get hurt again...Nash couldn't play....etc etc, and management took a look at things 25 games into the season and made some "long term decisions" .....fine. I'll buy that. But it was our intention to sign someone the next offseason. And it was always thought the Kobe we knew and loved would return close to full each new year.

If they really wanted to tank....then why have a 2nd meeting with Aldridge after he said no? Get shot down twice? If they secretly hoped he wouldn't sign...just walk away the first time. It makes no sense. Why offer Dirk the max? We'd been trying to trade Pau for years.....why offer him $20 mil a year when that woulda killed any hope of tanking? Why fire D'antoni BEFORE Pau left? Keeping him would have made it more sure Pau left. Sorry....but to me, the pieces have never added up to this 3-year plan to tank.

You do know of course, that despite all that......we still had to have lady-luck bail us out to keep D'angelo.

And for the record.....D'angelo played almost 30 minutes his rookie season. Could it have been a few more? Sure. But he certainly played alot of minutes for a rookie. The argument that he somehow got totally short-sheeted is just not true. Yes....32 minutes would have been this perfect, sun-shiny number...but 28.5 minutes (or whatever it was) is hardly a slight to his growth. Most rookies should be so lucky.

[danfantastk32]

And that's why I don't think we will tank now. Because IMO we have never walked into a season thinking tank.

Sure....if 25 games in the season we're 6-19....and D'angelo tears his shoulder, and this happens and that happens, I can see management looking at that next draft pick, and doing little things to try and 'encourage that outcome'. But I promise you that right now...today...our FO is looking at this team and is excited about our young guys...and prob feel like the FA's make this great net of veteran leadership for the guys. I doubt anyone thinks playoffs....but I bet you'd hear most of them hope that we can make a push for the playoffs. I bet alot of guys around our FO think that if the guys take a big step, and Westbrook gets hurt....and Houston stinks now....then maybe we can scrape in. I don't think anyone is thinking another 17 win season.

Why get Luke if that were the case? We wanna run him through the mud too....like we did with Scott?

[AcecardZ]

If we have the worst record in the league what are the chances we stay top 3 in the lottery?

Mind you I don't think we're going to be that bad but curious what our chances of falling out of top three are if we have the worst record.

[DEEP3CL]

Some good and bad post here....but let me state this and say it boldly

We're not going to keep next summers draft pick, for one it's only top 3 protected and secondly you got analyst overvaluing this draft. It WON'T be any...and I mean any players that will be franchise changing players. This draft was the last to possess that kind of talent. The 17 draft will be good for only role players than can one day be solid starters but not mega superstars. I watch a ton of high school ball and the guys going into college even next season really need at least 2 full college seasons to develop. Shooting is where the game is going and most of these high schooler's live solely off their athleticism and haven't mastered the art of shooting.

So as I said to even keep a pick like that means we'll have to be at best 2nd to 3rd worst team in the league....and you still have to win the damn lottery anyway.

Two things are going to stop that real quick next season, one we can win more than the 17 games we just previously won to secure the #2 spot. That's not happening again. Next no way in hell the pick falls back to 3 even if we say... the team finished 5th,6th or 7th which is likely more to happen with the improvement of the roster to at least compete. And if we finish in any of those spots at seasons end then for all intensive purposes the pick is going to Philly.

Personally they can have the 17 pick because as I stated, there isn't one player in college that's going to change a franchise so as a fan base we need to stop hoping and wishing and praying that we back door into the lottery sweet spot yearly. That is not how you build a championship level basketball team. You have to land veterans in the mix also.

[DEEP3CL]

And that's why I don't think we will tank now. Because IMO we have never walked into a season thinking tank.

Sure....if 25 games in the season we're 6-19....and D'angelo tears his shoulder, and this happens and that happens, I can see management looking at that next draft pick, and doing little things to try and 'encourage that outcome'. But I promise you that right now...today...our FO is looking at this team and is excited about our young guys...and prob feel like the FA's make this great net of veteran leadership for the guys. I doubt anyone thinks playoffs....but I bet you'd hear most of them hope that we can make a push for the playoffs. I bet alot of guys around our FO think that if the guys take a big step, and Westbrook gets hurt....and Houston stinks now....then maybe we can scrape in. I don't think anyone is thinking another 17 win season.

Why get Luke if that were the case? We wanna run him through the mud too....like we did with Scott?

Agree with all this, no way in hell front office is thinking that. And being real about it and guys here don't want to say it for fear of backlash, but the goal is to push for the playoffs. Of course the team is no lock to make it but as I look at other west teams the media are gushing over to be better than expected and I don't see it. I don't see Denver, Sacramento, Phoenix and Dallas being all that much better than the Lakers.

Then teams like Houston,Utah and OKC and even Minnesota will be scraping the plate to make the playoffs also. Only 3 spots are locked for sure and that's GSW, LAC, SAS...(and even they will struggle, age starting to be a factor). Bottom line is we won only 17 and no way in hell we repeat that feat again. We can stumble into 25-35 wins just on playing better and finally creating an identity under Luke.

[Sofa King]

Some good and bad post here....but let me state this and say it boldly

We're not going to keep next summers draft pick, for one it's only top 3 protected and secondly you got analyst overvaluing this draft. It WON'T be any...and I mean any players that will be franchise changing players. This draft was the last to possess that kind of talent. The 17 draft will be good for only role players than can one day be solid starters but not mega superstars. I watch a ton of high school ball and the guys going into college even next season really need at least 2 full college seasons to develop. Shooting is where the game is going and most of these high schooler's live solely off their athleticism and haven't mastered the art of shooting.

So as I said to even keep a pick like that means we'll have to be at best 2nd to 3rd worst team in the league....and you still have to win the damn lottery anyway.

Two things are going to stop that real quick next season, one we can win more than the 17 games we just previously won to secure the #2 spot. That's not happening again. Next no way in hell the pick falls back to 3 even if we say... the team finished 5th,6th or 7th which is likely more to happen with the improvement of the roster to at least compete. And if we finish in any of those spots at seasons end then for all intensive purposes the pick is going to Philly.

Personally they can have the 17 pick because as I stated, there isn't one player in college that's going to change a franchise so as a fan base we need to stop hoping and wishing and praying that we back door into the lottery sweet spot yearly. That is not how you build a championship level basketball team. You have to land veterans in the mix also.

Until the Spurs make a pick and he becomes an All Star...

[Hellcrooner]

Its in our best interest to make sure we get the worst record and thus have a very high odds to keep our pick and add another young talent adn at the sema time recover our 2019 pick.

After HArden and Westys reups F.A is no longer an available option we need to get that new asset in 2017 draft and recover 2019 pick as an asset to be able to have something to offer at the right time in a TRADE for that final piece star.

[NYCLaker]

Some good and bad post here....but let me state this and say it boldly

We're not going to keep next summers draft pick, for one it's only top 3 protected and secondly you got analyst overvaluing this draft. It WON'T be any...and I mean any players that will be franchise changing players. This draft was the last to possess that kind of talent. The 17 draft will be good for only role players than can one day be solid starters but not mega superstars. I watch a ton of high school ball and the guys going into college even next season really need at least 2 full college seasons to develop. Shooting is where the game is going and most of these high schooler's live solely off their athleticism and haven't mastered the art of shooting.

So as I said to even keep a pick like that means we'll have to be at best 2nd to 3rd worst team in the league....and you still have to win the damn lottery anyway.

Two things are going to stop that real quick next season, one we can win more than the 17 games we just previously won to secure the #2 spot. That's not happening again. Next no way in hell the pick falls back to 3 even if we say... the team finished 5th,6th or 7th which is likely more to happen with the improvement of the roster to at least compete. And if we finish in any of those spots at seasons end then for all intensive purposes the pick is going to Philly.

Personally they can have the 17 pick because as I stated, there isn't one player in college that's going to change a franchise so as a fan base we need to stop hoping and wishing and praying that we back door into the lottery sweet spot yearly. That is not how you build a championship level basketball team. You have to land veterans in the mix also.

All 3 of Jackson, Tatum and Giles were rated higher than Simmons in a combined draft of 16-17. Don't know how well Giles will recover from injury, however, if we get a top 3 pick, all 3 plus the other 2 pgs are rated highly.

[DEEP3CL]

Some good and bad post here....but let me state this and say it boldly

We're not going to keep next summers draft pick, for one it's only top 3 protected and secondly you got analyst overvaluing this draft. It WON'T be any...and I mean any players that will be franchise changing players. This draft was the last to possess that kind of talent. The 17 draft will be good for only role players than can one day be solid starters but not mega superstars. I watch a ton of high school ball and the guys going into college even next season really need at least 2 full college seasons to develop. Shooting is where the game is going and most of these high schooler's live solely off their athleticism and haven't mastered the art of shooting.

So as I said to even keep a pick like that means we'll have to be at best 2nd to 3rd worst team in the league....and you still have to win the damn lottery anyway.

Two things are going to stop that real quick next season, one we can win more than the 17 games we just previously won to secure the #2 spot. That's not happening again. Next no way in hell the pick falls back to 3 even if we say... the team finished 5th,6th or 7th which is likely more to happen with the improvement of the roster to at least compete. And if we finish in any of those spots at seasons end then for all intensive purposes the pick is going to Philly.

Personally they can have the 17 pick because as I stated, there isn't one player in college that's going to change a franchise so as a fan base we need to stop hoping and wishing and praying that we back door into the lottery sweet spot yearly. That is not how you build a championship level basketball team. You have to land veterans in the mix also.

All 3 of Jackson, Tatum and Giles were rated higher than Simmons in a combined draft of 16-17. Don't know how well Giles will recover from injury, however, if we get a top 3 pick, all 3 plus the other 2 pgs are rated highly.

Ehh....those projections are way off some times in terms of rating. What made Simmons more intriguing was his body and skill. Giles physical body is nowhere near was Ben was at. In the end NBA scouts only look for skill more equivalent to being NBA ready, along with the players physical build. This is why Simmons jumped and stayed ahead of those with the early ratings of others that were supposedly better.

The next big wing man that will jump on the radar of a "one and done" will be Carte'Are Gordon, he's 6'8" 250 and only 16. His body is damn near NBA ready now !

[Pointgod]

If we have the worst record in the league what are the chances we stay top 3 in the lottery?

Mind you I don't think we're going to be that bad but curious what our chances of falling out of top three are if we have the worst record.

Worst record in the NBA guarantees a top 3 pick. Yeah I don't doubt that we'll be close to the bottom 3 if not in it.

[MelosSoreWrist]

If we have the worst record in the league what are the chances we stay top 3 in the lottery?

Mind you I don't think we're going to be that bad but curious what our chances of falling out of top three are if we have the worst record.

If the Lakers have the worst record, they have 64.3% chance of getting a top 3 pick.

If the Lakers have the 2nd worst record, they have 55.8% chance of getting a top 3 pick.

If the Lakers have the 3rd worst record, they have 46.9% chance of getting a top 3 pick

[danfantastk32]

How nice would it be to have a decent season...maybe 28-32 wins. Show some improvement. Maybe end up 8th or 9th in the lottery, and yet still get a top 3 pick. Really just piss the fu** out of all the Laker haters.

Hey....8th place has a 10% chance of retaining a top-3 pick. That's some serious luck, but hardly 'astronomical odds' or anything like that. THAT right there would be a freakin AWESOME season imo.