2017 Lakers Draft Pick Discussion

[iQon]

You guys legit feel lonzo is the 2nd best player in the draft

no.

some of us he will the the best player in the draft

is Russell a goner?

no but i will listen about Russell for Porzingis

add your pick and I'll let you know in a little

No offense I dont know, I'm thinking Ball isn't anything special. Just the vibe I get off this kid. Good kid, good passer, tall PG, but I dont know. I can't wait for summer league to get an idea. You guys should target Jackson he's going to be a great player. Trade Russell and to the Suns for Bledsoe and their first next season and draft Jackson. The Lakers will be a attractive, championship team in a few years.

I expect Ball to look like what Ben Simmons did last year.

[Pointgod]

For every Ding, Schultz, etc. smoke-filled article, you get one of these:

http://nesn.com/2017/06/heres-why-colin-cowherd-believes-lakers-will-never-pass-on-lonzo-ball/

“The Lakers don’t want to appear desperate for Lonzo Ball,” Cowherd said, as transcribed by FOX Sports’ Nick Schwartz. “They don’t want to appear locked into Lonzo Ball, because the (Boston) Celtics have the No. 1 pick … the Lakers don’t want to get used by the Celtics, who could threaten to take Lonzo (and) put the Lakers in a very precarious position.

“You think the Lakers have the leverage? No, they don’t. Lonzo Ball has the leverage here,” Cowherd said. “He is instant commerce. Lonzo’s going to have a nice career without the Lakers. The Lakers have not had momentum in years, that’s why they signed Kobe Byant (in 2013). Time Warner was demanding they give them a star, because Time Warner pays the Lakers a lot every year. It’s a massive deal. Time Warner said ‘sign Kobe or no money, we’re not signing a deal.’ “The Lakers will set every NBA summer league attendance and TV rating record if Lonzo Ball is a Laker. So this report that the Lakers aren’t interested, or are not locked into Lonzo Ball is laughable. They need him more than he needs them.”

First I don't know why anyone would listen to Cowherd. If I'm the Lakers I let every team know how desperate I am for Lonzo so the Celtics will draft him and the better player will fall to us

[TheRealKaboom]

You guys legit feel lonzo is the 2nd best player in the draft

no.

some of us he will the the best player in the draft

is Russell a goner?

no but i will listen about Russell for Porzingis

add your pick and I'll let you know in a little

No offense I dont know, I'm thinking Ball isn't anything special. Just the vibe I get off this kid. Good kid, good passer, tall PG, but I dont know. I can't wait for summer league to get an idea. You guys should target Jackson he's going to be a great player. Trade Russell and to the Suns for Bledsoe and their first next season and draft Jackson. The Lakers will be a attractive, championship team in a few years.

For the millionth time, we are not trading Russell. As much as fans of other teams would love to have him, it's not happening. If any of those top 2015 picks are being traded, it's Porzingis. He clearly wants out of that dysfunctional Knicks mess. And not Okafor because no other team wants him.

D'Angelo is about to have a classic third-year breakout season. On the Lakers.

[playboy jeanie]

Fultz working out for the Kings is weird. Maybe a three way with 5 and 10 going to Chicago and Butler going to Celtics? Why wouldnt Chicago just take the #1? Ainge cant want more picks and more pieces. His roster is already filled with young players, he has euro stashed players and he has more picks coming up. He needs quality not quantity.

Maybe a smoke screen to get the Lakers to panic and outbid Sac to get the 1st pick and Celtics get their guy plus asset?

[Michael Lucky]

Lakers have zero reasons to panic. I'm certain they have Fultz at the top of their draft board like everyone else.

[Danny Darko]

You guys legit feel lonzo is the 2nd best player in the draft and the correct choice and is Russell a goner?

No I don't think he's a goner. I think he becomes something we listen about, but even though I don't love his 'tude he's already trending above guys like James harden at his age and output. Also he plays the 2 well, so it's not a redundancy with Lonzo... if anything he's attractive to send to Philly if it means getting a longer rookie deal for a massive D wing presence like Jackson to me, but I wouldn't say we are hustling to move him.

Once we get closer to PG, though, something has to give on salary and he, Randle, and Clarkson are our best bets to move a Moz/Deng contract.

[NBAWestFan]

That is interesting if Either Sacramento ends up with #1

That could mean #5 and #10 to Boston
and Sacramento gets the #1 and could pick Fultz or they could grab Ball or Jackson.



Not sure what Magic and friends think of Ball but glad to know they are taking a good look
at as many as they can.

They should try to get Fultz in in case he is not #1.

I would not be surprised if Boston traded with Sac for two picks

They can get two too players and package them for a Star or keep them.

[Kilroy]

Fultz working out for the Kings is weird. Maybe a three way with 5 and 10 going to Chicago and Butler going to Celtics? Why wouldnt Chicago just take the #1? Ainge cant want more picks and more pieces. His roster is already filled with young players, he has euro stashed players and he has more picks coming up. He needs quality not quantity.

Maybe a smoke screen to get the Lakers to panic and outbid Sac to get the 1st pick and Celtics get their guy plus asset?

You'd have to figure that if LaVar found out the Kings were going after Lonzo, he'd be running around Sac naked, beating women with small, orphaned woodland creatures.

In one of the interviews he did after the workout though, the entire interview was just a closup on his face and to me it looked like he stifled a laugh when the interviewer asked him "What if the Lakers don't pick you."...
I think he knows we're going to pick him... It just makes too much sense for us to pick him and too little sense for anyone else.

[TylersLakers]

You guys legit feel lonzo is the 2nd best player in the draft and the correct choice and is Russell a goner?

No I don't think he's a goner. I think he becomes something we listen about, but even I don't love his 'tude he's already trending above guys like James harden at his age and output. Also he plays the 2 well, so it's not a redundancy with Lonzo... if anything he's attractive to send to Philly if it means getting a longer rookie deal for a massive D wing presence like Jackson to me, but I wouldn't say we are hustling to move him.

Once we get closer to PG, though, something has to give on salary and he, Randle, and Clarkson are our best bets to move a Moz/Deng contract.

I honestly think they're the Lakers back court of the future. I think Russell is going to prosper with him. Lonzo will be playing off ball a lot as well, which won't take away from Russell's ball handling opportunities all too much. As Lonzo gets better at the pick and roll and isolation game throughout the years, that's when Russell's ball handling duties will start do diminish and he'll flourish off ball.

I really hope the Lakers aren't over thinking this.

[iamworthy]

Lakers Draft News: Lonzo Ball thinks he and D’Angelo Russell would complement each other on the court

“I think we could play pretty well,” Ball said. “I think if you saw the last twenty games he was actually doing very well. I feel he’s more of a two guard than a point guard and I think he can complement my game just on the fact that he can score and he can shoot. So all he has to do is run the floor and I can get the ball to him, and he can put it in the basket.”

Read on Twitter

[iamworthy]

There's something to be said about the love the ball family has for the Lakers

Read on Twitter

[Sushisensei26]

There's something to be said about the love the ball family has for the Lakers

Read on Twitter

Honestly, how can any Lakers fan not fall in love with them.

I hope we aren't gonna outsmart ourselves here.

In the horror scenario that Boston takes Lonzo, just pick Fultz. Don't even wait. Don't do anything cheeky. Just call it in right there.
If they pick Fultz we get our guy.

[NBAWestFan]

We shall see it is not done till it is a done deal.

Sounded Like Boston did not think Fultz was better than IT in terms of a leader and competitor

Boston will want #5 and Willie Callie-Stein and maybe the #10 if Sac is willing to part with them and give the #1 and probably
another young player they are overloaded with


I think Ball and Russell could work but since Ball is a passer he will work with almost anyone who wants to shoot the ball.
The Lakers need a big guy to lob it up too if Ball is there guy.

If it is Jackson then this team is going to take sometime or a trade has to be made.

[TyCobb]

Lakers have zero reasons to panic. I'm certain they have Fultz at the top of their draft board like everyone else.

Or...

If Boston drafts Ball #1 and #2 on the Lakers' board is Jackson, then it would make sense for Fultz to put in a workout with Sac because we'd be trading back to draft him.

[Michael Lucky]

Don't worry Ty, no chance Boston takes Lonzo.

Although watching Lavar's reaction as Lonzo is forced to play the 2 would be pretty funny to watch.

[TheRealKaboom]

D'Angelo will thrive playing off the ball. Look at these stats from his rookie year:



He was better in all facets playing the 2, and even his assist rate remained the same.

That was with the likes of Marcelo Huertas playing the 1 in Byron's "system". Now imagine our boy Zo at the 1 feeding a third-year D'Angelo at the 2.

[TyCobb]

Don't worry Ty, no chance Boston takes Lonzo.

Although watching Lavar's reaction as Lonzo is forced to play the 2 would be pretty funny to watch.

After reading Ainge's comments about Pierce, I'd say there is a better chance in the Celtics taking Lonzo than the Lakers passing up on Lonzo if he is available.


But we won't read about that from any Lakers writers. The worst kept secret is still in motion.

[Pointgod]

There's something to be said about the love the ball family has for the Lakers

Read on Twitter

Yeah going to the Lakers will boost their personal brand or should I say Lavars brand. Lonzo seems like he should doesn't give a **** where he plays. Lavar loves the spotlight and Lonzo to the Lakers will ratchet up the hype machine.

[TheHartBreakKid]

Lakers have zero reasons to panic. I'm certain they have Fultz at the top of their draft board like everyone else.

Or...

If Boston drafts Ball #1 and #2 on the Lakers' board is Jackson, then it would make sense for Fultz to put in a workout with Sac because we'd be trading back to draft him.

I don't see Boston taking Ball, but I feel like in that situation Fultz would be number 2 on our board no?

[Slava]

D'Angelo will thrive playing off the ball. Look at these stats from his rookie year:



He was better in all facets playing the 2, and even his assist rate remained the same.

That was with the likes of Marcelo Huertas playing the 1 in Byron's "system". Now imagine our boy Zo at the 1 feeding a third-year D'Angelo at the 2.

Where did you get the % time spent at SG/PG from? I used 82games before.