Lakers Thread

[Kevin]

[Jackal]

Greg Monroe come to LA.

LA is kind. LA is smart. LA is important.

[Kevin]

Not until we get LMA

[Jackal]

Think LMA will end up with one of the Texas teams, if he's smart he'd pick SA.

Read David West has interest in NY so Monroe is still on the market and not a lock in NY.

LA has no front line.

[NovU]

I seriously didn't see this coming.



Frigging media hype machines. Perhaps KAT/Okafor weren't as impressive. Heck, even Darko was awesome in workout vids.

[Kevin]

Yes, they were hyped but the Lakers are trying to go for Aldridge or Gasol (or anyone tall, really) and they knew that if they picked somebody like Okafor, it's going to get crowded in the front court so they went with Russell who allegedly is the "most nba-ready guy in the draft" "the best player in the draft" "the highest ceiling among the prospects".

[Bruce]

Russel doesn't seem to have elite level quickness and lights out shooting. Time will tell if he can be a superstar or LA just let Okafor slip past their hands. If it's any consolation, I think the Lakers can make a serious run at LMA if not I think Love is availble and everybody knows Love has always been dying to be a Laker.

It looks like Hollis-Jefferson is still in play. LA worked him out and at this point he could fill in a position of need for the Lakers.

[NovU]

I thought the same about Russell. Though he does have that 15-10-5 potential, he lacks athleticism. What guard could we compare him to in this league, I'm not so sure, perhaps J-Kidd since Russell has similar size? Russell's going to be unique if not mediocre imho.

I am sure the Lakers drafted whom they thought is the best player available at #2.

[Bruce]

Actually, I look at him and think more brian shaw than kidd. nba-draft.net compares him to penny hardaway and brandon roy. hope that works out well for him.

Rounding out the other picks, they took Larry Nance Jr at 27. Seems like too safe of a pick. 22 y/o 4 SR, son of former NBA player, but still many projections and mock drafts place him in the 2nd round. They passed on more highly scouted players in Kevon Looney and Rakeem Christmas. They two probably underwhelmed the Lakers in the pre-draft workouts. Anthony Brown at 34, seems this pick will give the Lakers a legitimate 3pt shooter. Too bad the Lakers are not playing 3 and D style.

In the end, this draft in not how I imagined it will turn out. But I guess the repercussions of this year's draft haul for the Lakers can only be judged by the FA haul they take in the next 2-3 off season. The Lakers being likely without 2 first round picks for the next 2-3 seasons would probably have dull drafts then.

[[Q]]

There's quite a few big-name bigs in free agency and I think that the Lakers could lure one of them to LA.

If not, they can overpay Ed Davis in a Jordan Hill type deal and try again next year.

[Sauru]

its the lakers, they are going to lure every free agent. #easymode

[benji]

Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said the team has spoken to one of its first-round draft picks about a tweet the player sent out in 2012 that referred to a sexual assault case involving star guard Kobe Bryant.

The tweet was published May 1, 2012, on the account belonging to Larry Nance Jr., a forward from the University of Wyoming whom the Lakers selected 27th overall in Thursday's NBA draft.

Nance's tweet, which was deleted within minutes of his selection by the Lakers, read: "Gee I sure hope Kobe can keep his hands to himself in Denver this time." It also included the hashtag "#rapist."

[Kevin]

oh social media. Same is what's happening to Bobby Portis who tweeted "Fxck D Rose and tha Bulls! #teamHEAT over here" he later deleted it too then asked Pau and Rose what "kinda donuts yall like?". They sure are going to pay for that

[Jackal]

Really hope Mitch does some magic in this free agency. Would be nice to be back competing for the playoffs instead of a lottery pick.

This time it's top 3 protected so let's not try to suck this year mkay Byron? Mkay?

Excited to watch this young back court of Russell/Clarkson. Also hope Nash keeps working with these guys in an official role now that he might have processed his forced retirement.

[dare]

After a few hours I'm liking the Russell pick. Obviously Mitch and co found something special to the kid, I hope he turn out to be a great player. Also there is a pattern that works with the Lakers. Get a guard in the rookie draft and get your bigman via free agent or trade.

Magic/Kareem
Kobe/Shaq
D'Angelo/????

[air gordon]

Didn't think anyone saw the Russell pick coming!

I'm quite surprised. A lot of hype about KAT and okafor being franchise type players and the lakers went ahead and nabbed..... A guard

I Don't think fans should feel a letdown. Lakers will just keep on trucking with a lot of $ to throw at the big name fa's

[Kevin]

D'Angelo/LMA

Fixed

Didn't think anyone saw the Russell pick coming!

I'm quite surprised. A lot of hype about KAT and okafor being franchise type players and the lakers went ahead and nabbed..... A guard

I Don't think fans should feel a letdown. Lakers will just keep on trucking with a lot of $ to throw at the big name fa's

Yeah, they were hyped and rightfully so. I think the Lakers changed their pick to Russell when they realized what they can do in FA. Only thing is if they fail to get somebody in Free Agency, Okafor will spit on them in the next season for passing him up.

[air gordon]

If you believe the hype..is okafor's franchise potential better than the FA's and the salary required?

[Kevin]

Okafor's no Aldridge right off the bat but if he can get healthy and get playing time, I'm sure he can be even greater than Aldridge. I'd still go with Okafor rather than Aldridge because I like his "franchise player potential".

[Maverick]

Think LMA will end up with one of the Texas teams, if he's smart he'd pick SA.

Agreed. I was actually surprised that LA was in the conversation of where he'd go.

[air gordon]

Okafor's no Aldridge right off the bat but if he can get healthy and get playing time, I'm sure he can be even greater than Aldridge. I'd still go with Okafor rather than Aldridge because I like his "franchise player potential".

So disagree with the lakers brass move?

[Jackal]

Not me, it's easy being a fan and saying we should've picked him over him but we don't even see these guys work out or talk to them/get to know what makes them tick. We see some YouTube vids, read some hype machine articles and think yeah; this guy is the shit.

I trust Mitch Kupchak to do right by the franchise, the guy has done more than a lot of other GM's with his wheeling and dealing. Sure part of it is because it's the Lakers and all but he's not all omg I'm Phil Jackson.

If Kupchak says Russell is the shit then so be it. I'll still hope Okafor turns out to be a stud but not legendary stud. That's reserved for Russell now.

[Sauru]

Not me, it's easy being a fan and saying we should've picked him over him but we don't even see these guys work out or talk to them/get to know what makes them tick. We see some YouTube vids, read some hype machine articles and think yeah; this guy is the shit.

god i wish more people would realize this

[Kevin]

Okafor's no Aldridge right off the bat but if he can get healthy and get playing time, I'm sure he can be even greater than Aldridge. I'd still go with Okafor rather than Aldridge because I like his "franchise player potential".

So disagree with the lakers brass move?

I don't disaree with it, I'm just surprised they didn't go for Okafor. But knowing what there plans are in Free Agency, it makes sense now. My only wish is that Free Agency won't be a flop for the Lakers.

[air gordon]

Jackal,
That's certainly an interesting development. I suggested drafting a guard instead of developing 2 post players and you were against it, salivating over okafor's franchise potential.

And Russell has just as many hype articles and reports of great workouts. You just chose not to read them since you were busy drinking the okafor kool aid

Kevin
Admitting okafor's potential is better than Aldridge and would prefer to have the former is suggesting you don't agree with the pick