Lakers Draft: Why Drafting Kristaps Porzingis Is a Bad Idea
By Scott Asai
Kristaps Porzingis has impressed at NBA Draft Workouts lately, but the #2 pick in the NBA Draft is nothing for the Los Angeles Lakers to take lightly. Athletically, Porzingis is being compared to Kevin Garnett with the shooting touch of Dirk Nowitzki. His video footage is impressive, but there’s also a great chance he could turn into Andrea Bargnani.
-== Best Lakers Draft Pick & Free Agent Pairings ==-
Porzingis can shoot from the outside like a “stretch 5,” but the Lakers need a big man who can dominate in the paint. Scouting reports confirm his speed and quickness, but concerns about his low-post and rebounding game are definite red flags. Porzingis can put on weight, but that could essentially eliminate his strength of being versatile. As much as NBA coaches and trainers claim to be able to transform players, usually what a player comes into the league with is what he becomes known for. Weaknesses can be improved, but they’ll never be completely fixed.
If you need statistical evidence, Porzingis is efficient while on the floor, but his numbers are not awe-inspiring. At 11 points and 4 rebounds in the European League, it’s nothing to get excited about. Smart agents focus on putting together a great highlight tape then welcome scouts to view their personal workouts that cater to their strengths. Drafting solely on potential is a high-risk, high-reward proposition. The Lakers need a centerpiece to re-build their franchise around, not a mixtape feature.
Mitch Kupchak has been hinting all summer that the Lakers don’t have time to re-build slowly, so essentially rumors about drafting players such as Emmanuel Mudiay, D’Angelo Russell and Porzingis could simply be “smoke and mirrors.” Kupchak has never showed his deck of cards to fans and the media, so why are we speculating what the Lakers might do when it’s pretty clear they’ll take Karl Anthony-Towns or Jahlil Okafor? (whomever Minnesota doesn’t take)
With the salary cap increasing significantly next season, it brings almost every team into play for free agency. The Lakers can’t play the “location” or history card anymore, so the 2015 offseason is crucial towards the future of the franchise. The NBA Draft precedes the free agency period, so as we count down to June 25, 2015, let’s go with Towns or Okafor, the two best big men in the draft.