Noah Vonleh vs. Aaron Gordon: NBA Draft Prospect Match-up

Where Do They Fit With The Lakers

For both players, they’ll likely join a franchise that will be looking for immediate contributions from them. With the Lakers likely to bring in more than a few talented players this summer, the demands may be lesser in Los Angeles compared to Philadelphia or Orlando.

With Gordon, the Lakers would be getting a more immediate impact player. With the Clippers donning the lob city nickname, Gordon could help sway the tide. He’s certainly a more high-flying, highlight reel player who could bring some excitement back to LA. If the Lakers do bring back Gasol, Gordon could greatly benefit from some patented pin-point Pau passing. Think what Pau did with Dwight in terms of lobs, then substitute Gordon in.

For Vonleh, he’d certainly benefit playing on a team of stars more than Gordon and most other players in the draft. However, give him time to develop and Vonleh could be your power forward of the future, possibly even a center given his length. With the Lakers, he’ll have the opportunity to learn under some of the Lakers greats like Kobe or Kareem while also not being demanded to carry a franchise just yet.

In the end, it’s a matter of if the Lakers value winning now versus winning in the future. If they want to appease Kobe’s win-now mentality, they’ll go with Gordon. But the smarter bet and the one they should make is drafting Vonleh and reaping benefits for years into the future.