Quick, name the best Lakers point guard since Magic Johnson. Considering he retired in 1991, we have over 20 years of possible point guards. Certainly, there most be at least one, right? I’ll give you a moment to search deep in your memory banks. Go ahead. I’ll wait.
Was Derek Fisher your answer? A glorified role player who excelled in a system that best fit him? I bet a lot of you picked Nick Van Exel, Sure, he was a fan favorite because he played on some Lakers squads that were void of much talent, but was he really THAT good? 14.9 points and 7.3 assists is the best you’ve gotten out of a point guard since Magic?
Luckily for the Lakers, there are two premier options available in the draft. On one hand, you have the talented, but unproven foreigner in Dante Exum. On the other hand, you have the proven leader who has had character issues brought to the forefront by the name of Marcus Smart. Both remain a top-10 pick, but will the Lakers being interested? Certainly Exum is interested in being a Laker, but will he be available with the Lakers pick? Is Smart talented enough to overlook his possible character issues?
PHYSICAL
Smart – Think of Marcus Smart as a Jason Kidd-like player, strictly from a physical sense. He’s not going to blow you away with his speed or athleticism, nor is he physically dominant, standing at just 6’4. However, what he does possess is a solid wingspan at 6’8 which helps him on the defensive end. He’s a smart player that knows how to use the limited gifts he has physically.
Exum – Everything that Smart doesn’t have physically, Exum has. He has the height at 6’6. He has the wingspan at 6’9. He has athleticism. He can get to the rim and finish. Think of Penny Hardaway when looking for a comparison.
PROS
Mar 12, 2014; Kansas City, MO, USA; Oklahoma State Cowboys guard Marcus Smart (33) shoots as Texas Tech Red Raiders forward Dejan Kravic (11) defends during the second half in the first round of the Big 12 Conference tournament at Sprint Center. The Cowboys won 80 – 62. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Smart – As I started to say last section, Smart has a high basketball IQ. He isn’t going to blow you away physically, but he’ll outsmart you. He’s a fantastic leader who can flourish next to Kobe Bryant and can take over the role of team leader when Bryant retires. Offensively, he improved greatly at getting to the rim and subsequently getting to the line. While he’s a small player, he’s a physically strong player who can hold his own against bigger players he’ll undoubtedly face. His shot is so nice that he could even play shooting guard at times, despite being undersized. At either position, he’s a capable and willing passer who does a great job at getting teammates involved.
Defensively, Smart excels greatly. He’s arguably the best perimeter defender in college basketball and would immediately be an improvement over anything the Lakers have on the perimeter. He has incredible instincts and incredibly quick hands. While much is made about Smart’s supposed character issues, it’s sometimes easy to forget that Smart was likely top pick in last year’s draft. He’s improved, but would not be entering a much deeper draft class. Still, he’s an instant-impact type of player.
Exum – I’m a firm believer that if Dante Exum were playing in America, he’d be in contention for the #1 pick. He is that good. He has the size, he has the skills, he just lacks exposure. He has an absolutely explosive first step and his athleticism lends himself to being a dynamic finisher at the rim. His size is a huge benefit and he knows how to utilize it. He may not have as high a basketball IQ as Smart, but it’s still above average. He creates for teammates after breaking down his defender similar to Smart, but he does it with speed and quickness as opposed to strength and power.
Defensively, there is a gap between Exum and Smart, but Exum has loads of potential. His size lets him guard multiple positions and his speed lends itself to lateral quickness to stay with quicker players. In general, a lot of Exum’s game is based on potential not only because he possess ton of it, but also because there is little to judge him on. Sure, he played in Australia, but the talent level there is questionable at best. While Exum did excel in various exhibition games against American players, there is still a bit of question mark there. And none of this has even mentioned his desire to play with Kobe Bryant and for the Lakers. Hell, check the Lakers crowd next home game and you’ll likely find Exum.
CONS
Smart – The obvious yellow flag for Marcus Smart is his incident. For the “winning attitude” Smart is lauded for, he has a history of flopping and a known history of letting the moment get the best of him. It’s certainly a criticism that has been and will be blown out of proportion, but it exists nonetheless.
From an offensive standpoint, while he has a pure looking shot, it’s inconsistent and streaky. He was a 40% field goal shooter and an ugly 29% from three-point range. Shots can certainly be improved and corrected at the next level, but it remains a knock that needs to be corrected. As we touched on earlier, Smart isn’t a great athlete. While he has adapted, the level of athleticism in the NBA is a whole other level compared to college.
Exum – While scouts love it, potential has been the downfall of many a prospect in the NBA. The good news is Exum has loads and loads of it. The bad news is that there is lots of speculation surrounding him, as I previously discussed. As strong as Smart is, Exum is that weak. In reality, they are mirror opposites of one another. Where has Smart lacks athleticism, Exum is weak.
Offensively, the same questions arise about Exum that do about Smart, namely that he doesn’t have much of a jumper. He neither has a consistent jumper nor does he have great shot selection. Defensively, while he may be fast and quick, his weakness will lead to him struggling against bigger, tougher opponents. Unlike Smart, he won’t succeed as well guarding shooting guards or small forwards.
Where Do They Fit With The Lakers?
There’s no better way to find a leader for the post-Kobe Bryant Lakers than finding the point guard for the future. While both these players would not necessarily perfectly complement Bryant, each would excel. In reality, it’s going to depend on the Lakers draft position which will determine who they select. From a physical standpoint, each is opposite, but both would be perfect for the Lakers. If D’Antoni is still around, he offense is incredibly point guard friendly, and would benefit both these players.
If the Lakers land Exum, they have a player who yearns to be apart of the Lakers franchise. He’s more than willing and eager to learn from Bryant. In order to draft him, the Lakers are going to have to be positioned likely at the 4th spot at worst. He’s entering the same level as Jabari Parker, Andrew Wiggins, and Joel Embiid. Anything past fourth and the chances severely decrease each pick that Exum is around. The best bet the Lakers have at getting Exum later than about sixth is if Exum strong arms his way to Los Angeles, which isn’t likely.
As for Smart, he’s going to fall below the 4th-6th range of picks. If the Lakers keep winning or getting unlucky in the draft, Smart instantly falls into their range. Smart is a fantastic leader and is arguably more suitable to lead the Lakers than Exum. In reality, the Lakers can’t go wrong with either of these picks. While some may not be high on Smart, he was a #1 pick possibility last year for a reason and fans should remember that.