Mar 29, 2015; Houston, TX, USA; Duke Blue Devils center
Jahlil Okafor
(15) drives past Gonzaga Bulldogs forward
Domantas Sabonis
(11) during the first half in the finals of the south regional of the 2015 NCAA Tournament at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports
Best Case Scenario
PG – Goran Dragic
SG – Kobe Bryant
SF – Tobias Harris
PF – Julius Randle
C – Jahlil Okafor
This one requires a small stretch of imagination, but it IS best case scenario. In this scenario, the Lakers not only keep their draft pick, but land the #1 pick. With it, they secure their frontcourt of the future, needless to say.
Meanwhile, in free agency, the Lakers not only land two premier targets, but also at a slightly discounted price. Depending on the exact amount the cap falls at, the duo of Harris and Dragic would earn a combined max of roughly $36 million, whereas LA, at most, could have $31 million in cap space. If they got a little creative, maybe backloaded some contracts with the cap explosion coming, the deals could be worked out.
This doesn’t even talk about the bench, which would include Tarik Black, Ryan Kelly, Clarkson and three draft picks from this year’s draft, mixed in with whatever bargains they can find in free agency. And with Bryant’s contract coming off the books and the cap rising, they are perfectly positioned for the future. Tell Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook to turn that down.
Next: Most Realistic Scenario