Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; A general view as the names of the first round draft picks are displayed above the stage during the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Mitch Kupchak and the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in a fairly unique situation. Rarely in the franchise’s history has the front office had so much flexibility to work with heading into the draft. They’ll be positioned to set the foundation for a long-term rebuild, the likes of which Lakers fans have seldom experienced.
-== Top 10 Lakers Draft Picks of All-Time ==-
A miss at the top of the draft could devastate said rebuild and I won’t even mention the possibility of losing the pick outright out of sheer personal pain. So, let’s look back and examine how moves the Lakers made brought them to this point.
To understand how the Lakers have “missed” in the NBA draft, you first have to understand how the organization has seen the value, or lack thereof, in drawing talent from college basketball. Yes, much of the Lakers’ most successful runs were aided by selections at the top of the draft (Magic Johnson and James Worthy were chosen first overall) or draft day trades (Kobe Bryant obviously comes to mind). In that sense, the Lakers have almost completely avoided outright busts.
There are, however, stretches in which the front office valued veteran consistency for playoff and title runs, which is our first category of draft missteps.
Next: Trades
Mar 24, 2015; El Segundo, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Steve Nash addresses the media at the press conference to announce his retirement at the Toyota Sports Center. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Trades
When it appears the Lakers are only a trade or two away from legitimate title contention, or to turn said contender into a favorite, the organization has showed a willingness to take that next step. The downside, however, is the tendency to overlook building for the future. Hence, the Lakers’ current situation.
2007:
Marc Gasol has turned into one of, if not the most talented big men in the NBA. While no one could’ve seen that development coming to this extent, he sure would look good in purple and gold. Before he would play a game in that uniform, he was a part of the deal that brought his brother, Pau Gasol to the Lakers. When the trade took place, Marc was considered an afterthought, but has easily turned into the most impactful player heading to the Memphis Grizzlies. Though that title isn’t exactly a stretch when the other players were Javaris Crittenton (we’ll hear about him later) and Kwame Brown.
It’s hard to call this move a miss, though, given that Pau brought two titles to Los Angeles.
2009:
Toney Douglas was selected 29th overall and sent to the New York Knicks on draft day for cash and a second-round pick which would be conveyed in 2009 (Andrew Goudelock). At his peak, Douglas was a fairly mediocre point guard, but has managed to stay in the league since. Neither point guard on that roster (Derek Fisher or Jordan Farmar) can say the same, nor can the player he was essentially traded for: the aforementioned Goudelock. This is the kind of trade that has tied the Lakers’ hands recently. No, Douglas would not have altered the current, dire situation, but he might’ve brought some type of consistency at that position after Farmar and Fisher departed. By not stretch of the imagination is this a monumental miss, but one all the same.
Patrick Beverley has tortured opposing point guards the last couple years on the Houston Rockets, but was originally a second round pick by the Lakers the same year as Douglas. Just like Douglas, he was sent away on draft day for cash and a 2011 second-rounder (Ater Majok). Unlike Douglas, however, the player Beverley was traded for hasn’t played a minute in the NBA. Again, not a disastrous miss, but several missteps like these two can add up quickly.
2010:
The Memphis took Greivis Vasquez 28th by way of the second of two first-rounders sent as part of the Pau Gasol trade. Vasquez has outperformed his draft position, having produced at near-starter levels over the last few seasons. As I said earlier, though, when you acquire a player like Pau, you’ll end up giving up some legitimate prospects. That Vasquez was taken so late (28th) is further proof of the successful transaction.
2012:
Alright, make sure you’re sitting for this one. We’re about to take the article in a dark direction. Two words are all that are really needed here: Steve Nash. In all, the Lakers gave up four draft picks for 65 games of a limited Nash. Most notably, this year’s top-five protected pick is almost literally holding the franchise hostage. Just as the Pau trade was the best-case scenario of a move to help the team take that “next step”, Nash’s acquisition was the worst. If there’s something lower than the worst, let me know. I’ll assign that adjective to the Steve Nash trade.
Next: Draft Selections
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Selections 2005-2006
Retroactively gauging success in any draft is an exercise in playing the results. You never know which scouting reports said what, nor whom the Lakers valued at any spot over another. That being said, it is the front office’s job to find gems late or nail their early picks. So, how did the last ten drafts go for the Lakers?
2005:
Andrew Bynum (10th): As much criticism Bynum gets, he really turned into a bargain in the top ten. He made an all-star appearance and played a vital role on two championship teams. Not only that, his development helped bring Kobe Bryant back off the ledge of his trade demands, before the Lakers eventually traded for Pau. (Grade: A).
Ronny Turiaf And Von Wafer (37th and 39th): I’m grouping these two together for simplicity’s sake. Turiaf has enjoyed a lengthy career, having outlast most mid-to-late-thirties picks. Wafer lasted about as long as most players selected at 39 tend to. (Grades: A and C).
Players the Lakers missed: Danny Granger (17th), David Lee (30th), Ersan Ilyasova (36th), Monta Ellis (40th).
2006:
Jordan Farmar (26th): Playing point guard alongside Kobe and in the Triangle Offense was never going to be easy for Farmar. Hoping that a late-first-round draft pick would turn out to be a building block is a stretch, though Farmar’s stints with the Lakers always felt like they were somehow missing something. (Grade: C+)
Chiek Samb (51st): Who? Exactly. Samb would be traded for Detroit and make hardly an impact at all. (Grade: F)
Players the Lakers missed: Paul Millsap (47th).
Next: Dark Times in Laker Land
Mar 25, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Portland Trail Blazers guard Arron Afflalo (4) dribbles the ball as Utah Jazz guard Elijah Millsap (13) defends during the first quarter at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Selections 2007-2009
2007:
Javaris Crittenton (19th): To say the Lakers got sufficient bang for their buck would be quite the stretch. Crittenton has since fallen completely out of the league and into the legal system. That Pau Gasol trade has been covered ad nauseum here, but Crittenton was considered a decent piece heading to Memphis. In that sense, landing a hall of famer for him was great, but he in no way, shape or form has lived up to his draft position. (Grade: F)
Sun Yue (40th): Again, evaluating talent this deep in the draft is always a tough undertaking. Yue was 6’9” and allegedly boasted point guard skills. Only his height lived up to the hype, though, and he hardly spent more than a cup of coffee in the league. Still, though, he has one more title than Charles Barkley. (Grade: D)
Players the Lakers missed: Wilson Chandler (23rd), Arron Afflalo (27th)
2008:
As the Lakers sent their first-round pick to Memphis and their own second rounder was 58th, no players of worth were selected, nor available.
2009:
Toney Douglas and Patrick Beverley were the Lakers original selections, but were traded essentially for cash and later draft picks. That financial flexibility assisted in keeping bringing in veteran production, but a more lasting impact might’ve been made had they just kept the picks and moved on as such. (Grades: C and B).
Players the Lakers missed: Chase Budinger (44th), Danny Green (46th), Patty Mills (55th).
Next: Lakers Keep Missing
December 23, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Robert Sacre (50) moves to the basket against the Golden State Warriors during the second half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Selections 2010-2012
2010:
Similarly to 2008, the Lakers’ first-rounder went to Memphis and had late second-round picks in which little talent was available otherwise. As it was, they selected Devin Ebanks and Derrick Caracter, neither of whom did hardly anything as Lakers. (Grades: D and F)
2011:
The New Jersey Nets owned the Lakers first-round pick in 2011, and despite a flurry of action in the second round, in Andrew Goudelock and Darius Morris were selected, the Lakers were hardly able to pull anything off of lasting meaning – Mini-Mambas aside. (Grades: C and C)
Player the Lakers (and everyone else) missed: Isaiah Thomas (60th)
2012:
Darius Johnson-Odom (55th): Oddly enough, the Lakers traded the 55th selection to Dallas who then traded Johnson-Odom back to the Lakers. Darius’ career as a Laker was significantly more straight-forward. He hardly made any impact, as most 55th picks tend to do. (Grade: F)
Robert Sacre (60th): Expecting literally anything from the final pick in the draft is pretty ridiculous, so in that sense, Sacre has more than fulfilled his end of the bargain. He’s a great teammate and will probably enjoy another couple years in the NBA has a seven-footer who can walk and breathe simultaneously. (Grade: A)
Next: Lakers Have Hope
Jun 26, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Julius Randle (Kentucky) shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number seven overall pick to the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2014 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Selections 2013-2014
2013:
Ryan Kelly (48th): Are you starting to see a trend here? The Lakers hadn’t used a pick in the first round since 2007. Two-thousand and seven! Sure a couple players (like Kelly) have shown flashes where they outplayed their draft position, but relying on that is how the organization found itself so devoid of young talent. (Grade: C)
Again, drafting only once and so low, the Lakers didn’t miss on anyone in particular, though a case could be made for James Ennis (50th).
2014:
Julius Randle (7th): Easily the most depressing aspect of last season was watching it take place without Randle. His freak injury set the tone for the worst season in franchise history. Still, he showed plenty of talent in summer league and preseason and will look to bounce back in 2015-16. (Grade: Incomplete)
Jordan Clarkson (46th): Thank goodness for this kid. Clarkson was acquired in the same kind of draft salary dump that got the Lakers into this kind of predicament in the first place. Clarkson is that rare occurrence where other teams list a Laker on a “Player the ____s missed” chart. (Grade: A)
Players who the Lakers Missed: It’s literally impossible to say, given Randle’s injury and having only watched a season of the rest of the rookies.
Next: Conclusion
Feb 25, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Clarkson (6) reacts to dunking the ball during the first half against the Utah Jazz at EnergySolutions Arena. Mandatory Credit: Russ Isabella-USA TODAY Sports
Conclusion
Building a contender requires both star power and role players. That shouldn’t be breaking news to anyone. The issue teams (in the case, the Lakers) run into all too often is to completely dismiss the importance of keeping the future in mind. You saw that stretch from 2007 to 2013. THE LAKERS HAD ZERO FIRST ROUNDERS OF THEIR OWN FOR HALF A DECADE.
Now, is that the price of those five titles? If so, fans and the front office must ask themselves, were the last two seasons worth it?