Lakers Draft Prospects: Skal Labissiere Breakdown

Lakers Fit

The obvious fit for the Lakers is there with Skal Labissiere. There’s virtually no shot that the Lakers re-sign Roy Hibbert this offseason once his contract expires—or at least one would have to hope. Subsequently, adding yet another high end prospect to grow alongside the likes of D’Angelo Russell and immediately next to Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr. in the frontcourt would be a sensible move.

And while there a number of big-time problems with Labissiere as an NBA prospect, largely centering around his strength and lack of bulk to go along with his tall frame, make no mistake that he has loads of potential. Guys of his size with his level of skill at only 19 years old are not commonplace. The big question, though, is just how long it’s going to be before some of the intangibles and his physical tools come around so that he can start scratching the surface of his potential.

Because of that and, considering that the Lakers are expected to make pretty sizable strides next season with a year of experience under the belts of the young core and with a hopefully hefty haul in free agency, Labissiere seems like somewhat of a stay-away for the Lakers. I would much rather see them try and pursue a sensible deal with free agents such as Al Horford, Hassan Whiteside, or even veteran Joakim Noah.

Next: Lakers Draft Prospects: Brandon Ingram Breakdown

If the Lakers were to take Labissiere as Chad Ford predicts, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. They would be getting a big man prospect with tremendous upside. However, there are still a ton of questions and it would be a while before his impact would truly be felt. Subsequently, it’d probably be best to look elsewhere if you’re the Lakers in the 2016 NBA Draft.