After an abysmal, worst-in-franchise-history regular season, Lakers fans finally have something to smile about but a ton of questions still remain
First things first, the firing of Byron Scott and subsequent hiring of Luke Walton alone is already cause enough for celebration. Although Walton is relatively inexperienced, it is widely believed he is the right man for the job, someone who will relate well to the Lakers’ young core and install an offense that makes best use of their talents.
In addition, on Tuesday the Lakers’ good fortune continued as they landed the second overall pick in the 2016 draft. Experts agree that the Lakers will land one of two players, Ben Simmons of LSU or Brandon Ingram of Duke, who have separated themselves from the rest of the pack and the Lakers presumably would be happy with either man.
The 6-10 Simmons has terrific court vision, is a great passer and has a skill set comparable to that of Lamar Odom, Magic Johnson and LeBron James, but he has yet to display any sort of outside shot. Still, Bleacher Reports’ Kevin Ding wrote that league sources indicate the Philadelphia 76ers are ‘leaning heavily’ towards selecting Simmons with the number one pick.
More from Lake Show Life
- 3 most underrated players currently on the Los Angeles Lakers roster
- 2 Lakers who would benefit the most from a Kyrie Irving trade
- Victor Oladipo’s Russell Westbrook comments are terrible sign for Lakers
- 4 Free agent fits for the Lakers while they wait on Kyrie Irving
- 3 Most likely positions the Lakers will use for the last roster spot
Ingram, on the other hand, is a sleek, athletic 6-9 forward who is equally adept at slashing to the basket but can also knock down 3-point shots. He is most reminiscent of Kevin Durant or Anthony Davis, but the concern now is whether his wire-thin frame will hold up in the NBA.
Since the Lakers will almost certainly take whichever player Philadelphia does not, the pressure is off general manager, Mitch Kupchak, as there will likely be little second-guessing about their pick. Instead he can focus on all the other work that needs to be done to fill out the Lakers roster.
Though talented, the young group may be in need of complementary veterans leaving Kupchak with a series of questions that must be answered.
Next: First Things First...