The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly not as high on Lonzo Ball as originally thought. Here are five options they could consider with the second pick if they’re passing on Ball.
The Los Angeles Lakers were big winners at the NBA Draft Lottery. The odds were stacked against the Lakers, who needed to stay in the top-three to hold onto their top pick. Not only did the Lakers remain the top-three, they actually moved up a spot.
The Lakers went into the draft lottery in the third slot. They had a 15.6 percent chance at the first pick and third pick, and 15.7 percent chance at the second pick. Lady Luck was on the Lakers side, as they moved up to the second pick in the draft.
Lakers fans rejoiced, as this put them squarely in position to land UCLA point guard, Lonzo Ball. Ball has been widely regarded as the second best prospect in this year’s draft class, behind only Washington point guard Markelle Fultz. Everyone has been predicting the Lakers will take Ball with the second pick, but that may be changing.
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There was news over the weekend that the Lakers may not be as enamored with Ball as previously thought. It was reported that if the NBA Draft was this past weekend, the Lakers would not be selecting Ball.
This was a huge surprise. Ball to the Lakers has been discussed even before the draft lottery, as LaVar Ball, Lonzo’s father, hasn’t shied away from expressing his hope that Lonzo would land with the Lakers. If these reports have legs, there are a number of different prospects the Lakers could consider.
Which players could be on the Lakers radar? Here are five options the Lakers should consider with the second pick if they pass on Lonzo Ball.
Duke Small Forward, Jayson Tatum
If Markelle Fultz isn’t the top pick by the Boston Celtics, there is a good chance that Jayson Tatum is their pick. Tatum is arguably the most NBA-ready prospect in this year’s draft class. He has an NBA body already and can step into a rotation right away. If he is not selected by the Celtics, he should garner consideration from the Lakers.
Tatum has an advanced offensive game. He needs to continue working on extending his range, but he can certainly score the basketball. His midrange game is already very strong. The athleticism that he possesses makes him a strong player in transition as well.
At 6-feet-8 inches tall, he is very difficult to defend. He is strong enough to score against smaller opponents and athletic enough to take advantage of slower, bigger opponents. His size should also translate to someone that can develop into a good defender.
The only reason he is unlikely to be headed to the Lakers is that of fellow Blue Devil, Brandon Ingram. The Lakers used the second pick in 2016 on Ingram, and are very high on him. It would be a bit of a surprise to see them double down on small forwards, but if they feel Tatum is the best prospect available they could pull the trigger on a Duke small forward for the second consecutive season.
Kentucky Shooting Guard, Malik Monk
Malik Monk is an intriguing prospect. He is someone that can help virtually every team in the NBA, but it may not be in the role that he wants. Every player wants to be a starter, but Monk is someone that may be better suited to come off the bench given his size and skill set.
Monk is listed at only 6-feet-3 inches tall. That is undersized for a shooting guard, which is where he is projected to play. Some teams are hoping that he can develop the skills to play point guard. If not, he could be destined for a super sixth man role, similar to Lou Williams, Jamal Crawford, or what Eric Gordon does for the Houston Rockets now.
The reason he would excel in that role is that Monk can get buckets. Despite the limitations his size causes, Monk is easily the best scorer in this draft. He has deep range on his three-point shot. He attacks the basket relentlessly, as he is a capable scorer off the bounce.
Monk is very athletic. It helps him offensively, and provides hope for teams that he can be a good defender. There is a lot to like about Monk, but he does not have prototypical size. We have seen players that are undersized succeed, but it would be a big risk to select a tweener this high in the draft.
Monk would have a role right away. He could immediately replace Williams as the sixth man, or start at shooting guard. If he is going to start, it needs to be alongside a bigger guard. The Lakers have two in D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson. They are one of the few teams that could potentially make up for Monk’s biggest flaw in his size.
Florida State Forward, Jonathan Isaac
Jonathan Isaac is one of the prospects that are flying a bit under the radar. The Florida State forward has humongous upside, arguably the most of anyone in this year’s draft class. Florida State’s deep bench limited how much we saw Isaac on the court, as he played only 26.2 minutes per game.
Despite playing fewer minutes than other top prospects, Isaac was still extremely productive. He produces on both ends of the court. Isaac averaged 12 points per game, shooting 50.8 percent from the field and showcasing the skills to develop a three-point game. He made 78 percent of his free throws, so he has a good shot at extending his range.
Defensively is where Isaac makes his bread and butter. He averaged 7.8 rebounds per game despite playing only 26.2 minutes. He averaged 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals per game as well. Isaac has already shown the capabilities of being a good rim protector, but he is not uncomfortable on the perimeter. He played some small forward at Florida State but is capable of playing power forward as well. If he continues to add strength, he could even play some center, as he is already 6-feet-11 inches tall.
The sky’s the limit for Isaac. He legitimately has as chance to develop into an all-world defender, someone who can defend all over the court and defend all five positions. His offensive game is growing, as his perimeter game is ahead of his interior game. If he adds strength and toughness, Isaac’s game will reach another level.
Many people in the analytic crowd believe that will happen. Isaac is a favorite of the analytic’s crowd, and rightfully so. He would be an excellent selection for the Lakers as he could fill a number of different roles and play alongside many different players on the roster.
Kansas Small Forward, Josh Jackson
If the Lakers decide to not go with a point guard with the second pick, Josh Jackson very well could be the reason why. Jackson is regarded by many as the top wing player in this year’s class, and with good reason.
While Jackson isn’t thought to have as NBA-ready a body as Jayson Tatum, he is measured as being the same height and weighing only two pounds fewer. While Jackson isn’t as developed offensively, defensively he is on a totally different level.
If you want someone that will lock up the perimeter, Jackson is your guy. He is a tenacious defender with a motor that is constantly going. His outstanding athleticism, which helps him on both ends of the court. He can stick with players defensively, and offensively it helps him play above the rim.
Jackson’s basketball IQ is extremely high. He uses that to his advantage and is partly why he plays so well off the ball as a cutter and slasher. Jackson is an underrated passer as well; the only thing his offense is lacking is shooting. Jackson needs to work on his jumper. It isn’t broken by any means, but consistency is key; he made only 37.8 percent of his three-point attempts and 56.6 percent of his free throws.
Jackson is one of the safer prospects in this year’s draft class because of his defense. He comes with some off-court baggage, as he will have to undergo anger management classes for an incident at Kansas. On the court, there aren’t any problems with Jackson, who is a gamer and brings it every game.
Kentucky Point Guard, De’Aaron Fox
The Lakers have two good guards with upside already on the roster in D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson. Despite that, almost every mock draft has the Lakers going with Lonzo Ball. With the latest news that they aren’t as high on him as people think, there has to be someone they like more. That person could very well be Kentucky point guard, De’Aaron Fox.
There are some reports floating around that teams already have Fox ranked higher on their draft boards than Ball. The off-court stuff is a big reason why; many teams do not want to deal with Lonzo’s father, LaVar Ball. On the court, the biggest edge that Fox has is on the defensive end of the court.
Fox is a great defender despite his slight frame. He is athletic enough to keep up with anyone and has long arms; he stands 6-feet-3 inches tall but has a 6-feet-7 inch wingspan. On the ball, Fox is already a great defender and his length makes him a problem in the passing lanes.
Fox also uses that athleticism to his advantage on offense. He is a blur with the ball in his hands as he has elite speed. He can get to the basket against even the best defenders as very few people can keep up with him. The only thing that is holding him back right now on offense is his jump shot.
His jump shot is the only real flaw that Fox has in his game. Cutting back on his turnovers would be good as well, but the jump shot is what teams will focus on. He showed improvement as the season went on, so teams will want to see if that improvement will continue or not.
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The workouts will be important for Fox. If he can show that his jumper is improved, he will undoubtedly move up team’s draft boards. If the Lakers are serious about not selecting Ball, Fox is a logical choice with the second pick to give Los Angeles an excellent young trio of guards to build around.