Los Angeles Lakers Draft: The two Duke possibilities not named Zion
By Ronald Agers
R.J. Barrett is considered a can’t miss prospect with an NBA ready game
Let’s start out talking about the good news here. R.J. Barrett is reportedly fine to go to New York or Los Angeles if drafted in the No.3 or 4 spot. Now we know that if he is drafted, there will be no drama with questions surrounding his happiness of theoretically coming to the Lakers.
As reports have swirled, questions about Zion Williamson’s happiness has been a topic of conversation since Mark Tatum held up the Pelicans placard on Tuesday night. Brian Windhorst even floated the option of Zion Williamson going back to Duke. Yeah right, like that’ll happen!
Speaking of the New Orleans Pelicans, there will be reports that Barrett would be a valuable trade piece to chase for Anthony Davis. Sure the rumors will be rampant and will not go anywhere. Let me say it again.
The Los Angeles Lakers will not get Anthony Davis in a trade. It does sound nice in theory, the Pelicans add Barrett to the Brink’s truck of assets the Lakers tried to move in prior negotiations. Then the sales pitch is selling the reuniting Zion with his former Duke teammate.
Okay…sure.
If the Lakers profit from the Knicks going another direction (bears repeating, it could happen), Lakers nation should rejoice. Barrett is the real deal and he could be a stepping stone to getting the Lakers brass out of the abyss surrounding the franchise.
They can already market the guy. Barrett was known as the “Maple Mamba” on social media when he played for the Blue Devils.
If Rob Pelinka can survive and keep his job based on his ties to Kobe Bryant, think what the Lakers can do for a guy out of Canada who has the remix of Kobe Bryant’s name. The marketing team will have a field day.
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1128321572861874177
Even though Zion Williamson is the consensus number one pick going into this year’s NBA draft, it was not always that way. Many considered R.J. Barrett as a viable option as the number one pick before the season started. When Zion was injured in sneaker-gate, it was Barrett that kept the Blue Devils rolling along until he got back.
Barrett had some dominant stats in his lone season at Duke. Barrett averaged 22 points, seven rebounds and four assists. He shot a respectable 45 percent from the field.
If there is something to nit-pick about (this is a stretch here), there were close games that Duke lost last year where Barrett looked for his shot instead of making the best decisions in crunch time. But with the proper coaching, that will be cleaned up quite efficiently.
But this dude is the real deal and the Lakers would love for R.J. Barrett to fill the Staples Center with ridiculous plays like these.
Let’s talk about his Duke counterpart.