Los Angeles Lakers: Redrafting the 2015 through 2018 NBA Draft

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(Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Lakers /

Redrafting the 2017 NBA Draft:

Selections: PG Lonzo Ball (2), PF/SF Kyle Kuzma (27), SG Josh Hart (30), C Thomas Bryant (42)

The Los Angeles Lakers made a bunch of trades to get guys they wanted. Only one of these four men still play in the NBA, but all four of them are playing major minutes for their teams.

Lonzo Ball and Josh Hart were both shipped off in the Anthony Davis deal. Ball seems to be trending upward offensively and already possessed the defensive chops necessary to be a successful NBA player. Hart always seemed poised to be an excellent role player somewhere and it appears he found his home in The Big Easy.

New Selections: SF Jayson Tatum (2), PF/SF Kyle Kuzma (27), SG Josh Hart (30), C Thomas Bryant (42)

You’re reading this correctly. The Lakers would have been better suited drafting Jayson Tatum instead of Lonzo Ball. The reason is simple. The team was already transitioning Brandon Ingram into a point forward and he seemed to handle the role in excellent fashion.

Jayson Tatum’s presence alongside Brandon Ingram would have been a seamless fit because of how dissimilar their play styles are and how solid they are defensive. The draft was weak in 2017 and the Lakers managed to find the gold.

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