Los Angeles Lakers: 5 players to target in the 2020 NBA Draft
By Oleg Svystun
Los Angeles Lakers draft target: Xavier Tillman
The 2nd player from Michigan State on our list, Xavier Tillman would instantly boost the Los Angeles Lakers’ interior defense. As mentioned earlier, Dwight Howard may not return next season. If that’s the case, the Lakers will certainly need another defensive-minded big man.
That’s exactly what they would get with Tillman. Tillman is not a flashy player, he is a smart, low-usage player that makes his impact by setting screens, banging down low, grabbing boards, and being a versatile defensive menace. He’s quick enough to switch onto guards and strong enough to bang with bigs down low.
Tillman’s offensive game is lacking. He doesn’t have a whole lot of offensive moves in his arsenal, and his shooting outside the paint has never been particularly consistent. That said, the Lakers don’t necessarily need a high-usage offensive player.
They already have two offensive superstars on the team, as well as other guys who can fill it up like Kuzma, or Green. Aside from offensive limitations, there are some concerns about him only being 6’8. To which I say, if Houston can roll out Robert Covington at the 5, LA can certainly slot Tillman there.
In LA, Tillman would be asked to play a role similar to the one he played in Michigan State, which he did very well. He spent three seasons under Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo, and his basketball IQ and understanding of the game made noticeable leaps each season. His defense-first, team-first approach would have head coach Frank Vogel swooning over him.