1. Cassius Winston, Michigan State
One thing that I personally value from a late first-round pick or second-round pick in the NBA Draft is college experience. Unless there is a prospect that the team really loves, I prefer the team going with someone who has college experience as they will be NBA ready quicker.
Think of Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart. They both were better in their rookie years than someone such as Brandon Ingram or D’Angelo Russell, but both Ingram and Russell were lottery picks with higher ceilings. The Lakers are not getting that lottery pick, might as well pick someone who can contribute right away.
Cassius Winston is one of those guys. Winston has three tangible years of college experience and would ready to come off the bench and give the Lakers 15 or so minutes at the point guard position.
Winston is a solid facilitator who proved to be really good in pick and rolls in college, which is fantastic considering the Lakers’ offensive style. Even better, Winston is no slouch shooting the ball. He can do so both as an off-ball shooter and as someone who pulls up after a screen.
He is a bit undersized (six-foot-one) but Frank Vogel has proven that he can mask defensive defecencies and against other team’s benches he should be fine. Rajon Rondo is six-one, after all.
Tankathon ranks Winston 47th, NBADraft.Net ranks him 54th and ESPN ranks him 30th. His value is all over the place but the Lakers could easily “reach” if they love him as a prospect or could even get creative and turn the draft pick into multiple picks, selecting Winston later.