Lake Show Life
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The Los Angeles Lakers’ dream team if they nailed every draft pick

By Michael Shearer

DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 22: Julius Randle #30 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket against Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on December 22, 2015 in Denver, Colorado. The Lakers defeated the Nuggets 111-107. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO - DECEMBER 22: Julius Randle #30 of the Los Angeles Lakers drives to the basket against Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets at Pepsi Center on December 22, 2015 in Denver, Colorado. The Lakers defeated the Nuggets 111-107. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /
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Devin Booker, Los Angeles Lakers, D'Angelo Russell
(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Lakers’ actual 2015 pick: D’Angelo Russell; Should have been: Devin Booker

The Lakers took the wrong combo guard here.

Russell today is still remarkably similar to Russell as a rookie: a space-cadet defender, limited athlete, streaky shooter, and baffling decision-maker. His biggest rookie-year story had nothing to do with his on-court play, either, as he accidentally (?) outed Nick Young for cheating on his then-fiance, Iggy Azalea.

However, in 2017, Russell was shipped to Brooklyn for Brook Lopez and a pick that turned into Kyle Kuzma. This trade was critical to the Lakers’ eventual title run, so it’s hard to be too upset.

Russell made one All-Star game as the lead dog on a funky, overachieving 2019 Nets squad that shockingly made the playoffs. But his resume pales in comparison to a similar player taken nearly a dozen picks later.

Have you heard the hypothetical “Would you…” about the murderous snail? If you accept 10,000,000 dollars, you’re constantly hunted for the rest of your life by an immortal, poisonous snail that will never stop dogging your trail.

Devin Booker is a lot like that snail. He’s kind of icky, but he’s a stone-cold killer. The rest of the league has been desperately trying to stay ahead of him, but Booker has been slowly, painstakingly catching up — improving his passing one season, leveling up his defense another, fine-tuning his shot the next.

Playoff Booker was an absolute force this year before he was injured. He’s the closest thing the league has to prime Kobe Bryant right now: a vicious shotmaker and competitor who is always in the lab honing his next weapon. He’d have looked royal in purple and gold. Le sigh.

Bonus: The Lakers had a second first-round selection in 2015, #27, which they turned into Larry Nance. Nance was a fine pick, although a few players selected after him might’ve made even better Lakers: Kevon Looney (the second coming of Hakeem Olajuwon in the playoffs) went #30, and scoring guard Norm Powell went in the middle of the second round.

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