DRAFT TALK Thread: Looking Like Lonzo

Discussion in 'Lakers Discussion' started by Lakerman JSJ, May 9, 2017.

  1. OmarE

    OmarE - Lakers Starter -

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    He's busy ripping off Indiana
     
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  2. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

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    Ramona says they're taking Lonzo.
     
  3. Big Mamma Jamma

    Big Mamma Jamma - Rookie -

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    Welcome Lonzo!
     
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  4. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

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    Great pick!
     
  5. Jaguar

    Jaguar - Lakers 6th Man -

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    Love Lavar!!
     
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  6. Jaguar

    Jaguar - Lakers 6th Man -

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    Props to Chicago and Minnesota for making a fair trade. Off the radar, done deal.
     
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  7. davriver209

    davriver209 - Rookie -

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    I keeping seeing dlo in a proposed trade... is the trade complete? Or can it fall apart before the pick?
     
  8. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    I didn't feel like spamming the other threads with this, so I'll leave it here as a send off to this great thread. Here's some draft grades, feel free to add your own obviously or judge mine and tell me how wrong I am. @John3:16 this is what I saw:

    2nd pick- Lonzo Ball 6'6" PG: A+

    I won't go too into depth here. Smarter people than me have explained exactly how Lonzo fits offensively. His efficiency is remarkable and it's because he doesn't make many mistakes. He passes up good shots for great shots. UCLA fans know exactly why his efficiency and his assists are sky high even though his usage is among the lowest of any guard prospects coming out of college in recent history. Without Russell, I expect Lonzo to have the ball a little more often in the NBA, but expect to see the ball flying around the court this season. His greatest asset isn't his jump shot or his size, it's his unselfishness as a person and a player. His teammates glow about him from 1-14 and his coaches love him. I know some question his defense and it's true he'll never be Jason Kidd on that end of the floor. Lonzo doesn't often display that defensive mindset, but when he puts his mind to it he's a fine defender. I've seen him greatly affect the game on that end of the floor and in general he's a smart defender. His biggest questions won't be defensive. I think his biggest problems will be proving his pick and roll prowess, translating his jumper, and handling ball pressure. I believe he'll do fine in the pick and roll, but now without Russell, Ball will have to make strides as a ball handler and his jumper needs to be on basically from the beginning in order for us to space the floor at all. Still, I think there's at least a shot that Ball is the best player in this draft in 5 years if not sooner. He may not have the natural scoring ability of Fultz, but he's probably going to win more games.

    Current NBA comparison- Ricky Rubio (Lonzo doesn't have a great current comp)


    27th pick- Kyle Kuzma 6'10" PF: C

    This is the pick I'm least impressed with. Kuzma is a smooth shooting PF with good physical tools. He has very good positional length and is a nimble athlete for his size. He isn't explosive either in space or in traffic, but he's crafty with how he finds angles to the rim. He's an underrated passer who is particularly capable of finding baseline cutters (should work well with Lonzo) and is solid in traffic finding his big at the rim. He can attack close outs pretty well for his size. Despite shooting just 32.1% from deep with Utah, Kuzma has a good looking stroke that is quick and compact. He shot 40% or so over his last ten games in college and was reportedly lights out at the Combine 5-on-5 portion. He has some ability to grab and push the ball like Randle, but not nearly as fast or explosive in transition. Still he can make good decisions with the ball in space. However, Kuzma is also not a defensive presence despite his agility. At times teams will drive right at or past him and he won't challenge at the rim. I don't know if it's a timing issue or if he's just like Randle and has never tried before. He is an atrocious rim protector for his size and length. He sometimes makes bad decisions with the ball (early shots or bad passes) and in the end I'm not sure exactly how much of an NBA player he is. With a guaranteed 1st, I'm hoping his shooting translates right away otherwise I'm not sure what he does at the NBA level. All that said, the FO is smarter than I am and many people like this pick including the folks at DraftExpress. Hopefully I'm wrong.

    Current NBA comparison- Jonas Jerebko

    30th pick- Josh Hart 6'6" SG: B+

    Josh is a winner and he brings clout to a team that needs it. There's at least a dark horse chance that Josh ends up starting for us this year at SG. Josh made vast improvements in his four years at Villanova in his shooting ability, play-making, and scoring. He made 74 threes last year in college shooting at a 40.4% clip. It was his best output overall given that he took a high volume (more than 5 attempts) per game. He can take pull-up mid-range shots as well and he does a great job getting to the basket. Josh is a physical player despite his size and athletic limitations (not elite length). He likes to find the body of the defender and spin away from it or jump into the chest of the big like you're supposed to. He's an extremely intelligent player as well capable of reading defenses and offenses quickly which makes him dangerous in passing lanes on both ends of the floor. He has a strong heart and he wants to win more than just about anyone. On the other hand, Josh isn't a great athlete. He often has to play under the rim, especially in traffic. With space he can attack fairly well, but when the lane is crowded he'll have trouble finishing in the NBA. Overall, there's a good chance Josh is a steal at #30 and if you're going to give a guaranteed deal to a kid that late, he's a good kid to give it to. I think he's got a pretty decent shot at being this year's Larry Nance Jr. in that he's a smart, crafty player who can slide into an NBA rotation right away.

    Current NBA comparison- CJ Miles/Manu Ginobili (current Manu, not Hall of Fame Manu)

    42nd pick- Thomas Bryant 6'10" C: B+

    Thomas Bryant is a big, big kid. It's important to remember despite his size and strength, he's just 19 years old. He doesn't turn 20 until the end of next month! As a sophomore in college who started every single game he played in, that's amazing. If Thomas came into the NBA about 10 years ago, he'd be a big stiff who was taught to beat up people at the rim and he would have been drafted in the 18-28 range. At just 19 he's 6'10" and 250 pounds with a monster 7'6" reach. In today's NBA though the kid took 1.8 threes a game and actually hit 38% of them. In Thomas's sophomore season his FG% dropped considerably as he was asked to score more and he added more threes to his game. He doesn't have a great feel for the post at all and despite his strong look, he needs a lot of help with his hips and legs. His footwork is almost nonexistent down low and in Indiana he was asked to drive from the perimeter on occasion which I didn't think suited him well. Thomas isn't particularly explosive, but he's big, strong, and long and when he gets a head of steam (he's a willing runner), he can throw down some powerful jams. Bryant is a really, really hard-working kid. I have a good feeling about him and I think fans are going to like him a lot. He's a little uncoordinated right now, but given some time and seasoning I think he can be a real contributor in time. He'll also be a solid opponent in practice with Lopez and Zubac.

    Current NBA comparison- Kris Humphries
     
  9. abeer3

    abeer3 - Lakers Legend -

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    i see some danny green in hart. green didn't have the nba three when he came into the league.

    kuzma just looked brian cook-y to me. just not much of an athlete, was upright and not balanced a lot in movements in the film i've seen. will have to get a lot stronger. i don't think this is a nance type gem.

    bryant interests me because he's big and has a rep for working hard. looks a little jamal magloire-ish?

    i don't know what to say about ball. he's unlike any prospect i remember. we'll see if that's a good or bad thing. i think it almost has to be one or the other.
     
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  10. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    Yeah I agree a bit on Kuzma. Just seems uninspiring. I hope I'm wrong.

    Danny Green would be great. Someone said last night he could be the Brogdon of this draft and I agree completely. Solid kid.

    I think you're going to like Ball on the court. We'll see, but I'm very excited about what he can do.
     
  11. Savory Griddles

    Savory Griddles Moderator Staff Member

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    Hart is the best pick of the night. Obviously Ball will likely be a better player, but Hart is exactly the kind of kid this team needs. Everyone is saying it, but he feels like a Larry Nance type pick. Older and more polished. Solid fundamentals. Likes to play defense. I could see him as our starter to start the season. I think Luke will try to bring Clarkson off the bench again to give us SOMETHING on that second unit.
     
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  12. John3:16

    John3:16 Moderator Staff Member

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    Ramona Shelbourne was just on SC right now said Lavar went up to Pelinka at his house for 2nd workout and told him he really wants them to draft his son, but he would understand if they didn't, but either way, he won't be a distraction. She said it was a real father to father moment and meant a lot to Pelinka.
     
  13. John3:16

    John3:16 Moderator Staff Member

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    “Lonzo!

    “Lonzo!

    “Lonzo!”

    From the fourth row of Section 124 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York, Patrick Esposito screamed his hero’s name, hoping for some type of acknowledgment — a glance, a nod, a wave, something — from Lonzo Ball, who sat in the green room area of the arena.

    The clock read 7:08 p.m., and NBA commissioner Adam Silver had yet to take the stage to mark the commencement of the 2017 NBA draft, yet Esposito donned a customized gold Lakers jersey featuring the No. 2 and the name “Ball” across the back.

    “I’ve had this since April,” Esposito, a native of Flemington, New Jersey, told The Undefeated, “before they even had the pick. It was kind of risky.”

    After just one season at UCLA, a trip to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament, the launch of his own $495 signature sneakersthrough his family’s Big Baller Brand and the everlasting array of bold proclamations from his outspoken father, LaVar, the moment had finally arrived for the skilled 6-foot-6 point guard from Chino Hills, California.

    Would Ball’s fate be cemented the way his father predicted the night of the draft lottery in May, when he declared his eldest son would work out only for the Lakers, and guaranteed that their family’s hometown team would select him with the No. 2 overall pick?

    “I sure hope so,” Esposito said as the draft drew closer, while a few feet away on the Barclays floor, prospects and company took their seats. Everyone except for Ball’s agent, Harrison Gaines, a former University of Pennsylvania and University of California Riverside college hooper, who stood over Ball’s table full of family and guests. Security eventually ushered Gaines to a seat next to University of Kansas head coach Bill Self on the side of the floor near the stands.

    The draft finally began, and moments after Silver’s announcement of former University of Washington point guard Markelle Fultz as the Philadelphia 76ers’ No. 1 pick, Gaines emerged at Ball’s table with his cellphone in hand. He passed it to Ball, who let it rest on his right shoulder before breaking out into laughter and quickly handing it back. Gaines grabbed the shoulders of both Ball and his father before six cameras swarmed.

    And at 7:47 p.m., the Los Angeles Lakers drafted Ball.

    “What’s supposed to be done,” LaVar Ball told The Undefeated. “This day has been exactly like I expected it.”

    The night that Ball became a Laker, however, was far from over.

    At about 5:50 p.m., the Balls were one of the first families to arrive in the green room. Ball’s brother LaMelo swagged out a candy red blazer to complement his blond-tipped hair, while LaVar Ball and his middle son, LiAngelo, both sported all-black suits with gold-accented BBB ties.

    Lonzo Ball, #2 Draft Pick to the LA Lakers shakes hands with family while making his way to the stage.

    LANDON NORDEMAN FOR ESPN

    They watched from their seats at the table as Ball took a pre-draft group photo with his fellow prospects. Onstage, Ball wore all black like his father and brother in the form of a three-piece suit with a BBB bow tie, finished off with black dress shoes.

    Yet, after Silver called Ball’s name and he stood up to embrace his family, his feet looked different as he walked over to grab his New Era Lakers hat and journeyed across the stage. Ball changed into a pair of white, gold and purple “Sho’time” ZO2 on-court sneakers that immediately went on the BBB website for presale.

    “I had them for a minute,” Ball said. “Just had a good feeling, and changed them five minutes before when they was on the clock, and I’m glad they called my name.”

    Just like his son, LaVar Ball also made a wardrobe change, throwing on a gold and purple BBB hat, which ESPN’s Jeff Goodman couldn’t help but ask about during an on-camera interview at the table.

    “I’m tryna tell you, I knew this was happening before it was happening!” LaVar Ball told Goodman. As for when the hat celebrating his son’s achievement was made? “When he was a baby,” he quipped.

    Meanwhile, Ball was doing a lot of talking himself. He didn’t leave the arena floor until completing three interviews: two on camera and one for radio. He then made his way to the interview room, where he spoke to reporters about the feeling of being drafted.

    “It felt great. You know, my dad was right there, my brothers. I know mom is watching at home …,” he said of Tina Ball, who in late February suffered a stroke that didn’t allow her to be in attendance for her son’s big moment. “No, she still can’t talk yet, but she understands me. So when I get home, I’ll get to talk to her. I know she is happy at home, for sure. When I get back, we’ll have that conversation, and it’ll be a great time.”

    Ball’s discussion of his mother wrapped up his fourth, and far from last, interview of the night and put him on the move again, as he walked back and forth between rooms in the bowels of Barclays, flanked by both Lakers and NBA communications reps. Next up: a phone call with the front office of his new team.

    Alison Bogli, director of media relations for the Lakers, handed her phone to Ball, who placed it on speaker and began listening intently. On the other end of the call were Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, head coach Luke Walton, co-owner and team president Jeanie Buss, co-owner and director of scouting/assistant general manager Jesse Buss, and Lakers Hall of Famer and president of basketball operations Earvin “Magic” Johnson — the man many consider responsible for drafting Ball.

    “Magic, like I told him, ‘I trust you with my boy.’ He’s got another level to go to, and he gon’ get him there,” LaVar Ball told The Undefeated. “That’s the same thing I told [UCLA head coach] Steve Alford. I said, ‘You know what, I took Zo as far as I can take him, and I’m gonna trust you to take him a little further.’ Now, I’m gonna trust Magic to take him even further. He’s like an open book. He ain’t gonna do nothing but get better.”

    Ball could barely gasp for air after the phone call. “You’ve got a longgggg night of media ahead of you,” Bogli informed him at 8:22 p.m., commencing a flurry of interviews. In the Brooklyn Nets’ practice gym, which was turned into a room full of interview booths, the new Lakers point guard spoke on every platform from Jimmy Kimmel Live! (the talk show’s personalityGuillermo Rodriguez was there to hold the microphone for him) to Los Angeles’ Spectrum SportsNet to ABC to CBS to the Pac 12 Network with Lewis Johnson to Yahoo’s The Vertical to SiriusXM NBA Radio to Cisco International (through which he spoke to reporters in Brazil, the Dominican Republic and Mexico) to China’s Tencent Media, and even a one-on-one with Jr. NBA reporter Max Bonnstetter (Ball enjoyed that one with his “man with the bow tie”). The entire time, NBA communications officer Kelly Williams kept crossing outlets off her list, only to send him somewhere else. In between interviews, he even stopped by the gifting room, where he accepted a brand-new Tissot watch, took photos and videos for the NBA’s social media feeds and partook in a Q&A with fans on the Lakers’ Twitter account.

    By the time the No. 2 selection looked up, the draft had progressed well into the teens. “Where did he go?” Ball asked of his former UCLA teammate T.J. Leaf, who was taken with the No. 18 pick by the Indiana Pacers. “That’s where he wanted to go,” he added with a smile.

    When the night closed in on 10 p.m., Bogli led Ball away from the booths, determined to get him back to his family before she had to do the routine all over again with the team’s later picks. But no one would command as much attention as Ball. At this point, you couldn’t really consider him the man of the hour anymore, as two hours had come and gone since he shook Silver’s hand onstage.

    “Everything is still sinking in right now,” Ball told The Undefeated while walking through the tunnel behind the Barclays court. “I’m happy to be a Laker … but I’m very happy the process is over. I just want to get on the court and start playing.

    “My passion is my job now. You can’t really beat that.”

    At 9:57 p.m., Ball was done — for the time being, at least.

    LaVar Ball’s night wasn’t quite over, though. As he exited the floor to reconvene with his son, LaVar Ball responded to the loud chorus of Barclays boos directed at him by pumping his hand in the air before removing his hat and hurling it into the crowd.

    “We’re gonna frame it,” said Adin Fogel, whose older brother caught the hat in the first row.

    A souvenir from the long night that Lonzo Ball began as a prospect and ended as a Los Angeles Laker.

    Undefeated senior NBA writer Marc J. Spears contributed to this story.

    LINER NOTES

    CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story stated UCLA went through the the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Tournament. It has been corrected to reflect that UCLA reached the Sweet 16.

    Aaron Dodson is an assistant editor at The Undefeated. Often mistaken for Aaron Dobson of the New England Patriots, he is one letter away from being an NFL wide receiver.



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    The Most Gigantic Athletes That Was Ever KnownFrank151

    THIS STORY TAGGED: 2017 NBA Draft LaVar Ball Lonzo Ball Los Angeles Lakers NBA

    2017 NBA DRAFTDid the 2017 NBA draft live up to the hype?

    The league winners and losers after drafts, trades and shake-ups

    Front Row (L-R) – OG Anunoby, Dennis Smith, Malik Monk, Luke Kennard, Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz, De’aaron Fox, Frank Ntilikina, Justin Jackson, Back Row (L-R) Bam Adebayo, Jonathan Isaac, Justin Patton, Lauri Markkanen, Jayson Tatum, Josh Jackson, Zach Collins, Donovan Mitchell and TJ Leaf pose prior to the 2017 NBA Draft on June 22, 2017 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.Landon Nordeman for ESPN

    BY MARC J. SPEARS @MARCJSPEARSESPN

    June 23, 2017

    NEW YORK — A satisfied LaVar Ball walked out of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn late Thursday night wearing a Big Baller Brand hat featuring the Los Angeles Lakers’ yellow and purple. The crowd booed strongly as he strolled with swag out of the arena. With his plan working, as his son Lonzo was drafted second overall by their hometown Los Angeles Lakers, the super outspoken LaVar threw his cap into the stands as the fans fought for it. LaVar kept it moving.

    “I ain’t going to say nothing to all the naysayers,” Ball told The Undefeated. “They mad right now because they keep moving forward. I ain’t gonna waste my time with that. I got to be 100 percent going forward. I don’t dangle with nobody 15 percent over here. They can’t stop me from what I’m doing. They can sit back and hate. That’s good.”

    Lavar Ball jokes with his son Lonzo while he is on stage after being picked up by the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2017 NBA Draft.

    LANDON NORDEMAN FOR ESPN

    You may not like what LaVar has to say. You might think the way he leads in boisterous fashion is a disservice to his three basketball-playing standout sons.

    But sometimes the truth hurts. And the truth to LaVar Ball’s haters is he is winning big right now. It’s almost like a Hollywood script the way it is playing out for the Ball family.

    Lonzo Ball leads the winners in The Undefeated’s Winners and Losers of the 2017 NBA Draft.

    Lonzo starred at point guard for the Bruins as a true freshman and brought the program back to prominence. Meanwhile, Hall of Famer and Lakers legend Magic Johnson became president of the only NBA franchise he has ever known. Johnson became a regular at UCLA games and quickly fell in love with Lonzo, who doesn’t have his father’s voice but does exude swag, evidenced by his all-black draft suit with a Big Baller Brand bow tie.

    LaVar, the family’s Big Baller Brand leader, asked for a billion-dollar shoe deal. Nike, Under Armor and Adidas understandably laughed out loud. But all the wild interviews that LaVar did on sports television shows and in print gave the Balls free publicity for their budding shoe company, with perhaps millions of dollars in presales now to boot.

    “The brand is getting a lot of positives. We good. We good. They know what it is. From the three Ball brothers, to the Big Baller Brand, to be billion, billion and billion. We good,” LaVar said.

    Lonzo Ball, #2 Draft Pick to the LA Lakers.

    LANDON NORDEMAN FOR ESPN

    The Lakers landed the second overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft by the literal luck of the draw in the draft lottery. The Boston C Bags originally had the first pick but had no interest in Lonzo Ball, so Magic and the Lakers got their coveted local kid. Big Baller Brand’s one-and-only leader got the last laugh, and you know he isn’t afraid to let you know.

    “I don’t do no dreaming,” LaVar said. “I just set goals and then go from there, because you can dream and then be like, ‘Ah, I didn’t get it.’ I was dreaming a perfect script. I’m like that. Can’t you tell? I script it all like this.”

    LOSER: PHIL JACKSON

    Much ado was made about nothing — for now — as New York Knicks president Phil Jackson’s trade discussions with several teams for young standout forward Kristaps Porzingis were fruitless, to his fan base’s delight. The legendary former NBA coach managed to get both of the Knicks’ stars, Porzingis and All-Star forward Carmelo Anthony, on his bad side in recent months. Speaking of Anthony, Jackson also wasn’t able to trade him on draft night after ripping him and killing his trade value for months.

    So, where do things stand with Porzingis?

    “This isn’t the time to talk about that. This is the time to talk about our draft pick,” Jackson told the New York media during a draft news conference.

    So, what about Melo?

    “I’m not here to talk about that right now,” Jackson said.

    The Knicks drafted Frenchman Frank Ntilikina with the eighth overall pick. New York filled a desperate need at point guard. The 6-foot-6 Ntilikina is strong defensively and has a 7-foot wingspan.

    “Happy to be back in the draft and have a chance to pick this young man as our eighth pick. Welcome, Frank,” Jackson said.

    The addition of Ntilikina and no trade of Porzingis or Anthony left long-suffering Knicks fans happy for the night. Even so, at the end of the draft some fans started chanting, “Fire Phil …”

    WINNER: SACRAMENTO KINGS

    De’Aaron Fox shows off his jacket after being selected fifth overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2017 NBA Draft on June 22, 2017 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

    JESSE D. GARRABRANT/NBAE VIA GETTY IMAGES

    After years of bad drafting, the Kings were the kings of the draft.

    The Kings needed a point guard and viewed Kentucky guard De’Aaron Fox as the second-best prospect in the draft, according to sources. Sacramento was able to select the ultra-competitive speed demon with the fifth overall pick. Fox was excited to join long-rebuilding Sacramento where a possible starting point guard spot awaits him.

    “De’Aaron has a winning game and winning personality,” Kings vice president Scott Perry told The Undefeated. “He’s blessed with excellent athleticism, great speed with the basketball and has a very good feel for the point guard position. He’s someone who lights up the room with his personality. He has the type of personality that will be very infectious with his teammates. We were extremely happy they were there when we were picking.”

    Perry is new to the Kings as their vice president of basketball operations, but this was the longtime NBA front office executive’s 17th draft. Having such strong experience in the draft room was key for oft-criticized Kings general manager Vlade Divac. The Kings traded the rights to the 10th overall pick, former Gonzaga forward Zach Collins, to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for the rights to the 15th (ex-North Carolina swingman Justin Jackson) and 20th (ex-Duke center Harry Giles) overall picks. Jackson is a 2017 first-team All-American coming off a national championship. Giles was considered the best prospect in the high school class of 2016 by ESPN.com before two knee surgeries. Sacramento also selected former Kansas guard Frank Mason III, the consensus 2017 NCAA Player of the Year, in the second round with the 34th overall selection.

    “I’m very pleased we got high-character and talented young players all coming from winning programs,” Perry said. “Guys that are used to winning. One that came from a national championship. They understand team. They understand sacrifice and all the things necessary for a culture of winning in Sacramento.”

    For the first time in a while, Kings fans were able to stick out their chests proudly.

    LOSER: DWYANE WADE

    Dwyane Wade informed the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday that he would exercise his $23.8 million player option to return to theteam next season. The next day, Wade learned that his All-Star backcourt mate Jimmy Butler was traded to the Minnesota Timberwolves. In return, the Bulls acquired young guard Kris Dunn and injured guardZach LaVine and drafted Arizona 7-footerLauri Markkanen with the seventh overall pick. It appears the Bulls are instantly in a rebuilding youth movement.

    Don’t feel sorry for the 35-year-old Wade from a financial or being-at-home standpoint. But it would be horrible to see the future Hall of Famer finish his career with a struggling young team, like Kobe Bryant did with the Los Angeles Lakers. This situation is certainly very fluid, and out of respect for Wade it wouldn’t be surprising to see him moved somewhere else.

    WINNER: MARKELLE FULTZ

    Markelle Fultz named #1 Draft Pick to the 76ers.

    LANDON NORDEMAN FOR ESPN

    Guard Markelle Fultz has received criticism for winning just nine games during his lone college season as a freshman at Washington. The Philadelphia 76ers didn’t buy into it, as they selected Fultz with the first overall selection of this year’s draft. Mike Jones, Fultz’s coach at DeMatha Catholic High School, said his former star player’s critics will eventually be proved wrong.

    “It’s crazy that people question whether or not he is a winner,” Jones said. “He’s won at every level he played in except for the last four months at Washington. When they criticize him, they are comparing him to the other guys that are getting ready to get drafted too. All those guys played on teams with first-round draft picks.

    “No offense to Washington, but you can’t pick another certain NBA player that is on their roster. Those guys [Marquese Chriss and Dejounte Murray] left a year before Markelle got there. He led a team that really wasn’t as talented as a lot of other ones. He was at a disadvantage, so I don’t think it’s fair to compare them. And if you look at his entire basketball résumé, you can’t question whether he is a winner.”

    LOSER: INDIANA PACERS

    The Indiana Pacers are in a tough position trying to trade All-Star guard Paul George. The 2018 free agent wants to return to his native Los Angeles area to play for the Lakers or perhaps the Clippers. Any other intrigued team, with the possible exception of a contender, would have to assume he would be just a rental next season.

    The 2017 NBA draft may have offered the best chance to trade George for a high draft pick. There was talk of the Pacers having conversations with the teams that owned picks two through five for George, but nothing materialized. Now that the draft is over, the Pacers might have to take part in a fire sale to get something for the four-time NBA All-Star, who is in his prime. Hall of Famer Larry Bird made a good move by recently leaving his role as the Pacers’ president with this stressful situation hanging over the franchise.

    WINNER: TOM THIBODEAU

    Former Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau didn’t leave the Bulls on great terms. But the second-year Minnesota Timberwolves president and coach was able to acquire Bulls All-Star guard Jimmy Butler and the 16th pick (Creighton center Justin Patton) from his old employer in a trade for young point guard Kris Dunn, injured shooting guard Zach LaVine and the draft rights to seventh overall pick Lauri Markkanen.

    The Timberwolves suddenly have one of the NBA’s top trios in Butler, forward-center Karl-Anthony Towns and swingman Andrew Wiggins. With regular trade bait Ricky Rubio still around at point guard and a talented young center in Gorgui Dieng, expect Thibodeau to get the new-look Wolves back to the postseason for the first time since 2004, when Kevin Garnett was starring for the team.
     
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  14. Khmrp

    Khmrp - Lakers MVP -

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    I was more excited for Dlo/Ingram draft than this draft for some reason lol, I think the Dlo trade took a lot of excitement away...
     
  15. therealdeal

    therealdeal Moderator Staff Member

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    Forgot about this until a couple minutes ago I wasn't too far off.

    I got Isaac and Collins and Smith and Ntilikina switched up. I had Ntilikina to NY earlier in the season, but I had heard so much about Dallas loving the guy that I let that change my decision. Ntilikina is such a NY/Triangle move. Markannen didn't go to the Wolves, but I got the spot right. Jackson slipped and Bam was the only big surprise in the lottery (a strange pick by the Heat).
     
  16. sirronstuff

    sirronstuff - Lakers Legend -

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  17. KareemtheGreat33

    KareemtheGreat33 - Lakers MVP -

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  18. Lakers2015

    Lakers2015 - Lakers Starter -

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    I was told he couldn't shoot though.
     
  19. KRL

    KRL - Lakers 6th Man -

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    He got lucky 80x
     
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  20. alam1108

    alam1108 - Lakers Legend -

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    Millennials....
     
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