Draft Thread 2018: LA Has The #25 & #47 Overall Picks... And #39 Now

I'm still working my way down the list. I'll take a look at some of the wings projected in the 2nd round and get back in here at some point this week. I'll try to day, but we'll see.

 

So immediately the first name to pop up on nbadraft.net in our draft position no less was Jalen Hudson. Draftexpress/ESPN has him going higher (in the 30s). There's not much on these guys in the 2nd round, but from what I could see:

• Good size and length for a SG at 6'5". He's strong.
• More of a scorer than a shooter, but developing. He's shooting 44% from the college line so far. Hit 8 threes on Gonzaga this year.
• Defense isn't necessarily a strong suit, but he's a good athlete so there's potential there.
• Decision making is very suspect.
• Tends to lose focus on body control. He swings his legs around a lot on his jumpers. It works in college, I'm not sure it works in the pros.

Another name that popped up: Isaac Bonga. He's actually a 6'9" PG for Germany, not really a 3/D wing.

• Has above average vision due to his size at the position.
• Okay athlete, but able to use his size to create angles around the basket.
• Not a shooter right now at all.
• Unique body type lends itself to possibilities in today's NBA, but he's a gamble. Might not commit to the draft this year.

The last one for today: Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk. His name should be a little familiar, he's a Senior with Kansas who played with Jackson and Mason III last year.

• He's a good shooter. His career college shooting percentage is 40.1 and he's shooting lights out so far this year at 48.1%.
• Not very fast or quick, but can get up in space.
• He's an underrated passer. Can get a little too fancy at times, but has solid vision.
• Defensively might not be a stalwart, but will play smart.
• He's compared a lot to Ginobili, but I think he's probably more like Omri Casspi.

 

He talks about:

Jarrey Foster- SMU- SF/PF More defensive focused. Not a great creator. Great athlete.
Kevin Hervey- UT Arlington- SF/PF More of a creator. Health is a massive issue (two ACL surgeries at 21 years old).
Chandler Hutchinson- Boise St.- SG/SF/PF- Growth spurt turned a guard into a wing. Not a great handler, but good passer. Shooting a work in progress.
Milik Yarbrough- Illinois St.- F- multi talented, but needs to work on working hard.
Max Strus- DePaul- F- A good shooter, but a non-athlete and doesn't bring much else to the table.

 

There's a LOT of guards in this draft and a LOT of projects. I'll try to dig into it later if I have time.

 

My best hope is we package Deng with a 1st and a 2nd to rid ourselves and keep Randle along with 2 "stars".

I would be tempted to even add a 2nd Laker pick from 2020 because I would expect us to be a solid playoff team at the very least.

Getting rid of Deng and keeping Randle is certainly way more valuable than two low 1sts. Sure, if they turn into Harts and Kuzmas its a different story but chances are, you can't find gems EVERY year. Stretching Deng and having dead cap for 5 years is borderline maddening.

 

Here's some names near where we're drafting. Interestingly, there's some JC/Nance type replacements.

Anfernee Simons- IMG Academy- 6'4" 183 lbs

Admittedly I don't know a lot about this kid because he's technically in high school still. He's a super senior though so he's eligible for the NBA draft (like Thon Maker). Here is a DraftExpress clip of him that shows some strengths and weaknesses. Honestly he looks like a younger Jordan Clarkson to me.



Khyri Thomas- Creighton- 6'3" 210 lbs.

Strengths: VERY strong defender with a 6'11" wingspan can guard 1-3 in the NBA. Can shoot a little bit. Athletic. Makes the right plays.
Weaknesses: NBA distance? I'm not sure. Not a lot of guard strengths.

Comparison: Another Josh Hart?

Mitchell Robinson- No College (left WKU)- 7'1" 220 lbs

Strengths: Very athletic. Long Reach. Multi-Talented. Great potential as a rim protector.
Weaknesses: Needs work in the gym. Long-term project. Not playing in college, how ready is he for the NBA?

Comparison: ceiling: Clint Capela, floor: Hasheem Thabeet

Hamidou Diallo- Kentucky- 6'5"- 188 lbs

Strengths: Athlete. Athlete. Athlete.
Weaknesses: Not a consistent shooter. Needs work in the fundamentals on every front.

Comparison: Gerald Green

All in all, there's some talent on the bottom end of this draft but it's certainly not like last year's. I'll also say this: the Lakers are way better at this than me.

 

...trading a cadaver (Deng) for Powell is highway robbery.