Lakers mock at 5 on NBA Draft.net

There is a lot of pressure on the Lakers to hit with this pick. They won’t pick this high for another 10 to 15 years. I think they go for the home run with exum. You need a dominant wing player or point guard to win and that is what he could be. He is missing a jump shot but he is only 18 or 19 and that can usually be developed. He is 6-6 and very athletic. Barring they don’t get a top 3 pick he is their best option.

There is a lot of pressure on the Lakers to hit with this pick. They won’t pick this high for another 10 to 15 years. I think they go for the home run with exum. You need a dominant wing player or point guard to win and that is what he could be. He is missing a jump shot but he is only 18 or 19 and that can usually be developed. He is 6-6 and very athletic. Barring they don’t get a top 3 pick he is their best option.

Someone post this question every year. The answer is the site is not suggesting who would take who it’s just showing a ranking of prospects based on which number they’ll go at given their current stock. The teams are along side to give an idea who would have each lottery pick were the season to end today. Does not take into account any of the thought proccess of actual draft day.  

Someone post this question every year. The answer is the site is not suggesting who would take who it’s just showing a ranking of prospects based on which number they’ll go at given their current stock. The teams are along side to give an idea who would have each lottery pick were the season to end today. Does not take into account any of the thought proccess of actual draft day.  

 The Lakers being near the top of the mock boards and especially if they end up in the top 3 of the lottery at say 2 or 3 makes me wonder would any top prospect perhaps put out noises that they wanted to go to the Lakers over lets say the Bucks who had top pick. I would not question the integrity of any of the draft prospects at this moment but does anyone else think a player’s head could be turned to play with Kobe and co on one of the NBA’s biggest teams over less glamourous teams.

Also the Lakers draft process could be fun, imagine Mike D’Antoni, Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss all have slightly different opinions on who they should take and then Kobe  requests he wants to be part of the work outs for a potentially high pick and gives his input. The final decision could be quite interesting lets say.

 The Lakers being near the top of the mock boards and especially if they end up in the top 3 of the lottery at say 2 or 3 makes me wonder would any top prospect perhaps put out noises that they wanted to go to the Lakers over lets say the Bucks who had top pick. I would not question the integrity of any of the draft prospects at this moment but does anyone else think a player’s head could be turned to play with Kobe and co on one of the NBA’s biggest teams over less glamourous teams.

Also the Lakers draft process could be fun, imagine Mike D’Antoni, Mitch Kupchak and Jim Buss all have slightly different opinions on who they should take and then Kobe  requests he wants to be part of the work outs for a potentially high pick and gives his input. The final decision could be quite interesting lets say.

 The other wild card is that if the Lakers draft in 4 to 8 range they take a player and when FA opens they look to make a trade of the pick with Nash’s semi guaranteed deal to try and be win now.

Embiid woul be so intriguing with the Lakers, I wonder if they would look to get Kareem back in a mentor type role. Even if they ended up with someone like Vonleh then a Kareem type mentor would be a great help. Although with Bynum they basically picked him and handed him over to Kareem and said "He’ll not play nuch his rookie year, teach him as much as you can". With this years’ pick if he stays with the Lakers he’ll play a lot more in his rookie year than Bynum did I expect.

It’s also interesting to read back that Bynum soon grew tired of working with Kareem and when the Cavs looked to jetison Bynum’s contract, Kareem basically said that Bynum didn’t have the heart or work ethic like other players do.

It says a lot about Bynum’s attitude if he was not prepared to work with and learn from one of the all time great big men.

 The other wild card is that if the Lakers draft in 4 to 8 range they take a player and when FA opens they look to make a trade of the pick with Nash’s semi guaranteed deal to try and be win now.

Embiid woul be so intriguing with the Lakers, I wonder if they would look to get Kareem back in a mentor type role. Even if they ended up with someone like Vonleh then a Kareem type mentor would be a great help. Although with Bynum they basically picked him and handed him over to Kareem and said "He’ll not play nuch his rookie year, teach him as much as you can". With this years’ pick if he stays with the Lakers he’ll play a lot more in his rookie year than Bynum did I expect.

It’s also interesting to read back that Bynum soon grew tired of working with Kareem and when the Cavs looked to jetison Bynum’s contract, Kareem basically said that Bynum didn’t have the heart or work ethic like other players do.

It says a lot about Bynum’s attitude if he was not prepared to work with and learn from one of the all time great big men.

As a Sixers fan I would love the Lakers to jump to the #1 position. Playing for the Lakers would be too tempting for Embiid to pass up, and IF the Sixers only move down 1 spot they would get Wiggns or Parker, whoever fell to them.

Separate subject – I’ve looked at the last 8 lotteries. 15 teams have moved up from outside the top 3 to pick top 3, that’s just under 2 per year. That math would have the Sixers picking 4th, just outside what most people consider the prime area, though it could be worse than picking between Randle, Vonleh, etc.

As a Sixers fan I would love the Lakers to jump to the #1 position. Playing for the Lakers would be too tempting for Embiid to pass up, and IF the Sixers only move down 1 spot they would get Wiggns or Parker, whoever fell to them.

Separate subject – I’ve looked at the last 8 lotteries. 15 teams have moved up from outside the top 3 to pick top 3, that’s just under 2 per year. That math would have the Sixers picking 4th, just outside what most people consider the prime area, though it could be worse than picking between Randle, Vonleh, etc.

It’s not an actual mock draft until late in the offseason. It’s a big board at this point.

It’s not an actual mock draft until late in the offseason. It’s a big board at this point.

 With the Sixers I think we can discount Marcus Smart from their draft considerations as they have MCW in place. Dante Exum might fall into the same category. If the Sixers can get a shot at one of Embiid, Parker and Wiggins I don’t think that their fans would complain too much. 

 With the Sixers I think we can discount Marcus Smart from their draft considerations as they have MCW in place. Dante Exum might fall into the same category. If the Sixers can get a shot at one of Embiid, Parker and Wiggins I don’t think that their fans would complain too much. 

 If they hit the jackpot and got in the top 3 (not happening) they’d have an interesting delima. Embid is the classic star center they always go for, Wiggins could be trained to be like Kobe by Kobe, and they might actually want Jabari most of all. They’ve stated they want to win with Kobe now and Jabari is the most NBA ready at the moment. I’m pretty sure that’s who Kobe would want. He also went to go watch Duke.

However, in that more likely 4-8 range, Exum would be brilliant. Not only because they could use a star PG, but because they really need someone who can drive and open things up. PF has been a huge deficit too. All the PF’s in the NBA seem to be having career nights against the Lakers. These days everyone has a super strong and athletic 6’10" PF. D’Antoni will want a guy like that who can hit 3’s. Good luck. Also, they need a rim protector. 

I guess they could swing some of this with a high 1st and high 2nd pick. 

 If they hit the jackpot and got in the top 3 (not happening) they’d have an interesting delima. Embid is the classic star center they always go for, Wiggins could be trained to be like Kobe by Kobe, and they might actually want Jabari most of all. They’ve stated they want to win with Kobe now and Jabari is the most NBA ready at the moment. I’m pretty sure that’s who Kobe would want. He also went to go watch Duke.

However, in that more likely 4-8 range, Exum would be brilliant. Not only because they could use a star PG, but because they really need someone who can drive and open things up. PF has been a huge deficit too. All the PF’s in the NBA seem to be having career nights against the Lakers. These days everyone has a super strong and athletic 6’10" PF. D’Antoni will want a guy like that who can hit 3’s. Good luck. Also, they need a rim protector. 

I guess they could swing some of this with a high 1st and high 2nd pick. 

 Only a few times I’ve seen Exum play, but he looks to have a great game and a ton of potential and athleticism.  I love his first step, and I thought his jumper looked okay to me.  He would be my choice over almost anyone in this draft outside of Embiid.  As a long-time Laker fan, I’m more excited about this draft since the last time the Lakers picked this high with James Worthy.

 Only a few times I’ve seen Exum play, but he looks to have a great game and a ton of potential and athleticism.  I love his first step, and I thought his jumper looked okay to me.  He would be my choice over almost anyone in this draft outside of Embiid.  As a long-time Laker fan, I’m more excited about this draft since the last time the Lakers picked this high with James Worthy.

Say the lakers did get a top 5 pick, it would only be logic to take Smart at 5 and start building from there. Kobe is in his last seasons, so lakers need a huge win this offseason. I think they also need to get rid of the Pal, get some decent, up in coming players and go from there. And please let D’antoni go!

Say the lakers did get a top 5 pick, it would only be logic to take Smart at 5 and start building from there. Kobe is in his last seasons, so lakers need a huge win this offseason. I think they also need to get rid of the Pal, get some decent, up in coming players and go from there. And please let D’antoni go!

 I like the idea of hiring a young coach or college coach. I like coach Cal in theory but his first stint in the NBA didn’t go too well. I think if they put a young team around him he would be able to maximize them but I would worry about his X’s and O’s.

As much as I don’t like Dantoni if Tue Lakers end up with Exum or Smart there really wouldn’t be a better coach for them to play for their rookie seasons. His system brings the best out of almost any pg that plays in it.  Now that I think about it the only two top prospects that I don’t think would thrive in Dantonis system would be Embiid and Vonleh.  Parker, Wiggins, exum, randle and smart would have a great chance to succeed in their rookie seasons in Mike D’s system.

 I like the idea of hiring a young coach or college coach. I like coach Cal in theory but his first stint in the NBA didn’t go too well. I think if they put a young team around him he would be able to maximize them but I would worry about his X’s and O’s.

As much as I don’t like Dantoni if Tue Lakers end up with Exum or Smart there really wouldn’t be a better coach for them to play for their rookie seasons. His system brings the best out of almost any pg that plays in it.  Now that I think about it the only two top prospects that I don’t think would thrive in Dantonis system would be Embiid and Vonleh.  Parker, Wiggins, exum, randle and smart would have a great chance to succeed in their rookie seasons in Mike D’s system.

Would truly be a detriment to Embids career if they were able to pick him. We know how much he loves cemters. I guess Im the only one that likes Randle to the Lakers in the top 5, if Parker is not available

Would truly be a detriment to Embids career if they were able to pick him. We know how much he loves cemters. I guess Im the only one that likes Randle to the Lakers in the top 5, if Parker is not available