The Lakers currently sit at 16-27 on the season, and they are in prime position to get a high pick in the upcoming draft. At first, Laker fans and management were against “tanking” but as injuries and lack of talent started to plague LA, it seems as if losing is something that has become wanted.
With Kobe Bryant locked up for two more seasons, and the Lakers having room for just one more max guy, fans are clamoring for Jabari Parker or Andrew Wiggins in purple and gold. The consensus seems to resolve around them drafting one of these studs in college, and Kobe will mentor them to take over. The Lakers may or may not be on that bandwagon.
Via Kevin Ding at Bleacher Report:
"Let’s be clear about this much: The Lakers do not—listen up, you most skeptic of septic tankers, they do not—plan to get back to championship level through the draft.To be honest, they’ve rightly planned far more for the chance to snag the best player in the game who was still very much doing his thing for Miami on Thursday night with 27 points, 13 rebounds and six assists."
Ding goes on to say that the draft will simply just add another puzzle piece to a larger puzzle. The report states that the Lakers are thinking of throwing the wallet at LeBron James, and if that doesn’t work, they will do another patch-job, and try again in 2015. And if that doesn’t work, they will go after Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in the years following that.
It’s time for Laker fans to get real.
The chances of them landing LaMarcus Aldridge, Kevin Love, Russell Westbrook, LeBron James, Kevin Love, or Kyrie Irving are small. Can they nab one of those guys? Sure, but the chances of getting more than one of them are slim. LeBron James isn’t going to LA, Aldridge would be unwise to leave Portland, Kevin Durant isn’t going to the Lakers, so maybe finding a future cornerstone player in the draft may not be so far-fetched.
Should the Lakers draft someone like Wiggins then call it quits? No. But they could land Kevin Love next off-season, or even trade their first round pick to get him this summer. This is an interesting time for the Lakers, and if you ask me, they should keep all options open.