2017 NBA Draft: 5 best fits for De’Aaron Fox

1. Los Angeles Lakers

This idea was posed by Sports Illustrated’s Andrew Sharp earlier this month, and it makes a ton of sense. Though the Lakers have Jordan Clarkson locked up long-term and D’Angelo Russell is still growing, their backcourt is far from filled out. Both of these players are combo guards, and lack above-average playmaking or defense. Fox offers both.

The whole thing hinges upon how much Luke Walton’s lack of a concrete system actually means freedom for his team. With the Warriors and last year with the Lakers, Walton’s pass-happy philosophy has meant a good amount of movement off-ball and good looks on offense coming organically. It’s not that you can definitively say Fox can’t be a part of a system like that, since he’s merely a college freshman, but that’s not the style that will best fit his current skill set.

Fox’s best case is a ball dominator within a pick-and-roll offense, an environment in which his quickness and passing would be put to great use. However, great systems organize around great players, and Fox has the potential to be a positive on offense. The Lakers should not pass on him because of the prior tendencies of their young coach.

Next: NBA Draft 2017: Pro comparisons for prospects

The biggest gain to be made by adding Fox is on defense. Though he is thin and needs to add weight, he has quick feet and tremendous instincts and athleticism. He has the makings of a pesky on-ball defender and a jittery pick-and-roll defender. On a Lakers team desperate for defense, especially from the guard spots, Fox makes a ton of sense.