It was Tuesday evening, and all eyes were on the 31st NBA Draft Lottery which took place in New York City. 14 teams with one goal in mind, to get the first overall pick in the 2015 NBA draft.
The Los Angeles Lakers came in with the fourth worst record in the NBA and had the possibility of losing their first-round pick if it fell below the top five. Laker fans were nervous as the lottery was underway. Many anxious faces sitting in front of their television sets were hoping head coach Byron Scott would bring some luck as the team’s lottery representative.
And bring luck he did. The Lakers went from possibly losing their pick, to getting second overall. Things couldn’t have gone any better for the Lakers and their hopefuls.
Getting the second overall pick changes Los Angeles’ approach of the free agency period. Instead of throwing a lot of money at Marc Gasol or DeAndre Jordan, the Lakers may select one of the top-two centers available in the draft. Whether it will be Jahlil Okafor or Karl Anthony-Towns, they cannot go wrong with either one.
Not having to devote money on a big man this offseason will allow the Lakers to focus elsewhere. Their center position was vulnerable last season, and they could repair that via the NBA draft now. But another area of concern was at the wing position. Wesley Johnson has been the starting small forward the last couple of seasons, but as good as he is defensively, he is merely a liability on offense.
The Lakers have many choices at the small forward position this summer. A couple of names that come to mind are Jimmy Butler, Kawhi Leonard, and Tobias Harris.
All three of the aforementioned players are restricted free agents, which makes it a little tricky for the Lakers. They may have to offer a large amount of money to lure either Kawhi Leonard or Jimmy Butler since the San Antonio Spurs and Chicago Bulls will be reluctant to let those two walk.
Tobias Harris, on the other hand, is a more rational option. The 6-foot-9 forward has uttered his desire to play for a big market team and will certainly be intrigued by the possibility of playing in Los Angeles. Furthermore, Harris would be a sufficient fit for the team, as he could spot up or play in the mid post. The beauty of having a guy like Harris is that he could also play power forward and has terrific size defensively.
He is a strong, versatile forward who may not even be too costly for L.A. With the Orlando Magic landing the fifth overall pick and possibly selecting Justise Winslow, they may not even be interested in matching any offers for Harris, allowing the Lakers to snatch him at a bargain deal.
Laker fans may want Leonard or Butler, but let’s face it, they are implausible choices, and their respective teams will do anything to hold onto them. By acquiring Harris, the Lakers could also have left over cash to possibly land another top free agent and shore up their bench.
At this moment, they only have $35 million of guaranteed money on their pay roll, with just four players under contract – Kobe Bryant, Nick Young, Ryan Kelly, and Julius Randle. Rest assure, the Lakers will guarantee Jordan Clarkson’s $845,000 deal, and they can go from there.
With the likelihood of them drafting a center with star credentials, it seems like Jordan Hill’s $9 million team option may not be picked up. Say the Lakers do indeed sign Tobias Harris, they could still have $14 million or more to spend on another free agent. Perhaps Goran Dragic?
The floor is theirs, and they will now have more flexibility to bolster the roster through free agency. Thankfully, their luck shined in the draft lottery and maybe the tide will finally turn in Laker Land.
Mitch Kupchak, Jim Buss, you are up.