The Los Angeles Lakers have had a rough couple of past seasons to say the least, but being selected to have the second overall pick in this year's draft offers optimism for the near future. Luckily in this year's draft, there are two prospects that have been projected to go first and second for months now. Karl-Anthony Towns looks to be selected first overall by the Minnesota Timberwolves, which leaves Jahlil Okafor falling into the Lakers' lap at number two. Even though most analysts say that Towns has better potential and tools to be a better player than Okafor, Okafor offers something the Lakers are in dire need of, immediate impact.
Okafor had his pre-draft workout with the Lakers on June 9. While the Lakers also hosted the projected third and fourth overall picks in D'Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay on prior dates, Okafor won them over according to this statement from Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix :
"The Lakers are going through the motions with other draft prospects—D’Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay have been in for workouts—but multiple league sources say L.A. is locked in on Okafor. Despite being overtaken by Towns, scouts still see Okafor as a franchise center—one with an enormous upside."
The former Duke big man also expressed that it isn't important for him to be the number one overall pick, but rather to go to a team that best fits his skill set and also genuinely wants him. For his sake, the Lakers are the better choice by far. Not because they have Kobe Bryant or the fact that it is in Los Angeles, but the player development seems to be excellent in comparison with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Some players that the Lakers have developed into better NBA players than projected include Derek Fisher, Devean George, and Sasha Vujacic. Now of course these were just a few players that they drafted who had little to no expectation of having an impact.
Even though it goes without saying, they did have a great impact in developing Kobe Bryant into the player he is, which is one of the best to ever play the game. Okafor will benefit not only from developmental coaches with whom he will work with daily, but also former Laker big men who are Hall-of-Famers such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O'Neal.
As you break down Okafor's game compared to Towns', it is evident that Okafor is an old-school true big man who has a tremendous post game. Footwork is a huge part of being able to be a force in the paint, and Okafor possesses those skills along with a soft touch around the rim. ESPN insider, Chad Ford, responded to a reporter's comparison of Okafor's game to Tim Duncan's by saying, "it’s not a projection that far off."
If Okafor can be anything that Tim Duncan has been, we may see the Lakers back at the top of the NBA ranks quite soon. However with all of the strengths of his game, there are weaknesses. A huge red flag is his struggles at the free-throw line, as he shot just 51 percent from the line this past season. Hopefully with endless repetitions, he can patch that weakness up as soon as possible so the Lakers do not become a part of the "hack-a-whomever" movement that has spread light fire as a strategy for NBA coaches.
Another concern of Okafor is his defensive ability. This past season, Towns proved to be a defensive anchor for the Kentucky Wildcats by blocking and altering shots, whereas Okafor seemed a bit hesitant to make his presence felt on the defensive end. One reason for that could've been the lack of depth that Duke suffered from. Besides Okafor, Marshall Plumlee was the only other option at center, so for the sake of the team, Okafor had to be very careful when contesting a shot that he didn't get into foul trouble.
What it comes down to is that Okafor is the perfect player for the progression of the Lakers' franchise for the future. With Julius Randle set to come back after breaking his leg in his NBA debut, the frontcourt is filled with unlimited talent. The return of Kobe Bryant will bring back the intensity and must-win attitude that was obviously lacking throughout last season. And with a great deal of cap space, the Lakers can look to make a splash in the upcoming free-agent market for a player such as Jimmy Butler.
The future is bright Laker fans, and picking Okafor is the first step in the right direction of raising another banner in the Staples Center.