Welcome in to the recap of the Lakers' 2018 NBA Draft. Last night was very intriguing to say the least. The biggest thing is that Magic and Rob kept their poker face on and didn't show their hands early in order to pull off a blockbuster trade. Oh and on a side note, they didn't bite on LiAngelo Ball's hype. So much for LaVar's grandmaster plan of BBB ruling the purple and gold. All jokes aside, I'll provide some quick thoughts on the draft picks and some key strengths based on highlights and draft profiles.
Lakers acquired the 25th pick from the Cavs before the trade deadline this year. They may have another late 1st round steal in the making. With so much uncertainty whether or not the Lakers will bring back Brook Lopez via free agency, they may have found a cheaper replacement that could fill the role as a "stretch 5." Mo Wagner could be that guy. He's a very effective pick-and-pop 3-point shooter, shooting 43% from three in pick-and-pop action. That is essential in Luke Walton's fast-paced motion offense. For a guy with okay atheleticism, he's got a real explosive first step to attack the basket. He's a solid rebounder who can box out. Despite some needed defensive improvements, he doesn't get beat often when he's caught in a switch, and he's shown flashes to be a playmaker. Wagner is compared a lot to Dirk Nowitzki and in reality, Nowitzki took on a mentoring role for Wagner. From an offensive skillset, he does play like a poor man's Dirk Nowitzki. I also see a little bit of Pau Gasol in him in terms of potential playmaking ability. He came up big in Michigan's Final Four run vs. Loyola-Chicago this year, scoring 24 points and 15 rebounds en route to a trip to the National Title game vs. Villanova. The biggest intangible is that he plays the game with a lot of heart and that's the kind of intangible Magic and Rob covet. He's the ideal fit for Luke Walton's system as a "stretch 5" and he's pretty much Brook Lopez except with decent rebounding ability, quicker mobility, and a quicker release.
The Lakers made the trade on Wednesday to get the Sixers' 39th pick this year. The NBA draft officially listed Bonga as a Small Forward, but he's positioned as a Point Guard during his playing career. A 6'10 Point Guard to be specific. Potentially, he's a matchup problem for smaller guards. Offensively, his biggest strength is that for his size, he has decent penetration and finish at the rim. He's also a good finisher in pick-and-roll plays. He has some shooting upside, but he's gonna have to develop a quicker release of the ball. Based on a little research, it sounds like he was considered a late 1st round talent. With his size, he's the prototype player for position-less basketball. However, we're not going to see him in action considering he's staying for another year overseas. He's a draft-and-stash player.
Round 2 Pick 47: Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, SG, Ukraine/Kansas
I dubbed this guy as the "Ukranian Sharpshooter." Doesn't his offensive game remind you of a little Klay Thompson here? That was my first observation. Good spot up three-point shooter. The corner threes stand out, which is Klay's sweet spot. Ok, enough with Klay comparisons because I said the same thing about Josh Hart last year. "Svi" fills one of the Lakers' need for a 3-point shooter. He also brings some size to the position being 6'8. Not to mention, there's a lot of uncertainty at Shooting Guard position outside of Josh Hart. We don't know if the Lakers will bring back KCP or if he's even a Plan B if the Lakers strike out on Paul George this offseason. Svi brings help to the position in terms of depth, especially if the Lakers continue the Josh Hart experiment at the starting SG.
Conclusion
Once again, Magic and Rob put together a solid draft. This draft class placed more emphasis on plugging in some roster holes and drafting replacement for possible departed free agents. Perhaps my only complaint is that I think they should've used a pick on a player who has proven track record on defense (rim protector, shot blocker). However, with the way the Lakers played solid team defense last season, it doesn't seem to be too much of a concern. Either way, this is still a decent draft. For the rest of the offseason, you've heard the commotion about trading for Kawhi Leonard and signing Paul George and LeBron to form a new super team. It's a crapshoot as to what the Lakers are gonna do. They have the cap space and they have the assets to come up with some agile trade packages. We don't know if any of these guys of this draft or any of the Lakers' young core are trade bait to land a superstar. It remains to be seen, but Magic and Rob, with their saviness, have a plan in place.
Grade: B+
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