It's not yet safe to assume Karl-Anthony Towns will be the No. 1 pick when the draft rolls around this June, but he's the consensus best player. Last we heard, the Minnesota Timberwolves are "torn" between Towns and Jahlil Okafor, but cooler heads usually do prevail in these situations. Given his abilities and the direction the NBA is headed, without taking anything away from Okafor, Towns simply makes more sense.
Who should the Lakers draft with the 2nd pick?
If Karl-Anthony Towns goes No. 1 overall, Los Angeles will have three realistic options at No. 2.
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That leaves us with the Los Angeles Lakers sitting at No. 2. Los Angeles, worried it would lose its pick if it fell out of the top five, instead moved up two slots and slipped just behind Minnesota in the draft order. If the Timberwolves don't pick Towns, he'll assuredly be the Lakers' man.
But if Minnesota does finally settle on Towns, the Lakers have a tricky decision to make. They could take Okafor or opt for one of the two point guards (D’Angelo Russell or Emmanuel Mudiay), a position where they could use help. Here’s how to break down their decision.
Towns’ rise to becoming the consensus No. 1 pick is taking nothing away from Okafor as a prospect. He’s not just polished in the post, but exceptionally athletic and skilled. He’s a high-volume scorer with great vision and passing skills. Teams should have no problems playing their offense through him.
It's rumored that Okafor wants to play with the Lakers, but Los Angeles first has to decide whether it can build around his defensive issues. The Lakers already have Julius Randle, who has similar traits: great scoring, no shooting range and not much defense at the rim.
Given those deficiencies, the Lakers are better off looking to one of the two excellent point guard prospects available to them.
D’Angelo Russell
There’s little Russell doesn’t do. He’s immensely skilled as a shooter, passer and scorer. He’s a capable defender, if not the quickest or most explosive athlete. He understands the game in ways a point guard should. There are a few valid criticisms of Russell, like his tendency to pull up early instead of going all the way to the rim, but in general he’s an excellent candidate to run anyone’s team.
Although the Lakers saw 22-year-old Jordan Clarkson emerge late in the year, picking another point guard isn't out of the question. Both Clarkson and Russell are 6'5 and could easily play together in a backcourt, provided they were happy with sharing point guard duties.
Emmanuel Mudiay
If Russell isn’t right but a point guard is acceptable, then the Lakers should look Mudiay’s way. Although his trip to China dropped him off the radar to an extent, Mudiay is still viewed highly among decision makers in the NBA.
Thanks to his hyper-athleticism and natural gifts, Mudiay has the best ceiling of anyone the Lakers could pick at No. 2, Towns included. He’s a gifted scorer who also stands 6’5, again allowing the potential of a shared backcourt with Clarkson. He’s the best defender of the three and could develop into an All-Defensive team player, all while being just as good on the other end.
The pick depends on what the Lakers are looking for, but if they want to land a haymaker, Mudiay is the best option. Okafor and Russell are both sure things with limited upside and Mudiay could outclass them both with the right tutelage.
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