Once the Lakers became lottery winners, and came away with the No. 2 pick in this summer’s draft, the speculation immediately began in terms of how L.A. would explore its options.
The Lakers could trade the pick, though that’s not what the team is planning on -- at least until the potential offers begin to roll in. But L.A. is not the most patient of franchises, and unless the front office evaluates one of the available players as being a sure-fire cornerstone for the future, dealing that pick will remain a very real option.
This explains the latest from GM Mitch Kupchak, who said his team will look at as many as eight players while deciding who to select with the second overall pick.
From Mike Trudell of Lakers.com:Kupchak said anywhere from four to eight players could be in consideration for the No. 2 pick. Keeping options open and broad right now.
LAL want to be prepped to pick from 1 all the way to 60; could always make a trade or purchase a pick as they did for Clarkson last year.
That seems like too many.
Taking a look at four players that would be worthy of going as high as two seems about right. But once you get past Karl-Anthony Towns, Jahlil Okafor, D’Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay, things get murky fairly fast.
It is worth noting, though, just how strong the Lakers have been in their talent evaluation most recently.
L.A. bought a second-round pick from the Wizards in last summer’s draft, and turned the 46th overall selection into Jordan Clarkson -- a player who just happened to finish the year by earning first team All-Rookie honors.