After winning the second overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers find themselves with plenty of optimism entering next season. The team registered the worst winning percentage in franchise history and hoped to keep their protected top-five pick.
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During an episode of “Connected With…” on TWC SportsNet, Lakers president Jeanie Buss shared her thoughts on moving up and described the second pick as a surprise. She also discussed head coach Byron Scott’s appearance while naming him a good choice:
It’s the best surprise that you can get, getting the number two pick. I loved the look on Byron’s face. He was a great representative of the Lakers and the fan base. He was cool and collective, but then he got a nice smile on his face when he knew.
The Lakers came into the lottery with plenty to lose. After finishing with the league’s fourth worst regular season, the team had an 12.6 percent chance of landing first overall but a 17.2 percent chance of losing their pick.
For the most part the lottery went as expected. The Lakers were the only team to move up while the New York Knicks were the only one to move down.
With the second pick, the Lakers are now in position to turn their fortunes around. Most draft experts believe the team will draft either Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor, the top two bigman prospects available. Of course, whomever the select depends on who the Minnesota Timberwolves take.
General manager Mitch Kapchak recently mentioned drafting a big isn’t a guarantee. The team still needs to bring in prospects for workouts and get a better feel. Another popular choice for the Lakers is guard D’Angelo Russell. Regardless of which direction the Lakers go, the team is hopeful they will draft a valuable asset.
[divide]Lakers Nation Draft Podcast: Lottery Reaction