Can we talk about how good this Draft class looks?

[mr.hockey4242]

Kaminsky hasnt done much at all cant believe they turned down 4 picks.

I think KAT, Okafor and Porzingis all look great with KAT being Superstar bound. Russell has potential same with Mudiay.

The rest are more role guys.

 

[trojanfan12]

Well, seeing as how he wasn't on the board when the Lakers picked I'd say they need to get over it.

Okafor would have been redundant when you have Randle.

This is the Curry era.

Not sure what's so hard to understand.

Maybe none of the rookie pg's turnout to be half as good as Steph.

But, you need a guy that can complete with the Kyrie's, Lillards, Wall's, Bledsoe's of the league.

Exactly. All one needs to do is look at last years playoffs. How many dominant bigs were there vs. how many good to great PG's?

 

[trojanfan12]

Point guard in the NBA has become much like quarterback in the NFL. It is the most important position on the floor. Everything goes through the point guard now. Used to be that you could have a "game manager" type point guard like Derek Fisher and still win a title. That's no longer the case.

 

[lakersrule]

There are a lot of good looking rookies this season no doubt. KAT looks every bit the stud that I thought he would be. If only the Lakers had the #1 pick!

I think the early comparisons of Russell to the other early draft picks are unfair so far. He simply is not getting the opportunity that the others are getting. His usage rate is way lower than that of Mudiay and Okafor. Those two are the focal points of their team's offense. Russell isn't even close. Here's an article comparing Russell and Mudiay so far:

Comparing D'Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay's rookie seasons

I think the Lakers have themselves a nice player in Nance Jr. Dude is extremely athletic. He attacks rebounds. His on-ball defense is strong. His offense needs to develop, but he is showing an ability to hit the baseline jumper, even stretching that out to the corner 3. He has been playing strictly at the 4 so far. I wonder if he can handle the 3 spot? He looks to have the quickness to defend that position.

 

[CitySushi]

Russell's Per-36 numbers are better than Mudiay's, he hasn't been given as much control as these other guys but I don't think he's looking like a bust as some folks in Lakers Nation are saying.

Yeah I didn't speak about Russell only because I don't think he's getting a fair run right now in LA. I get having to "earn" your minutes, but when Scott uses defense as an excuse not to play him late game situations, but plays Kobe and Lou, that's ridiculous.

I think Mudiay is being handled the right way, giving him the keys to the car and letting him learn. That's probably the best thing that Mark Jackson did with the Warriors and Curry's development. Don Nelson pulled Curry often for Acie Friggin Law late in games for the same reasons Scott does to Russell. It wasn't until Jackson let Curry go out, make mistakes, but correct them, that he eventually flourished.

If your team is not in a position to compete, you give the young guys every opportunity to play and learn. There's no better experience than actual game situations.

I was very high on Russell coming into the draft and still think he can be a very dynamic player. But only time will tell if the Lakers develop him properly.

 

[trojanfan12]

I was very high on Russell coming into the draft and still think he can be a very dynamic player. But only time will tell if the Lakers develop him properly.

I think he'll be developed either way. It's just a matter of long it will take which will be determined by how much Byron is willing to play him.

To be fair to Byron, he's the coach and ultimately, his job is to win games. So, I get where he's coming from in that regard. He seems to be taking a similar approach to the one that was taken with Kobe (he's actually started more games this year than Kobe did in his first 2). The problem is, that Lakers team was going to the playoffs whether Kobe played or not. This Lakers team isn't going to the playoffs whether Russell plays or not, so they may as well play him.

 

[CitySushi]

I think he'll be developed either way. It's just a matter of long it will take which will be determined by how much Byron is willing to play him.

To be fair to Byron, he's the coach and ultimately, his job is to win games. So, I get where he's coming from in that regard. He seems to be taking a similar approach to the one that was taken with Kobe (he's actually started more games this year than Kobe did in his first 2). The problem is, that Lakers team was going to the playoffs whether Kobe played or not. This Lakers team isn't going to the playoffs whether Russell plays or not, so they may as well play him.

That's where I slightly disagree. The head coach's job is to get the most out of his players and to carry out the vision of the franchise. Most times it's always hand in hand with winning. In this situation, it's not. The Lakers are in a rebuild mode, without wanting to recognize that there is a rebuilding process. It's not the same situation where lets say Steve Kerr was hired with certain expectations based on team performance. His job was to take them to the next level. When Mark Jackson was hired, he was hired for the purpose of changing the culture of the team. In Jackson's first year the Warriors went 23-43.

Scott and the Lakers need to find out what is best for their team next season and plan accordingly for it.

 

[trojanfan12]

That's where I slightly disagree. The head coach's job is to get the most out of his players and to carry out the vision of the franchise. Most times it's always hand in hand with winning. In this situation, it's not. The Lakers are in a rebuild mode, without wanting to recognize that there is a rebuilding process. It's not the same situation where lets say Steve Kerr was hired with certain expectations based on team performance. His job was to take them to the next level. When Mark Jackson was hired, he was hired for the purpose of changing the culture of the team. In Jackson's first year the Warriors went 23-43.

Scott and the Lakers need to find out what is best for their team next season and plan accordingly for it.

True, but at the end of the day, coaches get fired because they didn't win enough games. If the Lakers were 9-2 instead of 2-9, no one would be talking about Russell's minutes or development. I think Byron's mistake is that he's trying to use the "Kobe blueprint" which was obviously successful. Plus, he was a part of that blueprint, so he's familiar with it. The problem is, that blueprint doesn't apply here because this team is in a completely different spot than that one was.

 

[Cyder]

All the hype was in the Wiggins-Parker draft, but I'd say this draft class has potential to be the best since the Bron-Melo-Wade-Bosh draft back in 2003.

Towns is ALREADY putting up elite numbers as a big man, dominating the glass and blocking shots. He should be the favorite for ROY over Okafor, who's also been impressive, but it's not as convincing to me because he's on Philly, a team w/ ZERO offensive options outside of him.

Porzingis looks amazing. Stanley Johnson & Emmanuel Mudiay have shown flashes of their great potential. Winslow looks good too, Russell isn't getting as much PT as he should from Byron Scott but he looks promising as well.

Hezonja and WCS have had stretches where they've looked incredible, should develop into very solid role players at the very least. Then you got Turner, Booker, Grant, Kaminsky, & Hollis-Jefferson already making impacts now and then.

One of the deepest draft classes you'll find, imo. Still really early, but I can't remember rookies having this big of an impact across the league in a while.

I was just talking about this with one of my co workers. Porzingis I've seen the most of and he's been a pleasant surprise. The reports that he plays no D and doesn't rebound were unfounded. Okafor and Towns are putting up excellent numbers. Grants shown some signs. Can't wait to see the rest of these kids as the year goes on

 

[CitySushi]

True, but at the end of the day, coaches get fired because they didn't win enough games. If the Lakers were 9-2 instead of 2-9, no one would be talking about Russell's minutes or development. I think Byron's mistake is that he's trying to use the "Kobe blueprint" which was obviously successful. Plus, he was a part of that blueprint, so he's familiar with it. The problem is, that blueprint doesn't apply here because this team is in a completely different spot than that one was.

The Kobe blueprint worked for him because the team was already very good without him. It's a totally different scenario and different type of player. Kobe needed some humbling, he was brash and talented, which is always tough to harness especially with regards to a kid from HS.

Kobe could afford to ride the bench because Eddie Jones was already in front of him. They also had a guy named Shaq on the team who helped win them a few games.

Obviously if the Lakers were 9-2 there would be no problem. But they are not. Scott's job would not be in jeopardy if he and the Lakers management were cohesive in agreeing player development was most important. If the Lakers really believed in Scott's future as coach, they would afford him a year to get this young nucleus ready to compete next year. When they have tons of cap room after Kobe's contract is off the books.