General manager Mitch Kupchak has plenty of work ahead as the team owns two more picks inside the top-34 selections and how he goes about adding talent this summer will tell the tale of the ‘purple and gold’ as they attempt to rebuild this proud franchise.
The latest mocks have Los Angeles taking a center with their top pick and that makes perfect sense, but finding a point guard to lead this team into the future and a reliable shooting guard to replace Kobe Bryant is also a priority.
David Murphy of Bleacher Report has reported Utah point guard Delon Wright would make a good pick late in the first round. At 6’5″ he has the size needed to run the floor and with four years of college ball under his belt, the experience this squad needs. Wright is a jack of all trades with the skills to help on both ends of the floor and if available, should be considered by Kupchak and his staff.
Sophomore Terry Rozier of Louisville is another possibility. The 21-year-old is more of a scoring threat than a distributor, but his ball handling skills and explosive first step make him a viable asset if the LA Lakers decide to draft the youngster.
NBA experts believe the team will take another front court player with a late pick. Injuries have hurt this squad over the last few years and depth is a concern. Rakeem Christmas of Syracuse has good size and showed promise on the offensive end of the court, but he must improve his conditioning and defensive skills to become more than just a bench player in the league.
With three picks and some room under the salary cap, this summer is an important first step for this franchise. With a solid showing in the draft and the addition of a veteran, this team could leap from into the top-8 of the Western Conference, but the health of Bryant will be the ultimate decider for success next season.
