The minute the Los Angeles Lakers were slotted with the second overall pick, the eyes of Lakers fans filled with images of talented players and their hearts filled with joy. The fanbase of the Lakers is like no other and they sure aren’t ashamed to show it. With such a strong following, of course the team has to produce something for the crowd to enjoy.
As of late, that hasn’t been happening and the only major winning at Staples Center has been for Los Angeles Clippers games. Now with hopes of returning stars Kobe Bryant and Julius Randle, along with the stellar play of surprise rookie Jordan Clarkson, the Lakers just need one more thing to workout for them. Their second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
There are two can’t miss prospects at the center position at the top of this draft. While the Lakers have been getting shut down by one young big man, Karl-Anthony Towns, it appears the other one, Jahlil Okafor, might be what the team has planned for that pick.
They’ve worked out a number of top prospects including D’Angelo Russell, Emmanuel Mudiay, Cameron Payne and Okafor but it all just seems to be a formality at this point. Okafor is their guy.
Following from Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix.
The Lakers are going through the motions with other draft prospects—D’Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay have been in for workouts—but multiple league sources say L.A. is locked in on Okafor. Despite being overtaken by Towns, scouts still see Okafor as a franchise center—one with an enormous upside.
A potential Lakers lineup including Jordan Clarkson, Kobe Bryant, Julius Randle and Jahlil Okafor might send Lakers nation into a craze. It’s full of fan favorites and even that team could make some noise in the Western Confernce but the thing is, they probably need more.
The future will be bright in LA, especially going beyond the Kobe Bryant years, and it will be a change because the focus won’t be on a star guard, instead it will be centered around a pair of big men.
