LA Lakers NBA Draft 2011: Cory Joseph and Other Picks the Lakers Cannot Pass by

The Los Angeles Lakers do not need to make a bunch of moves up the draft board at the end of June when picks are officially made.

The Collective Bargaining Agreement for the NBA expires this summer, but over a week after the draft is scheduled to take place. Therefore, the Lakers have more than enough time to evaluate what direction they would like the organization to go and which rookies would be best equipped in the future to lead them down that path.

In most recent Lakers’ years, there has not been much rookie involvement.

Phil Jackson has stayed solid in his approach with his core men. However, since the dawn of a new era is peering through the clouds among us, there may be a different approach taken.

Of course all of these decisions are going to be based on what coaching style is employed in LA in comparison to Jackson’s. The new coach may look for players that could immediately fill some considerable gaps in the Lakers game and can establish themselves with solid minutes.

LA does not have any first round picks, as expected, in this year’s draft. But, their position in the draft is pretty solid for their needs. Going forward, the Lakers need to address a few aging issues within the roster—one being the perimeter shooting threat that they lack.

Kobe Bryant has been pushed towards the perimeter because his aging body is not taking the contact beneath the basket as he used to.

The only problem with this turn of events is the win-loss ratio that the Lakers experience with Bryant taking fewer shots than normally.

With the exception of Kobe, there is not another dependable perimeter scoring option. Ron Artest, Shannon Brown and Derek Fisher may have the occasional long range jumper, but all are below 40 percent from outside the three-point line.

One of the most reliable scorers in the NBA draft this year is Marshon Brooks from Providence. W...

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