For much of the pre-draft process, the Lakers' pick at No. 2 was seen as equally self-explanatory. Duke's Jahlil Okafor was the top player on the board for nearly the entire college basketball season and represented a chance for the Lakers to replace the foundational big they lost in Dwight Howard. Okafor also seemed primed for the L.A. spotlight, having won at every level of basketball he's played dating back to his youth.
"Being here in Lakerland, walking around, a lot of Lakers fans say they want me here, telling me they want to win," Okafor said, per Bill Plaschke of the Los Angeles Times. "I love it."
All seemed to be trending toward a happy marriage. The overwhelming odds remain that it still will. That said, there are real cracks in the Okafor-to-Los Angeles foundation that are getting bigger as we head toward draft night.
For one, the team seems intent on scheduling private workouts with other top-five players. Latvian forward Kristaps Porzingis was in Los Angeles on Monday for a private workout with team brass, who came away impressed with his public workout in Las Vegas. Porzingis is in play as high as No. 3 to the Sixers, but Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski described him as "pursuing" the No. 2 spot.
The 7-footer might have the most varied skill set of any player in this class on paper. He can stretch comfortably to the three-point line, has athleticism that allows him to play above the rim and shows a willingness to challenge shots at the rim despite his slight stature.
“I don’t like being labeled soft,” Porzingis told Wojnarowski. “I’m v...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
