And though they have been giving up first-round draft choices as if they were old socks, the Lakers still own a late second-round pick in June and could find a diamond in the very, very rough underbelly of the NBA draft.
Perfect example: Sacramento point guard Isaiah Thomas was the No. 60 player chosen a year ago and is now being talked about as a possible rookie of the year.
The 5'9" former Washington Husky started 37 games for the Kings, averaging 11.5 points, 4.1 assists and just 1.6 turnovers in 25 minutes per game. He also shot 45 percent from the field and 38 percent from beyond the arc.
L.A. gave up their first-round pick to Cleveland when they acquired starting point guard Ramon Sessions in March. They gave up another first-round selection (received from Dallas in the Lamar Odom deal) to Houston when they traded Derek Fisher on the same day in order to get Jordan Hill.
The Lakers have the 60th selection via a second-round pick from Chicago in 2010. They are in need of a shooting guard, small forward and a power forward but not necessarily in that order. With one of the worst benches in the league, the Lakers need players...period.
If L.A. does decide to use the draft, there are a handful of players worth considering. The Lakers' recent second-round picks (Devan Ebanks, Darius Morris, Andrew Goudelock, Derrick Caracter) have all contributed some but are still works in progress.
Somewhere in this upcoming draft there are surprises—it will be up to L.A. brass to find that player. Here are just a few possibilities:
Kim English (Missouri)—English was one of the stars at the recent Portsmouth Invitational Tournament (PIT).
At 6'6", English...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
