Los Angeles Lakers: Why Skal Labissiere Is A Better Fit Than Ben Simmons

The Los Angeles Lakers can change their fortunes by drafting Skal Labissiere, who is a better fit than Ben Simmons

Although we’re only 16 games into the 2015-16 NBA season, it’s already clear that the Los Angeles Lakers more than likely will not be in postseason contention and will be participating in the NBA Draft Lottery in yet another offseason. Add in the fact that Kobe Bryant just announced that he will call it quits at season’s end and that makes it the perfect time to talk about the draft and the first steps in a true rebuild for the Lakers.

Similar to last year, any discussions about a Lakers draft pick are hypothetical at this point because of the circumstances surrounding the pick. As a result of the abysmal Steve Nash trade that Lakers fans are still trying to forget, the team’s pick will have to land in the top three in this year’s lottery or it will be forfeited to the Philadelphia 76ers. However, if the team does manage to obtain the luck of the draw yet again, they will once again have the opportunity to draft another cornerstone to add to an already talented core of youngsters the Lakers have built through the last two drafts in D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle.

Though it’s also early in the college basketball season, one player has already risen above the rest of the pack as the clear favorite to have his name called first next June: LSU’s Ben Simmons.

Simmons is a 6’10, 240-pound point forward who excels in every facet of the game on both ends of the floor. His otherworldly numbers through five games (16 PPG, 15 RPG, 5.8 APG, 2 SPG, 1.3 BPG) back up that assertion. With extraordinary court vision and a knack for getting to the rim at will and finishing with authority, Simmons possesses qualities that most collegiate athletes (and some pros) simply don’t possess and has given scouts every indication that he has the immense potential to be a franchise-changing player and a future superstar.

You don’t need to look any further than his 21 points, 20 rebounds and seven assists against Marquette in the Barclays Center to realize that.

In the Lakers’ case, picking Simmons would fill an immediate need for the team at the small forward position as the immediate successor to Bryant as not only the starting three, but potentially as the team’s next star player. Even more enticing is the prospect of reuniting him with his high school teammate in Russell, who ran with Simmons during his senior year at Montverde Academy in Florida. Add this with his Lebron-esque skill set and Simmons seems like a no-brainer should the Lakers get the first pick, right?

Not quite.

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During their time together in high school, Russell and Simmons never quite gelled due to their similar playing styles as facilitators and the constant issue of whom was to defer to whom. Simmons was often the lead man during Russell’s senior year, averaging 18.5 points and 9.8 rebounds per game on his way to being named the MVP of the High School National Tournament that year following a 24-point, 12-board performance against Virginia-based powerhouse Oak Hill Academy in the championship game. Despite averaging 19.5 points per game and 5.9 assists per game his senior year, Russell often found himself playing Robin to Simmons’ Batman.

With both of them needing the ball in their hands to be effective, Russell would more than likely find himself having to defer to Simmons as the team’s leading facilitator and taking on the role of a scoring guard, a role he’s struggled with so far in his professional career. Russell would have to greatly adapt from his current playing style in order to fit in a backcourt with the likes of Simmons and Clarkson. In addition, Simmons’ playmaking ability might be severely stifled on a team that tends more towards scoring in isolation.

So, if Simmons isn’t the best fit for the Lakers in the upcoming draft, who is?

Look no further than Kentucky’s Skal Labissiere.

At 6’11 and 225 pounds with a 7’2 wingspan, astounding athleticism and a knack for shot blocking, the Haitian forward closely resembles one of his Kentucky predecessors in New Orleans Pelicans forward Anthony Davis. However, Labissiere’s offensive game is more reminiscent of another former Wildcat in Minnesota Timberwolves center Karl-Anthony Towns, the number one overall pick in last year’s draft.

Labissiere has an incredible face-up game with a silky smooth jump shot that he can sink from as far as 20 feet out in addition to a shimmy-hook shot move that is almost a direct imitation of Towns himself. Labissiere is also an aggressive rebounder on both ends and has a bit of a mean streak around the rim, finishing off lobs with the same aggression he throws opponents’ shots into the bleachers with. He’s also shown a pretty decent passing ability and runs the floor very well, always looking to clean up misses in transition.

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Like Davis, Labissiere has to add a little more muscle to his frame to be truly effective at the professional level, but his skill set already is a perfect fit for a team like the Lakers.

Labissiere can relieve Roy Hibbert and become the long-term rim protector the Lakers have been pining for and is also the perfect partner for Julius Randle in the post, as his ability to play back to the basket as well as knocking down face-up jumpers complements Randle’s bruising, slashing style. He would also make an ideal pairing with Russell as his game translates well to the pick and roll offense that Russell thrives in. A core featuring him, Randle, Russell and Clarkson could become the cornerstone of a very dangerous Lakers team going forward.

There’s no doubt that Simmons is clearly the best player and prospect in this year’s draft. However, Skal Labissiere is the better player for the Lakers — at present and for the future.