2017 NBA Draft: 3 dark horse options for Los Angeles Lakers in top 3
Josh Jackson, SF, Kansas
Realistically, most folks wouldn’t call Josh Jackson a dark horse option for the Lakers. The consensus right now is he’s a top-3 talent, with the potential to come off the board first based on which team is picking in that spot. However, seeing as Ball appears to be the target, I’m putting him in the “dark horse” category.
So why a wing, right?
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The Lakers didn’t really draft Ingram to be a bench player. However, he’s still a work in progress despite showing serious skills as a rookie. If anything, adding Jackson at small forward would give Los Angeles two high-upside options on the wing who perfectly complement each other’s skill sets.
While Ingram is more of the offensive threat, Jackson is a relentless defender with the potential to emerge as an annual selection for the NBA All-Defensive team. His ability to lock down opposing scorers is impressive for his age, and chances are he’s only going to get better. Just imagine if he added some muscle to his frame and got some NBA-caliber coaching.
Don’t think that he can’t make an impact on offense, though. Jackson will never make a run at the scoring title, but shows a well-rounded offensive skill set as a jump shooter who can get himself open with his tenacity and athleticism off the ball. When all is said and done, though, the former Jayhawk will need some serious work on his mechanics and consistency at the next level.
Next: Boldly Predicting the Lakers' 2018-19 Starting Lineup
The Lakers were one of the worst defensive teams throughout the 2016-17 campaign. Bringing aboard the talents of Jackson in the first round would be a huge step towards fixing that problem.