Los Angeles Lakers: Way-too-early redrafting of 2017 NBA Draft picks

No. 2: Lonzo Ball –> Jayson Tatum

There were a few considerations with this pick. At first, I thought Donovan Mitchell was the way to go. However, despite his impressive production on the stat sheet, he’s been relatively inefficient, relying on volume to put together huge scoring totals.

I also considered sticking with Ball, who has been impressive despite a lack of reliable shooting. He may not have lived up to the hype at this point, but he’s obviously flashed elite upside. On top of that, it’s difficult to overstate the value of a quality point guard in today’s NBA.

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In the end, though, I had to go with Jayson Tatum at No. 2. The Boston Celtics’ selection at No. 3 overall has been a bona fide star, capitalizing on Gordon Hayward‘s opening night injury to earn a prominent role on the East’s best team. In terms of overall talent and potential, there may not be a better rookie outside of Ben Simmons.

At this moment, Tatum has the eighth-highest real plus-minus among all small forwards (36th among all players). On top of that, he has the best 3-point percentage (51.5 percent) in the league. He’s been an integral part of the Celtics’ early-season run, and is quickly proving himself more than worthy of the third overall selection.

Ball was a great pick who figures to get much better in a very short amount of time. Still, considering Tatum’s early rise to stardom and my general desire to shake things up, I went with the Celtics’ rookie sensation. Even with Brandon Ingram on the roster, Tatum is simply too good to pass up.