Los Angeles Lakers: Draft strategy is consistent and clear
The Los Angeles Lakers drafted experienced players with their late round picks for consecutive seasons that are quick implants into their system.
Before the NBA free agency period gets into full swing, we had a subtle 2018 NBA Draft a week ago that saw a pair of big trades, but none that included any players with a minute in the association. This was an underwhelming night of action that has been full of transactions in recent years, especially after the chaos of 2017 with Jimmy Butler and the No. 1 pick being traded.
For all of the lack of movement, there was still a strong talent pool that should produce rotation players well into the second round of the draft, as well as a talented class of undrafted players that found homes shortly after the night concluded. As long as teams have a system in place and certain type of prospect they target, there is plenty of value in picks well past the lottery.
Which brings me to the Los Angeles Lakers and their two picks. The Lakers hit on two players at the tailend of the first round with Kyle Kuzma (No. 27) and Josh Hart (No. 30) in the 2017 NBA Draft, and we saw them make quick impacts in their rookie seasons. They came into the league as juniors and seniors, respectively, with skill-sets that seamlessly fit the Lakers’ desire to play up-tempo and move the basketball.
Jump ahead to last week’s NBA Draft, and the Los Angeles Lakers continued this philosophy of finding talent that is experienced and fits their built-in style of play with their two draft picks, Michigan’s Moritz Wagner and Kansas’ Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk. These players are from big-time programs and developed under two of the top coaches in college basketball, John Beilein and Bill Self.
Wagner averaged 14.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, including knocking down 39.4 percent of his 4.1 3-point attempts during his junior season. His ability to stroke that 3-pointer as a stretch-5 will go a long way in how much playing time he receives. Wagner competes on both ends of the floor, although his defense leaves plenty to be desired. He did play in one of the most spread-oriented offenses in college at Michigan and can score inside and out, so there’s a chance his offense may offset his defense.
Svi Mykhailiuk averaged 14.6 points per game as well, along with 3.9 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.2 steals his senior season at Kansas. He is a natural sharpshooter from the wing at 6’8”, making 44.4 percent of his 6.6 3-point attempts per game. He’s an experienced defender in terms of switching on the perimeter, and, like Wagner, played in a 3-point oriented offense that fits exactly with the Lakers’ system.
The pairing of Wagner and Mykhailiuk may not be the most explosive pairing, but at later in the draft is where you fill out your rotation with players that fit your team. They both are upperclassman with plenty of room to grow, especially when considering Mykhailiuk is only 20 years old with four years of experience under his belt at Kansas.
They are threats off the ball and are better athletes than given credit for. Having these two round out the bench presents another unit of pace-and-space for the Lakers to deploy.
General manager Rob Pelinka identified that these two players fit their playing style in the post-draft press conference. Not to mention, Wagner had one of my favorite quotes of the night when he simply said,” I love basketball.”
It sounds cliche, but finding players that are going to spend the time in the gym and genuinely love the grind of basketball is an attribute, and the Lakers found one in the German big man.
Next: Complete 2018 NBA Draft grades for all 30 teams
So as the Lakers find themselves in numerous free agency and trade rumors every day, appreciate that they have executed their draft plan by fully implementing a style of basketball and finding experienced prospects that fit this brand — something continued this year draft by grabbing Moritz Wagner and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk late in the 2018 NBA Draft.