Final Draft Thoughts

I am about to head out on leave, so this will be my last update for a few days.  At the very least posts will be at a far reduced rate.  The NBA Draft is tomorrow but I am drafting my own personal first-rounder early in the morning when my wife is scheduled to give birth to our first child.  As such, daddy duty will be priority for the next week, but I promise to get back up to speed as soon as I can.

Anyway, enough about me, here are a few tidbits and expectations for the Lakers draft tomorrow.

• The Lakers have three picks tomorrow but have already vowed to keep no more than 13 players on their roster next season.  Assuming the re-sign everyone, they currently have 14 players on the roster and that means some trades will have to be made.  I fully expect the Lakers to move at least one of their picks to avoid a logjam and then use one of the remaining picks on a European player that can stay overseas for a year.
• On that note, I think the Euro pick has to be done with their first-rounder.  That contract is larger and fully guaranteed, so that is a financial obligation worth avoiding.  That should leave the Lakers deciding between Jonas Jerebko and Nick Calathes and I would guess Jerebko is at the top of their board.
• Using the first-rounder on a Euro makes more financial sense, but I think the Lakers will regret passing on Darren Collison and Taj Gibson when they look back on this draft in a few years.  Hopefully they have the common sense to package their two second-rounders to move to the top of the second round to grab either of those guys if they slide.
• An alternative to picking a Euro in the first would be to sell the pick.  Fans won’t like it, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that is ulitmately what happens.  Those Odom and Ariza contracts need all the funding they can get.
• Maybe I am just a suck for Gonzaga players, but I think Josh Heytvelt would be a huge second-round steal for the Lakers.  He is guy who can play both front court positions and play right away for the Lakers.  He’s a mobile big man who can score from almost anywhere on the court, something any team could use.  If not for the fact that he likes taking psychedelic drugs, he would be a definite first-rounder.  If Phil Jackson can coach Dennis Rodman, I think he can handle Heytvelt.

Tags: Darren Collison, Jonas Jerebko, Josh Heytvelt, Lamar Odom, Mitch Kupchak, NBA Draft, Nick Calathes, Taj Gibson, Trevor Ariza