The Los Angeles Lakers were — and still are — the most hyped team entering this 2018 NBA offseason. This is mostly because of free agency and trade speculations involving big names such as LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard and Paul George. Entering the recently concluded NBA Draft, the Lakers weren’t as prominent in the headlines as in the past, perhaps because they did not have a lottery pick as compared in the past years. Those early picks consisted of then-prospects Julius Randle (2014), D’Angelo Russell (2015), Brandon Ingram (2016), and Lonzo Ball (2017).
Los Angeles Lakers Draft Recap and Review
Offseason Needs
They came into the Draft already with a promising roster loaded with young talent, but which still had some gaps in the rotation and a bunch of needs in the current roster that they could use picks 25, 39, and 47 to address. One of their most notable needs was rim protection and depth in the front-court. The contract of Brook Lopez ended this season, and the remaining center was an Ivica Zubac whose development just slowed down after a promising rookie season.
The Lakers were also thin on the point guard position. Lonzo Ball, although he had a wonderful first year, didn’t have any veteran help or a solid backup at the 1. There was Tyler Ennis, who never went beyond being a half-decent player.Alex Caruso was one of the Lakers’ two-way contract players. And in an NBA becoming more and more dependent on three-point shooting, the Lakers were looking to get players who would help them improve and be more competitive in this aspect. They finished last season second to last in team three-point percentage, which, at 34.7% was only better than the Phoenix Suns.
Pick 25: Moritz Wagner
The Lakers took Michigan Wolverines’ center Moritz Wagner with their late first round pick. In terms of his skillset, Wagner is a capable shooter, especially from three-point range. He shot over 39% from deep in his last 2 years at Michigan. Besides these, he is also a decent passer with great vision on the court for a big man.
However, although he plays as a center, he does not provide the rim protection that the Lakers have been needing for so long now. He has shown deficiencies in defending stronger centers inside, while being too slow to catch up with more versatile 4s outside. This pick left the Lakers still with this very critical need yet to be addressed.
Beyond these, however, Wagner possesses a lot of intangibles that made him attractive enough for the Lakers to take him with their first round pick. He has shown a lot of personality and spirit on the court, and even brought these to one of his workouts with the Lakers in the pre-draft process. Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart, who were present in this workout, even apparently “elbowed” Magic Johnson to take Wagner in the Draft. In a long and grueling NBA season, any player who will keep the team morale high and keep their spirits going will be invaluable.
Draft Grade: B+
Pick 39: Isaac Bonga
“Isaac Bonga” wasn’t a name that many were familiar with coming into last week’s Draft. Many Lakers fans probably knew next to nothing about this guy’s game. To give a short rundown, Bonga is 6’10” listed as a point guard from German-side Fraport Skyliners. While officially signed with the Skyliners, who play in the top-flight of Germany’s basketball leagues, Basketball Bundesliga, he spent most of last year playing with Skyliners Juniors, the team’s junior reserve team, which competed in the third tier German Pro B league. Here he averaged 14.2 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists per game, according to OCRegister.
He is the second youngest player entering the 2018 NBA Draft. While he was seen to have excellent court vision and was a capable facilitator, his shaky jump-shot and a lot of other undeveloped aspects of his game have seen him be touted as a raw player. Although he undoubtedly has upside, he is still a few overseas seasons away from being a contributor in the NBA. If he manages to maximize his potential, he will no doubt have a role waiting for him in the NBA. It is not everyday that one will find a 6’10” point guard with court vision and instincts such as Bonga.
Although Bonga is a talent worth developing, he is most likely a draft-and-stash project for the Lakers unlikely to contribute anything to the team in the near future. Given that the Lakers could have used this second round pick to fill in one of their remaining needs such as a capable backup point guard or an additional body in the frontcourt, Bonga may have not been the best option for LA.
Draft Grade: C-
Pick 47: Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk
And with the Lakers’ last pick in the 2018 Draft, they selected Kansas’ senior swingman Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk. Although his name is confusing, his game certainly is not.
Sviatoslav is a deadly shooter from outside, taking nearly 7 threes per game with the Jayhawks and making over 44% of these. He is an extremely skilled spot-up shooter, and can generate offense on-the-go.
This, however, may be his key flaw as well. While he is decent in catch-and-shoot situations, he is rarely able to attack the rim effectively due to his lack of explosiveness, as well as create shots for himself off the dribble. And although he is an underrated defender at times, he is unable to defend well consistently due to his relatively short wingspan at only 6’5”. At the NBA level, this will definitely be a liability both for him and his team. Besides being a shooter, there is not that much else he brings to the table. Although he may be an offensive spark for the Lakers, that may be all that he brings on the floor.
Draft Grade: C+
Overall Outlook
Having seen and evaluated all these players that the Lakers have selected in the past Draft, including their strengths, weaknesses and what they might contribute to the Lakers, one can only predict how this all will play out. Although the players chosen don’t seem to be the best that the Lakers could have taken, the team’s scouting department has shown a knack in the past few drafts for selecting players that would grow to become solid role players and remain a consistent part of the rotation. While endless speculations can be made, the fanbase would have to wait to see how everything plays out for the Purple and Gold.
Main Photo
SAN ANTONIO, TX – APRIL 02: Moritz Wagner #13 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts against the Villanova Wildcats in the second half during the 2018 NCAA Men’s Final Four National Championship game at the Alamodome on April 2, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. The Villanova Wildcats defeated the Michigan Wolverines 79-62. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
