The NBA draft is Thursday night and with Karl-Anthony Towns likely going to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers have targeted D'Angelo Russell and Jahlil Okafor as their top options and that could leave the Knicks and 76ers to take players like Justise Winslow, Kristaps Porzingis or Emmanuel Mudiay if they do not trade out.
The Timberwolves won the draft lottery and reports have the team taking Towns with the number one overall pick. Coming into the draft, Towns and Okafor were considered to be the presumptive top picks, but now reports have the Lakers considering Russell as well. Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding writes that Russell has emerged as the main option for Los Angeles in the draft if they keep the number two pick. The Lakers are also reportedly talking to the Kings about a trade for the number two pick involving DeMarcus Cousins.
No deal has been reached yet for the Lakers, so the team is coming into the draft on Thursday presuming that they will have the number two pick. If the Lakers take Russell, the Knicks will be salivating for the chance to get Okafor, as they had hoped to target him in the draft coming into the lottery. The Knicks were disappointed in getting the fourth overall pick after finishing second worst this past season in the standings. Phil Jackson is reportedly considering trading the pick if Russell and Okafor are off the board, but if the Lakers take Russell, things could fall the Knicks way.
The 76ers have been predicted to take Russell in most mock drafts, but some scouts think the team could trade the pick or take Kristaps Porzingis third overall. If that happens, the Knicks likely will stay at number four and take Okafor. The Sixers may end up holding the key to the draft, as the team could shop the pick to the Knicks or another team for Okafor or Porzingis. The Knicks have Justise Winslow in numerous mock drafts and some experts have predicted the team could trade down and take someone like Trey Lyles, Cameron Payne or Frank Kaminsky.
Ding writes that the Lakers consider Russell to be a potential "star" and that is why they favor him over Okafor. The team has Julius Randle already and if they do not trade for Cousins, adding Okafor could be redundant with Randle there. The team reportedly has discussed a framework with the Kings for Cousins and it would include Randle along with Jordan Clarkson and the number two overall pick. The trade has some moving parts and as it stands now, there is no deal in place between the two teams.
The Lakers have a need at point guard even if they keep Clarkson and adding Russell to the mix could help the team contend in a couple years. The Lakers are hoping Randle can come back healthy and if they take Russell, they are betting on the fact that Randle will not be injury prone. Porzingis is the wild card in the draft, as he could be taken by the Sixers or another team and that would enable the Knicks to possibly get one of the players they really covet.