The NBA draft is less than a month away and Karl-Anthony Towns has emerged as the number one target for the Minnesota Timberwolves with the top pick and that would leave players like Jahlil Okafor, D'Angelo Russell, Emmanuel Mudiay and Justise Winslow as options for the LA Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers and New York Knicks in the top 4.
Coming into the lottery many draft scouts saw Okafor and Towns as the top two players in the draft and that has basically been unchanged. The main question for most NBA writers is which one of the two the Timberwolves will take and who the Lakers will pick after that selection is made. Things likely are getting clearer with a few weeks to go, as recent reports have the teams locking in on picks. According to Mark Heisler of Forbes, the Timberwolves "no doubt" will be taking Towns with the number one overall pick.
The Lakers got the number two pick in the lottery after finishing with the fourth worst record in the league and they reportedly are "very interested" in Okafor. Chad Ford at ESPN wrote earlier in the season that Okafor and Emmanuel Mudiay were the top players on the board for the Lakers and now it looks like they are "locked in" on Okafor at number two. The prevailing thoughts about the Lakers plans is that they are going to take either Towns or Okafor, basically whoever is left over from the Wolves pick. That wisdom makes sense, as the team has Julius Randle coming off of a foot injury and have no idea what he will be or if he will be healthy.
Many have suggested that the Lakers should go after a point guard over taking Okafor or Towns because of Randle, but the team may not want to take that risk. Jordan Clarkson is emerging and he could be the point guard of the future and the Lakers may not want to pass up the chance to get one of the big men. According to Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, the Lakers are looking at other players like Russell and Mudiay, but they are "locked in" on Okafor and will make that pick if he is available.
Okafor has some things that he needs to work on with his defense, but he is a strong offensive player and the Lakers could use him up front with Randle. The Timberwolves have the chance to add another number one pick to the roster after trading for Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett last summer and Towns looks like he is the pick.
Some mock drafts have the Sixers taking D'Angelo Russell, while the Knicks are looking like they are locked in on Justise Winslow. The Knicks could trade out of the fourth spot, but right now a pick is looking likely. The team is making the rounds and they have worked out Emmanuel Mudiay and Frank Kaminsky and they also have Winslow, Trey Lyles and Cameron Payne as targets. The Knicks pick fourth and they are the team that is most likely trading if anyone makes a move in the top five this year.
