The NBA draft is coming up in less than a month and players like Karl-Anthony Towns, Jahlil Okafor, D'Angelo Russell and Emmanuel Mudiay are expected to be the main targets for the LA Lakers, Minnesota Timberwolves and Philadelphia 76ers in the top 3 picks, as they are considered to be the best college basketball prospects this year, while the Knicks may trade down with the Celtics if Boston wants Willie Cauley-Stein.
The Lakers made the biggest jump in the lottery by going from number four to number two and that means they will have the chance to take either Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor. While Mitch Kupchak reportedly has "four to eight players" that the team is targeting, most draft experts see Okafor and Towns going one-two. The Timberwolves won the draft lottery as the worst team in the league, while the Lakers knocked the Knicks down to four with Philly at number three.
According to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, the Lakers have put Okafor through a second workout and the team is likely targeting him at the top of their draft board. Russell has been getting a ton of attention for the Lakers as well, but the team may not want to go small after the injury to Julius Randle last season. Adding Okafor would be a strong move for the Lakers, as Randle's future could be in question after injuring his foot. Chad Ford wrote earlier in the season that Okafor was the top player on the Lakers board for the draft. With Karl-Anthony Towns likely going to the Timberwolves, the Lakers have been centered on Russell and Okafor as their top options.
According to Draft Express, the Timberwolves may be interested in Okafor at number one, as Flip Saunders reportedly "really likes" the Duke star. Towns has been pushed as the presumptive number one pick after a strong NCAA tournament and the lead up to the draft likely will be a debate about Okafor or Towns. The Lakers reportedly like Emmanuel Mudiay and D'Angelo Russell, but it will be hard to pass up one of either Towns or Okafor. The Lakers are guaranteed a chance to draft one of those players.
The Knicks may consider trading their pick, as Pro Basketball Talk reports that the team will listen to offers. The team finished with the second worst record in the league and still only got the fourth pick and that puts them out of reach most likely for Towns or Okafor. According to the Daily News, Frank Isola writes that the team is interested in Trey Lyles and Justise Winslow at the fourth pick along with Mudiay. The Knicks have been big on Okafor and he is likely going to be gone by the time they pick.
The Knicks are in an interesting position, as they will have the chance to trade down if they want to, but there is a chance names like Kristaps Porzingis and D'Angelo Russell will be available at four. Phil Jackson may consider those names if Jahlil Okafor is off the board, while Willie Cauley-Stein has also been reported as a target. The Celtics are considering moving up in the draft for Stein and the Knicks could be a potential fit for that move up.
