L.A. Lakers Players Wishlist for 2016-17 Season: Draft Simmons, Re-Sign Clarkson and Huertas
L.A. Lakers are Expected to Make Big Plans for Next Season
The Los Angeles Lakers will have an exceptionally busy off-season. They are expected to make big moves, within the trade market, the draft and free agency, to become a play-off caliber team again.
Lakers Nation reports that the Lakers are willing to trade their number 2 overall draft pick, and if this happens, they could potentially get big names. However, if they keep the draft rank, here are some moves the Lakers can do to have a better 2016-17 NBA Season
Draft Ben Simmons
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A 6-foot-10 240-pound forward from Australia, Ben Simmons has been touted as a combo forward that can do it all. He played with the LSU Tigers, averaging 19.2 points, 4.8 assists and 11.8 rebounds, which earned him several career awards and highlights including consensus first-team All American (2016). He is one of two players expected to be the number one overall NBA draft pick this year, the other one being Brandon Ingram.
Simmons plays like Julius Randle, but experts say he has more athleticism, explosiveness and higher basketball IQ. He is a gifted big man who can take it to the rim, but is basically a point guard trapped in a power forward's body, which Randle isn't. Also, D'Angelo Russell and Simmons played together in high school, which is good for team chemistry.
Philadelphia may end up selecting Ingram, a 6-foot-9 swingman whose style of play is being compared to that of Durant's. The 76ers need a shooter in the wings and they already have amazing potential in the front court in Okafor, Noel, Embiid and another big man in Croatian Dario Saric.
Having said all this, Vertical's 2016 NBA mock draft shows that Philadelphia may pick Simmons at No. 1 since their sources say that's what the team has been telling other teams.
Re-sign Jordan Clarkson, Marcelo Huertas
The NBA is riddled with rumors regarding whether top 2016 free agent Jordan Clarkson will stay with the Lakers or sign with another team. In an interview with ESPN, Clarkson says he "definitely want to stay here in L.A. and be here." He adds that he doesn't "want to be that guy who bounces around from team to team." As a restricted free agent, Clarckson can sign with other teams but the Lakers can match any contract offer to keep him.
Undoubtedly, amidst the poor Lakers season record, Clarkson was one of the team's brightest players. He averaged 15.5 points per game this season. Lakers management recently mentioned that they have already classified five or six young players in their core group, and it is easy to stipulate that that group includes Clarkson, along with Randle and Russell.
Marcelo Huertas has been a bright spot off the bench since Lou Williams' injury. He didn't start well in the preseason, as he made rookie mistakes which were odd since he is a 32-year old basketball veteran. But Lakers Nation says he shone in the latter half, showcasing his ability to hit cutters in the paint for highlight dunks, contagious passing and dramatic flair.
Huertas makes the team move beautifully, in a way that his stat line fails to reveal . Simply put, Huertas makes Lakers basketball exciting for the fans, keeping fans interested in this post-Bryant era.
