The 2014-15 NBA season has officially come to a close; a new champion has been anointed and the draft has concluded. The end of the NBA season is also the unofficial start of the worst five weeks in a sports fan's life as it is the slowest and quietest period of the year. There are some fairly minimal NBA trades that get done and there will be some free agent news to follow; however, there is little drama to this offseason with only Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge creating much intrigue.
This is the fitting time of the year to sum up the NBA draft and profile the incoming lottery selections. eDraft Sports has highlighted the best sleeper picks of the draft and now we move into more in depth analysis of each lottery selection. Granted any true reflection on these players would be much better served after at least a couple seasons of experience; however, we will offer initial reviews and projections for the upcoming season.
The Los Angeles Lakers followed the Timberwolves on draft night and with their second overall selection the Lakers announced D'Angelo Russell's name. This pick had long been rumoured as a trade chip for the potential acquisition of DeMarcus Cousins; however, in the end the Lakers did the smart thing and took a point guard with tremendous upside.
Obviously the temptation to trade an unproven commodity along with a few other pieces for a proven All-Star like Cousins is high and certainly would have been an intriguing option; however, it was the desire for a scoring point guard on an entry level rookie contract that intrigued the Lakers most.
The upside for Russell here is very high as he certainly fits the mold of the modern NBA point guard. He is a tall and long player who can exploit teams off the pick and roll by attacking the rim or by passing to the roll. He will find the adjustment period difficult for certain as the Lakers don't run an offense so much as it is give Kobe Bryant the ball and let him operate.
With such an established player as Kobe already firmly entrenched as the shooting guard it is likely that Russell will see time at the point and spell minutes for Bryant at the two spot as well. This versatility certainly gives the Lakers some options, as Byron Scott and Kobe Bryant both maintain the need for Bryant's minutes to be reduced in order for him to sustain a full season.
The acquisition of D’Angelo certainly marks the start of a transition period in Los Angeles. With Clarkson and D’Angelo in the backcourt, Julius Randle in the front court and perhaps a LaMarcus Aldridge, DeAndre Jordan or Kevin Love-type free-agent anchoring the franchise; this team will be in fine shape post-Bryant.
As for Russell, look for him to start off by getting 15-18 minutes a night and depending on the season and the level of success of the team those minutes may increase or decrease. If the lakers find themselves in a playoff position due to Bryant being healthy and a free-agent acquisition playing well; then Russell will take a back seat to the team’s success. What is entirely likely is that Russell doesn’t have a great rookie season due in large part to the circumstances and little to do with his skills or abilities. Even with a moderate dose of minutes, Russell will average around 7 ppg and 4 apg with 1 steal per game.