Lakers making a commitment at number 5?

[andrei]

Will Bagley and Bol become teammates in a few months?

With the worst record in CSL, the Lakers entered the lottery with a great chance to add a franchise changing player. Instead, the worst possible scenario happened and the Purple and Gold dropped all the way to 5. Worse, the precious pick they got from Indiana also dropped 2 spots to 8.

I think its time this team learned that our lottery luck is not going to change and we need to search for other avenues. - GM andrei said

Well, with the first 4 pretty much set in the draft, the Lakers are about to add a fifth name into the mix to set the top 5.

Anonymous sources within the Lakers front office confirmed that, barring a disastrous interview/physical, the Lakers are going to make Bol Bol the 5th player selected in the upcoming CSL draft.

Rumours within the Lakers staff have it that the Lakers are immensely impressed with the potential impact Bol may have on both ends of the court, especially when paired with emerging star Marvin Bagley.

Bagley, who is yet to miss a game in his 2 year CSL career, has established himself as a monster post presence, ferocious rebounder and intimidating inside defender. He averaged 17 points, 9 boards and 2 blocks per game last year on 48% shooting and was one of the few bright spots in otherwise disastrous season for the Lakers.

Bol brings something interesting into the mix, especially on offense. While not expected to develop into a major scorer, Bol, who is the tallest player in the draft with the longest wingspan, has an impressive ability to hit shots from beyond the arc. With Bagley inside, the Lakers are quite happy to have Bol dragging the opposing big man away from the paint and all the way to above the break area. This should theoretically allow Bagley to do what he does best: score a lot of points inside. This should also allow Bol to shoot a decent % from the outside as big men usually don't like to pressure on the perimeter.

Defensive, Bol is the top shot-blocker in the draft by far and may be a few seasons away from leading all CSL in blocked shots. The Lakers also really like his ability to stay out o foul trouble, It will take him some time to develop in that category against CSL level big men but he should become a reliable defender to stay on the court for 30+ minutes a game without fouling out.

While not at Bagley's level, Bol will have his way on the boards also. The Lakers do not expect him to grab a lot of offensive rebounds due to his perimeter jump shot oriented game but his length will certainly be an advantage on defensive end. He will need to add some muscle to be able to bang with the big guys at CSL level.

In relation to the 8th pick, the Lakers have a couple of targets they are hoping will still be available 2 picks after their expected selection of Bol Bol.

We have about 4-5 players that we are looking at between 5 and 8. While we expect our particular player to be available at 5. We are hoping our second target will be there at 8. If that happens, we're happy with the outcome of the draft. - GM andrei said.

[Flaming Homer]

A front-court of Bagley/Bol really sounds promising.
If the first 4 go as expected I like this pick at 5 for the Lakers!

[cb4raptorscb4]

I still don't know if the top 4 is really solidified yet, mainly with Rui. I could see Bol potentially getting picked before him just based on the curiosity around him as a player.

Otherwise, my condolences on the lottery. The fact both picks dropped really sucks man

[TheTwoWallaces]

I'm starting to suspect that Milwaukee is going to do something out of the ordinary at 3, leaving either Ja or Rui available at 5. That being said, if Bol Bol is your guy, you'll have a few good options at 5. As for 8, there should be solid talent available there as well as several teams eager to swoop in if you look to sell.

Even though the lottery balls didn't fall your way, not all hope is lost

[mgtr81]

I haven't scouted Bol so no idea about him, but I think having 5 and 8 could give you two very good DDS19 oriented players. Of course, having 1 and 6 would have been better, but still a good chance for the Lakers to improve.

[emplep7]

Bol seems like he's one of 3 players who are in that next tier after the "top 4", but either way I feel like the draft is going to shake out a little differently than we all probably expect which means we could see some players drop again. I like all the differing views on the players though since it makes the draft that much more interesting.

[hardenwithnod]

Bol Bol would be a very intriguing option at 5, even though he's super raw. However, his archetype sounds like a perfect fit for the new engine.

[Marcos_Beck]

I wouldn't make any commitments knowing Manu picks 3rd lol

[Stockton12]

Lakers have depth at pf and ce ..I know one player would be a great fit with your team if he’s still there and it’s not bol

[GreenBear]

I’ve been on the Bol Bol train since I put out that scouting article on him early in the season. He’s not your traditional big, but he would fit great next to Bagley like you mention. He’s a phenomenal defender that won’t encounter foul trouble, he has excellent range with willingness to shoot, and he can really clean up the defensive glass. Oh and he can actually make his free throws with regularity unlike 90% of bigs. He’s not perfect, but he should be very good with a lot of versatility that should be fun to experiment with in DDS19.

As for the top 4 being a lock… who knows. The top 2 is a lock for sure. Then there are a handful of guys that should go in the 3-7 range. It comes down to more than just pure talent. I’ve scouted several guys that should be very good but I won’t be picking due to roster fit, redundancies, etc. Then there’s the aforementioned Manu wild card haha. He knows what he wants and what he likes in a player, and where they rank on everyone else’s big board be damned.

[Rizzo]

Cannot wait to see how this draft shakes out!

[Dennis]

Not worried about this franchise at all with andrei running it. He will have them back to where they belong very soon. Good GM and coach. By the way I’m fully sure he gonna move both firsts.