Analyzing What Ben Simmons Would Bring To The Lakers
by Trevor Lane - lakersnation.com
Fortune smiled upon the Los Angeles Lakers on the night of the draft lottery, allowing them to walk away with their top-three protected pick intact. Their slot with the second overall selection was a particularly coveted due to the two players at the top of nearly every draft board: LSU’s Ben Simmons and Duke’s Brandon Ingram.
The Lakers will be somewhat at the mercy of the Philadelphia 76ers, who have the first overall pick and will almost certainly take one of the two.
Which one should we hope falls to the Lakers? It’s a surprisingly complicated issue that requires a closer look at each candidate before one can make the decision to officially join #TeamIngram or #TeamSimmons.
Today, let’s dig in on the guy that is considered the favorite to be drafted first overall: Ben Simmons.
Henry Ellenson Will Work Out for Lakers
by Honi Ahmadian - lakersoutsiders.com
The Los Angeles Lakers have officially placed their collective foot into the draft process. The team will have the second overall pick in the NBA Draft and as such will almost certainly pick whichever of Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram are left after the Philadelphia 76ers make their selection. At this time, it appears Ingram is the most likely to fall to LA.
Despite the two-man race at the top of the draft, the Lakers are doing their due diligence. That starts with Marquette forward Henry Ellenson, who according to the Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski will work out for the Lakers on Saturday.
Ellenson is a 6’11” power forward. His skillset includes a potential to eventually be a good shooter, spacing the floor at either of the big-man positions, as well as his ability to handle the ball and move fluidly and comfortably. The freshman is currently projected by DraftExpress to go 15th in the draft.
Isaiah Cousins to work out for Los Angeles
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com
Los Angeles continues their quest to work out every draft eligible player on the planet.
The Los Angeles Lakers will work out Oklahoma senior Isaiah Cousins next Wednesday, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. Cousins averaged 12.6 points, 4.5 assists, and 4.5 rebounds during his final season with the Sooners, and is ranked by Draft Express as the 65th available prospect in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Given that most expect Cousins to go undrafted, it's unlikely the front office will select him with their 32nd overall pick, but he could be yet another candidate for the Lakers' Las Vegas Summer League team. Cousins shot 41.1 percent from behind the arc as a senior, and this sniping makes him an interesting prospect if Los Angeles decides they want to add to their off-guard depth. Jordan Clarkson, Nick Young, and even D'Angelo Russell can soak up some minutes at that spot but is an area the team will need some depth on the margins.
Kobe takes over: 2000 NBA Finals, Game 4, Lakers vs. Pacers (video)
by Israel Gutierrez - espn.go.com
The story of Kobe Bryant's performance in Game 4 of the 2000 NBA Finals against the Pacers -- the night many of us realized the second coming of Michael Jordan might be on its way a lot quicker than anyone expected -- actually begins in Game 2.
It was then that Jalen Rose, who has since said his play came with poor intentions, slid a sneaky left foot in Bryant's landing space.
The result was a sprained ankle that forced Bryant to miss most of Game 2 and all of Game 3, keeping the Pacers in the series with a 2-1 deficit but with two consecutive upcoming games at home and the prospect of facing a gimpy Bryant for the remainder of the series.
Of course, Shaquille O'Neal was his usual dominant self in this, his lone MVP season, finishing with 36 points and 21 rebounds in Game 4 (on his way to Finals MVP honors). But his Game 4 also ended early on a sixth personal foul, with 2:33 left in overtime of a one-possession game.
Bryant had been in foul trouble himself, picking up his third in the middle of the second quarter and a fourth early in the third period. But it wasn't until Shaq got in late foul trouble, and eventually fouled out, that the real pressure was on Bryant.
Until then, he'd been a luxury to the team -- a rising, 21-year-old scorer on a bad ankle who would love to provide O'Neal with just enough relief to sneak out a win in Indianapolis.
What would Brandon Ingram bring to the Lakers?
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com
Attempting to answer some frequently asked questions about Los Angeles' likely pick.
The Los Angeles Lakers are working out Brandon Ingram on Thursday, giving the team an up close and personal look at the freshman forward they are projected to take with the second overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft later this month. Mitch Kupchak, Jim Buss, and the rest of the Lakers front office probably have a pretty good idea of what to expect from Ingram at this point, but what about those of us that don't watch much college basketball?
Almost anyone even passively following the NBA Draft and which players the Lakers are rumored to be interested in knows the cliffs notes on Ingram. The former Blue Devil is a rangy 6'9 forward whose body type has drawn numerous comparisons to a young, rail-thin Kevin Durant.
Also like Durant, Ingram will primarily play small forward when he enters the league, which is a large reason why he is seen as such a seamless fit with a young Lakers' core that already features two power forwards (Julius Randle and Larry Nance, Jr), a shooting guard (Jordan Clarkson, who is a restricted free agent, but a near certainty to be retained), and a point guard (D'Angelo Russell).
With those basics out of the way and Durant already being mentioned twice now in this article, we can get to the first question of this FAQ:
Brandon Ingram Schedules Workout With L.A
by Trevor Lane - lakersnation.com
The Los Angeles Lakers lucked out in the draft lottery, where they landed the second overall pick in the NBA Draft. The second pick is particularly valuable this summer, with the consensus being that just two players, LSU’s Ben Simmons and Duke’s Brandon Ingram, have superstar potential.
With the Lakers desperately in need of star-level talent, there are plenty of reasons to be excited whether it’s Simmons or Ingram who ultimately end up wearing the purple and gold. As GM Mitch Kupchak and his staff prepare for the draft, they will have several players in for workouts, including some outside the top two, but most of the focus will naturally fall on Simmons and Ingram.
Now, it appears that the Lakers will get an up-close look at one of the top two prospects. According to Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report, Ingram has scheduled a workout with the Lakers for this coming Thursday:
Brandon Ingram (@B_Ingram13) scheduled for private workout with Lakers on Thursday, according to league sources.
3:52 PM - 4 Jun 2016
The Lakers will put Ingram through a series of drills to test his skills, but in reality, how he performs won’t have much bearing on whether or not they select the Duke product. Instead, it’s the opportunity to sit down and meet with the player face to face, and discuss how they see themselves fitting into the organization, that teams truly covet.
A Brief History of the No. 2 Pick
by Joey Ramirez - nba.com
With less than three weeks remaining until the NBA Draft, the Lakers have the opportunity to significantly alter their future by using the No. 2 pick.
The team can also trade the second-overall selection, which, over the course of NBA history, has yielded 14 Hall of Famers, including Bill Russell, Isiah Thomas and Gary Payton.
The Lakers themselves have enjoyed overwhelming success when dealt a draft pick in the top two. Their six selections at No. 1 or 2 — Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Dave Meyers, Magic Johnson, James Worthy and D'Angelo Russell — have combined for 43 All-Star selections and nine championship rings.
Of those, West, Meyers and Russell were taken at the second slot. Meyers contributed to the Lakers' lore in a roundabout way, as he was traded shortly after Draft Day in a transaction that brought Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to Los Angeles.
10 Players The Los Angeles Lakers Should Consider With The 32nd Pick
by Corey Hansford - lakersnation.com
While everyone is focused on the Lakers owning the second overall pick and the opportunity to draft either Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram, it is sometimes forgotten that the Lakers also own a second round draft pick at number 32. And overlooking that pick would be a big mistake.
If there is one thing the Lakers have proven over the last couple of years it is that they can identify talent in the draft. Whether it is buying a draft pick to take Jordan Clarkson at number 46 in 2014, or shocking everyone by taking Larry Nance Jr. and number 27 in 2015, the Lakers get value in all of their draft picks.
Add in the fact that players such as Draymond Green, Hassan Whiteside, Chandler Parsons, and Khris Middleton have all been taken early in the second round in recent years and this pick could prove to add another building block to the franchise.
This year’s draft isn’t heavy on superstar-level talent, but it is extremely deep when it comes to potential role players and these players are all guys the Lakers should consider should they be available when the 32nd pick becomes available.
There are some recognizable names among this list including a certain high school phenom, an NCAA Tournament standout who led his team to the Final Four, and the son of an NBA Hall of Famer.
It should be noted, these are not rankings, but rather players who would be great selections should they be available when the 32nd pick rolls around.
Larry Nance Jr. Working Hard With Tim DiFrancesco (Video)
by Eric Yee - lakeshowlife.com
Sophomore forward, Larry Nance Jr. is just one of the many young Lakers already in the gym working hard to make the 2016-17 season a standout year
When the Los Angeles Lakers selected Larry Nance Jr with the 27th pick in the 2015 Draft, many questioned their decision to do so. A relatively unknown prospect, fresh off of an ACL tear the year prior, it wasn’t actually until it was revealed that San Antonio Spurs were close to pulling the trigger on Nance that the pick started to make sense.
Upon coming to the Purple and Gold, Nance quickly became a fan favorite with his outstanding hustle, incredible athleticism and of course, the subsequent poster dunks that came along with it.
But just when you thought you couldn’t like Jr anymore, he goes and shows off yet another impressive asset that the majority of the Lakers’ young core seems to have: unwavering work ethic.
In a new video posted by the NBA’s official Lakers’ site, trainer Tim DiFrancesco gave a quick rundown on exactly what the standout sophomore is working on this offseason — starting and ending with putting on what he calls “lean mass,” in order to be able to bang with the bigger power forwards in the Association.
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D'Angelo Russell says he's 'living in the weight room' this offseason
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com
Los Angeles' young point guard is doing everything he can to make his sophomore season a successful one.
D'Angelo Russell had to learn plenty of hard lessons during his rookie year, many of which concerned the differences in playing against grown, professional men instead of overmatched kids in the NCAA. The Los Angeles Lakers' young point guard realized this and is working on bulking up over the summer in addition to his extensive dribbling workouts and post-up drills.
"I'm just living in the weight room," Russell told Joey Ramirez of Lakers.com in a phone interview while on his trip to China. "Just trying to become stronger. Last season was a shock playing against grown men that have been in the league for multiple years. You compare your strength to theirs and see where you really are. That's something I want to focus on in this offseason."
Russell developing an NBA physique will make him more deadly in an area he showed some aptitude in already last season: the post. The 19-year old guard was able to use his superior size for his position to his advantage in post-ups against smaller lead guards, shooting 63.4 percent on his 41 shots NBA.com defined as "post-ups" last season.
If Russell can get stronger, what he could already do during his rookie season on post-ups like this one against the Chicago Bulls' Aaron Brooks offer reason to believe this allegedly dying aspect of the game could become a dangerous weapon for him.
Reading this is getting me hyped up, Russell is gonna be real good next year and he will have a coach who will trust him and not put him in a position to fail like Byron did.
Very cool.
D'Lo, one tip.
Don't skip leg day.
Bye. _________________ "This trophy removes the most odious sentence in the English Language. It can never be said again that 'the Lakers have never beaten the Celtics.'" -Dr. Jerry Buss (1985) R.I.P., 33 x M.V.O.
What would Brandon Ingram bring to the Lakers?
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com
Attempting to answer some frequently asked questions about Los Angeles' likely pick.
The Los Angeles Lakers are working out Brandon Ingram on Thursday, giving the team an up close and personal look at the freshman forward they are projected to take with the second overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft later this month. Mitch Kupchak, Jim Buss, and the rest of the Lakers front office probably have a pretty good idea of what to expect from Ingram at this point, but what about those of us that don't watch much college basketball?
Almost anyone even passively following the NBA Draft and which players the Lakers are rumored to be interested in knows the cliffs notes on Ingram. The former Blue Devil is a rangy 6'9 forward whose body type has drawn numerous comparisons to a young, rail-thin Kevin Durant.
Also like Durant, Ingram will primarily play small forward when he enters the league, which is a large reason why he is seen as such a seamless fit with a young Lakers' core that already features two power forwards (Julius Randle and Larry Nance, Jr), a shooting guard (Jordan Clarkson, who is a restricted free agent, but a near certainty to be retained), and a point guard (D'Angelo Russell).
With those basics out of the way and Durant already being mentioned twice now in this article, we can get to the first question of this FAQ:
I have been watching LSU and Duke games lately. By watching full games alternately, it's easy to see who is more talented. I am afraid the gap in-between is larger than that between Towns and other 2015 draftees.
In a good game of Ingram, vs Virginia, he is cooled downed when Brogdon, a 6-6 SG, is shifted on him. Defensively, he gets beaten by smaller drivers.
On the other hand, Simmons has a poor first half vs NC State. His only shot is an air ball. But you can see the presence even in a scoreless half.
The biggest difference between them is quickness. Strength or shooting can be trained, but reflex is born.
I felt sorry that we could not get #1 and Towns. Exactly the same feeling now and I wonder whether the Lakers will do the same thing against common expectation.
Who Will Play Center For Lakers Next Season?
by Hannah Kulik - lakersnation.com
Going into this NBA offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers have at least two major holes to fill on their roster for next year. With Kobe Bryant’s retirement, there is no viable option at the small forward position. Likewise, last year’s starter at center, Roy Hibbert, is a free agent who is not likely to return. At all costs, these needs must be met before next season begins.
Nearly every projection has the Lakers taking Duke’s Brandon Ingram with the second overall pick in the NBA Draft later this month. While there are no certainties, Ingram has all the makings of a future star, someone who will more than meet the team’s needs at the “3” position for years to come. That will leave the Lakers with four likely starters, D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson in the backcourt, and Julius Randle and Ingram as the forwards.
The situation at center, however, is still very much up in the air. The Lakers might choose a center with their high second round pick in the draft, but it is unlikely that any such rookie would be ready to start in the short term. Thus, the hole will have to be filled in free agency or by trade.
The team’s number one target in free agency is likely to be unrestricted free agent Hassan Whiteside. The team passed on Whiteside when he was available two years ago, which proved to be another embarrassing misstep by the front office. Whether they can pry him away from Pat Riley and the Miami Heat this summer remains to be seen, but all signs suggest that they are going to try.
L.A. ‘Fallen Out Of Interest’ In Draft Prospect Dragan Bender
by Trevor Lane - lakersnation.com
Like Kristaps Porzingis before him, Dragan Bender is this year’s international man of mystery in the NBA Draft. At 7’1″ and 225 pounds, Bender offers an intriguing mix of size and skill that has a number of teams with high draft picks interested. He can step out to the three-point line, and also bang inside and protect the rim.
The Los Angeles Lakers were one of the teams that had Bender on their radar, with the thought being that he could eventually pair nicely with incumbent power forward Julius Randle. While some questioned whether the number two pick was too early to select the big man from Bosnia and Herzegovina, GM Mitch Kupchak and the Lakers front office were determined to leave no stone unturned. After incorrectly concluding that Porzingis would need more time to develop during last summer’s pre-draft process, Kupchak and company were certain to do their due diligence and thoroughly investigate Bender.
However, according to basketball reporter David Pick, the Lakers are rumored to no longer be interested in Bender:
Told the Los Angeles Lakers have fallen out of interest in Dragan Bender. Sounds like No. 2 pick is Brandon Ingram.
3:02 PM - 5 Jun 2016
Given the fact that the Lakers will get to choose from whichever of LSU’s Ben Simmons and Duke’s Brandon Ingram the Philadelphia 76ers pass on, it’s not surprising that Bender won’t make the cut. While he is certainly worth of consideration and may end up being an excellent player in the NBA, there is a high level of risk involved with taking an international player who saw so few minutes for his club team, Maccabi Tel Aviv.
Lakers to work out Skal Labissiere
by Honi Ahmadian - lakersoutsiders.com
The Los Angeles Lakers have the second overall pick in the NBA Draft and at this point, their choice seems to have been made for them. The team will almost certainly choose between LSU’s Ben Simmons and Duke’s Brandon Ingram.
However, with reports that the Sixers are heavily favoring drafting Simmons, it seems clear at this point in the process that Ingram will soon be a Los Angeles Laker.
Despite the near certainty in what will happen on June 23rd, the Lakers are diligently performing work outs, anyway. By now, the Lakers have already worked out Marquette center Henry Ellenson. They have also scheduled workouts with Oklahoma guard Isaiah Cousins and of course, Ingram himself.
The latest name to be added in that group is Kentucky freshman Skal Labissiere, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders.
Not at IMG... He is on their schedule for a workout. He's coming to them for a visit and a workout on their terms.
4:22 PM - 5 Jun 2016
Labissiere is a seven-foot power forward or center who entered the season with plenty of hype, seen as a contender for a top-three overall draft position. Unfortunately, he was not very productive in his one season with the Wildcats, dropping heavily in stock. DraftExpress currently has Labissiere as its eleventh best prospect in the draft.
Luke Walton shares his views on 'small ball'
by Harrison Faigen - silverscreenandroll.com
What does Los Angeles' new head coach think about the NBA's en vogue style?
When the Los Angeles Lakers hired Luke Walton as their new head coach following their dismissal of Byron Scott, many wondered how the relatively inexperienced head coach would have the team play. As Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr pointed out upon Walton's hiring, he may plan to bring his former team's style of play with him, but Walton will have to leave Drayond Green, Stephen Curry, and the rest of the players that make it so effective behind when he leaves for Los Angeles.
Walton will still likely utilize some of the small ball tactics that are such a large part of what makes the Warriors so dangerous, but how often and for how long remains an open question. In a feature story on Draymond Green in Paul Flannery's always excellent "Sunday Shootaround," Walton shared some of his thoughts on the style of play and how it can be just as dangerous for the team using it as the opponent if not deployed cautiously
"It's really physically draining to guard bigger people," assistant coach Luke Walton said. "If it's a true center we don't want to do it for too long because Draymond's already playing 40 minutes as it is. If we have him wrestling with someone bigger than he is for a lot of the time we're wearing him down too much. We know how potent our small lineup is, but we try to use it in spurts to take advantage of them."
The Warriors' "death lineup" featuring Green at center may light teams on fire offensively, but Walton is right to note that it is able to outscore their opponents so effectively because of Green's ability to defend centers effectively. Green is one of the best in the league at this tactic, but to grapple down low with a larger player all game would be taxing.
The Lakers (and 28 other teams) don't have a player like Green on their roster. Julius Randle may be hoping Walton can help him develop along Draymond's path, but he is not close to that level defensively yet. Could the Lakers downsize in limited minutes anyway?
I have been watching LSU and Duke games lately. By watching full games alternately, it's easy to see who is more talented. I am afraid the gap in-between is larger than that between Towns and other 2015 draftees.
In a good game of Ingram, vs Virginia, he is cooled downed when Brogdon, a 6-6 SG, is shifted on him. Defensively, he gets beaten by smaller drivers.
On the other hand, Simmons has a poor first half vs NC State. His only shot is an air ball. But you can see the presence even in a scoreless half.
The biggest difference between them is quickness. Strength or shooting can be trained, but reflex is born.
I felt sorry that we could not get #1 and Towns. Exactly the same feeling now and I wonder whether the Lakers will do the same thing against common expectation.
I've been watching Kyrie Irvin. actually based on 1 single game, last game vs GSW. lhe is cooled downed when XXX, a 6-6 SG, is shifted on him. Defensively, he gets beaten by smaller drivers. therefore Kyrie Irvin is a bust, just like B. Ingram will be
D’Angelo Russell feels he has something to prove next season
by Gary Kester - lakersoutsiders.com
The moment that the Los Angeles Lakers passed on Jahlil Okafor with the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft for D’Angelo Russell, fans were both surprised and very excited to see what the future would hold for the former Ohio State Buckeye.
What ensued was a rollercoaster ride of a rookie season that saw its share of peaks and valleys. After beginning the season in the starting lineup, Byron Scott benched him and 2014 lottery pick Julius Randle due to the team’s poor performance, a move that irked a large portion of the fan base. Both would eventually earn their way back into the starting lineup, tallying some moments along the way that would trigger excitement from fans in regards to the future of this group.
Nights like leading the comeback in Sacramento with 27 points or his season-high 39 points against the Nets, knocking down a bevy of threes, including the game-sealing triple before pointing to his arm and letting everyone know that he has ice in his veins have fans beyond excited to see what type of player Russell will become. With those thrilling performances, came plenty of disappointing games as well, but Russell is working to make sure those become an irregularity.
Russell is currently in China with a group of NBA players celebrating the growth of basketball, working with people of all ages with things such as basketball camps and events. While he is having a blast over in Beijing, he made the trip under one condition: He wanted to ensure he could still work on his game.
The 20-year-old told Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times that he’s worked relentlessly on getting better.
“Every day. … Every day,” Russell said. “I actually said I wasn’t going to take this trip if I couldn’t. The only other place I’ve been to out of the country is Mexico, and China is my second place. So I didn’t want to go if I couldn’t get the time in the gym.”
Even before the trip, Russell’s work ethic has been evident. When asked about waking up at 5 a.m. in Los Angeles to start working out, Russell replied, “Oh yeah. I feel like I have something to prove, man. It’s a dedication thing.”
When Coach K came to my house for a home visit, he told me that if I did well in practices I had a chance to get drafted after my first year of college.
Everything he said was true.
Leaving early was a hard decision, but at the end of the day, I couldn’t pass up this opportunity. It was an opportunity I had to take.
Brandon Ingram NBA Draft Projection
by sports.yahoo.com
Brandon Ingram is projected to be the 1st or 2nd player selected in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Find out right here which current NBA All-Star Ingram is being compared to, and see what others are saying about the prospect heading into the draft on June 23rd.
Bismack Biyombo must be pursued by Los Angeles
by Keith Rivas - lasportshub.com
The latest Lakers rumors point to Bismack Biyombo solving the Lakers’ plethora of issues at the center position.
For the rebuild of the Los Angeles Lakers to go according to schedule, or even faster than expected, the team must be sure they can grow around a reliable center.
As it stands right now, and has been mentioned throughout the season, those on the roster at that spot don’t meet the needs or expectations of the organization.
Bismack Biyombo had a decent finish to the season in Toronto with the Raptors, making his name thrown out as a strong candidate for the position after protecting down low in the playoffs following the injury of Jonas Valanciunas.
In the Eastern Conference Finals, Biyombo saw over 30 minutes of action on the floor, which proved to be a timely test of his endurance throughout a game.
Contrary to backing down because of nerves or the situation, Biyombo provided an average of six points, two blocks, and ten rebounds per game.
Those numbers would make a big difference on the kind of team that the Lakers are putting together.
If the team can’t land Biyombo, there are a couple other options at center — but Biyombo could be the only one worth pursuing.
Veteran free agents that can complement the Lakers’ young core
by Thai Luong - lakersoutsiders.com
It’s no secret the Lakers will try their best to pursue superstar players during free agency. They have already been linked to chasing Kevin Durant come July. In recent years, the Lakers have struck out hard in their efforts to recruit top free agent players and have settled on players on one to two-year rental contracts.
With a new young head coach and a solid young core of talented players (including the second overall pick), the Lakers are heading into free agency this year with a different swagger and approach.
It’s safe to say that we can expect the Lakers to sign at least one All-Star caliber player, but it is also imperative that they should look at veteran players who would their extremely young roster. Veteran players are extremely important for a young team, not only do they offer experience on the court; they also provide leadership off the court as well. They can help bring a locker room together instead of alienating it. Below are some veteran free agents I believe the Lakers should consider signing.
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And Clarkson wasn't even in the doghouse. That's just hilarious!! 
