With holes in the backcourt, a lack of shooting talent and no backup center, the salary cap gridlocked Lakers are going to have to find cheap ways to fill their pressing voids. Unfortunately, the class of 2011 is expected to be a considerably weak draft class. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they amount of available talent in the second round will be low; rather, the draft is perceived as weak due to its lack of star power, high-ceiling players and virtually no surefire prospects — not because the amount of quality potential draftees drops off the deep end completely after the first 30 picks.
With that being said, here are eight players that you may not have heard of, but if drafted by Los Angeles, could turn out to be perfect fits for the 16-time champion Lakers.
Next: Point Guards
Isaiah Thomas – PG – Washington – Junior: Similar to the Lakers’ postseason kryptonite J.J. Barea, Isaiah Thomas is a small player with very big game. Listed at a generous 5-foot-10, Thomas found a way to become an effective scorer at the Division I level, averaging 16.8 points during his third season in Tacoma, while finding his place as a capable playmaker, as he dished out 6.1 assists per game too. Athletically, he’s one of the best, posting a max vertical of 38.5 inches, and with a lack of young legs in their backcourt, the Lakers would be great fit for his services. His overwhelmingly diminutive size will certainly make it difficult for Thomas to ever become a starting point guard in the NBA, but that shouldn’t be considered a negative aspect of his potential. Despite his height limitations, Thomas’ blinding speed and athleticism, paired with his ability as a scoring threat, could make him a legitimate boost off of the bench for any team — similar to how tiny guards such as Earl Boykins, Travis Best and Barea have found success in the NBA. Unless the Lakers are looking to play “small ball” next season, it is unlikely that Thomas could come in as an off-guard, but at the same time, the Lakers could utilize his scoring abilities in an undersized backcourt in the same way that the Dallas Mavericks have been effective throughout the 2011 postseason. With Derek Fisher nearing the end of his career, and his backup Steve Blake wildly underperforming in his first year with the Lakers, Thomas could be the perfect burst of energy that the Lakers need from their point guard as they prepare to transition from the triangle to a new offense that requires more traditional point guard duties. Right now, Thomas can be found anywhere from the top of the second round to not being drafted at all — but after some more workouts and we’ll likely start to get a better idea of when he will be hearing his name called on draft night.
Julyan “JuJu” Stone – PG – UTEP – Senior: If someone asked me how many players in the NBA stand 6-feet-6-inches tall, my best answer would have to be a lot. But if someone asked me how many players are they in the NBA who are not only 6-foot-6, but have a 6-foot-9 wingspan, excellent athleticism, play lockdown defense, and that their best suited position is point guard, my answer would be no one, yet. But that’s all about to change very soon, as UTEP’s Julyan Stone, the Conference USA’s all-time leader in assists, fits that bill to a perfect T. He has nearly everything a coach would want in a point guard: a pass-first mentality, great dribbling skills, speed, very strong defensive abilities and insane vision (did I mention that he’s a 6-foot-6 point guard?). You’re probably asking yourself, “if this kid is so great, why haven’t I heard of him?” Unfortunately for Stone, it’s largely due to the one flaw in his game – he is an atrocious shooter. Despite being the full-time starter at point guard since his freshman season, Stone never managed to tip double-digit scoring numbers during his four years as a Miner. However, similar to how Rajon Rondo has gone on to become an all-star point guard with no shooting abilities whatsoever, Stone has all of the right tools to be an effective NBA point guard for many years. According to ESPN.com’s Chad Ford, Stone would be a first-round draft pick if he wasn’t such a bad shooter — this tells us two things: 1) his shooting deficiencies are actually that bad and 2) the other aspects of his game are so good, that just a slight improvement in the shooting department would propel him from undrafted to the first round. He will need to work on his jumper if he wants to become a starting point guard in this league, but even if he doesn’t, his ridiculous size, commitment to defense and passing abilities will be enough to get him on an NBA roster. And with the Lakers dire need of young legs in the backcourt, he could prove to be a very good option for the Lakers. Not only is he a true point guard on offense, but on the other end of the floor, he’s as versatile as they come, as his size and athleticism allows him to guard not one, not two, but three different positions on the floor. He’d definitely need to improve his shot to crack the Lakers’ rotation, but as a lead guard, he has a ton of potential, and could very well be the diamond in the ruff the Lakers score with one of their four second round picks. He’s a true playmaker, who is always looking to get his teammates easy, open baskets; and although he’s nowhere to be found on every mock draft on the internet, you will see Stone’s name on an NBA roster next season.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DnYJAFGWn4
Demetri McCamey – PG – Illinois – Senior: In terms of the draft’s best “traditional point guard” prospects, there are few more suited for the lead guard position than Illinois’ Demetri McCamey. At 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, he possesses the ideal size for a prototypical point guard, and has a 6-foot-6 wingspan that could make him an excellent defender at the professional level. He was among the NCAA’s leaders in assists per game for a good majority of the 2010-11 season, which displayed his proficiencies as a distributer. Although he is more of a playmaking point guard than a scoring one, he still managed to put up solid scoring numbers this past season, averaging 14.6 points per game during his final season at Illinois. One problem that has been noted of McCamey’s game is his lateral quickness, which has limited him defensively in the past. He had a great start to the 2010-11 season, and although it did drop off quite a bit due to reported character issues, his production at the onset of the NCAA season should not be considered a fluke. He has every tool one could need to be a successful NBA point guard, and since he does fit the mold of a “traditional point guard,” he shouldn’t have a hard time finding a spot in the Lakers’ new offense, which will require much more out of the point guard position than the Lakers have required in the past. Adding to his already strong resume, McCamey is a very adept shooter, as he nailed 45.1 percent of his attempts from beyond-the-arc. A sub-par finish to the end of his senior season raised some red flags regarding his work ethic and coachability; however, as Mike Brown said in his inaugural press conference as Head Coach, “everything is correctable,” and if placed in the right environment, there’s no doubt that McCamey can become a successful NBA point guard. His faltering at the end of the season caused him to fall out of many mock drafts, but do not let the “undrafted” tag fool you — if he has strong pre-draft workouts and interviews, he will certainly hear his name called in the second round of this year’s draft.
Next: Swingmen/Combo Guards
Malcolm Lee – PG/SG – UCLA – Junior: While the Lakers most pressing need lies at the starting point guard position, drafting UCLA’s Malcolm Lee may not be such a bad decision for the Lakers. His size (6-foot-5) makes him more of a shooting guard, and he didn’t post great assist numbers (2.0 APG) during his junior season in Westwood, Calif.; however, his size, length (6-foot-9.75) and athleticism will make him a very versatile player in the NBA. And if Shannon Brown decides to opt out, he would be a great candidate to fill the Lakers’ need at backup shooting guard. He proved to be a fairly strong guard as well, as he put up an impressive 17 bench press repetitions at the pre-draft combine last month. However, given his strong performances in workouts thus far, the chances of Lee being available when the Lakers are on the clock at No. 41 are quickly diminishing. But if the SoCal-grown kid does fall into the Lakers laps, he’d be a great addition to the franchise, and is definitely ready to contribute right away.
Iman Shumpert – PG/SG – Georgia Tech – Junior: Similar to Lee, Iman Shumpert is a tall (6-foot-5) and long guard (6-foot-9) that is capable of playing both backcourt positions well. However, he is a much more suited for the point guard position than Lee is, as Shumpert has been Georgia Tech’s point guard for the past three seasons, which has helped him develop into more of a playmaking guard. Additionally, aside from Georgia’s Travis Leslie, there might not be a more athletic player in 2011 than Shumpert, who registered a combine high, 42.5-inch vertical leap. Considering the Lakers’ desperate need for a young, athletic point guard, Shumpert could surprise everyone and fill that mold for the purple and gold. Unfortunately for LA, the likelihood of Shumpert being available when the Lakers are on the clock at 41 is highly unlikely. His measurements at the combine and recent performances in pre-draft work outs have him shooting up draft boards everywhere, with some pegging him to go No. 17 to the New York Knicks. Nevertheless, the Lakers scored Devin Ebanks, who was pegged as a surefire lottery pick for the majority of last season, in the second round of last year’s draft — so maybe they can strike second round gold yet again in 2011 if Shumpert falls into their laps.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZHOpu328Fs&feature=related
Travis Leslie – SG/SF – Georgia – Senior: If there’s one player’s name that comes to mind when I hear or see Travis Leslie, it’s current Laker Shannon Brown — or, a small forward in a point guard’s body. Despite being fairly small for the off-guard/wing position, Leslie makes up for that completely with his insane athleticism. He’s the one, jump-out-of-the-gym player in 2011, who could be a first rounder on his physical gifts alone. He’s that player, who everyone stays after practice to watch slam home dunks that wouldn’t seem believable in dreams, let alone real life. At the pre-draft combine, Leslie measured in with an absurd 6-foot-10.5 wingspan and a ridiculous 40.5-inch vertical leap. In addition to his incredible bounce and great speed, Leslie is a very strong player as well. He put up a respectable 10 bench press repetitions at the combine and weighed in at 205 pounds. Additionally, he proved himself as a fighter and a very good rebounder at Georgia, as he pulled down 7.2 boards per game in his third collegiate season. If Shannon Brown does decide to utilize his player option and become a free agent, Leslie could be a perfect (and cheap) replacement for Kobe Bryant’s backup. And if the Lakers somehow end up with him AND Isaiah Thomas as second string guards, they could have a very explosive and exciting group of players coming off of the bench in 2010-11 and beyond.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nkJsboED8pM
Next: Big Men
Keith Benson – C – Oakland – Senior: Standing 6-feet-11-inches with a 7-foot-3.75-inch wing span, it’s no surprise that Oakland’s Keith Benson was the NCAA’s second leading shot-blocker in 2010-11 (3.6 BPG). Although he weighed in at a very thin 217 pounds, Benson has the size and athleticism to prosper as a big man at the NBA level if he can put on at least 20-30 pounds. Given his rebounding and defensive talents, Benson, who averaged a double double (17.9 PPG & 10.1 RPG) in his final season at Oakland, could fill a big need for the Lakers, who will be looking to pick up a backup center this offseason. He may not be as polished or experienced as other free agent big men, but seeing as the Lakers are tied up in quite a bit of salary, it might be easier for the Lakers to maximize their additions by finding players such as Benson in the draft. His athleticism will allow him to play both the power forward and center positions, making him a very versatile player — something that bodes well for potential Lakers big men. While questions about his motor and willingness to put on weight have been raised, it’s tough to overlook his size and athletic gifts. Barring a big jump in his draft stock over the next week or two, he’ll likely be on the board for the Lakers first two picks of the second round, and if they are looking to go big, Benson could be a very nice option for their front-court rotation.
Greg Smith – C/PF – Fresno State – Sophomore: While Greg Smith’s height (6-feet-10-inches in shoes) may be better suited for a power forward role, there are a few aspects of his physique that could make him a very nice center prospect for the Lakers. First of all, his hands are an ENORMOUS 12 inches wide — which is the largest hand measurement in the draft combine’s history — and he has very long arms, recording a 7-foot-3-inch wingspan as well. So although he may be considered small for the center position, he makes up for it in other areas. He also weighed in at 251 pounds, a weight that will allow him to bang inside and crash the boards with the best of them. His statistics (11.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game) don’t jump off the table at you, however, he’s only 20 years old, which means he has a lot of room to grow and progress if given the right coaching. He recorded an impressive 35.5-inch vertical leap, which considering his size and weight, is pretty impressive. There’s no questioning his physical gifts, however, his offensive game has been talked of has pretty raw, as he doesn’t have too much polish in his post game. Nevertheless, as we saw with Andrew Bynum, if he’s willing to put in the right amount of work, that is a very correctable aspect of one’s game. He’ll likely be available for all of the Lakers’ second round picks, and NBADraft.net has him going to the Lakers at No. 58.
httpvhd://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7XnNr41WOQ