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.
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.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
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.