The Los Angeles Lakers don’t have much draft capital this year. All they had was the No. 55 pick in the second round.
However, ahead of the second round of the draft, the Lakers decided to trade with the Chicago Bulls to move up to pick No. 45. That won’t make a major difference for who the team will be able to select, but it’s possible that they have their eyes set on a player.
One interesting player to watch could be Duke guard Sion James. In Jonathan Wasserman’s latest mock draft for Bleacher Report, he projects the Lakers to take James at No. 45.
“Teams could want to take a chance on Sion James’ outlier strength for a wing or ball-handler,” Wasserman wrote. “At 218 pounds, he’s a force downhill with secondary playmaking ability and accurate spot-up shooting numbers (46.9 percent).”
Most mock drafts have linked the Lakers to bigs, but James could be an appealing player. He spent five years in college, including last year at Duke. He was able to play for one of the top college basketball programs in the country, so he might be a player who could crack the rotation as a rookie.
Scouting Report on James
James has developed into a solid two-way player over the years. Last season, he made 41.3% of his 3-point shots while also being named to the ACC All-Defensive team.
He’d be an older rookie at 22, so his upside will be limited, but in the second round, the Lakers just need to find dependable bench players. In Kevin O’Connor’s draft profile on James for Yahoo Sports, he believes that he’s a good player who needs to keep thriving as a shooter to have success at the NBA level.
“James is a versatile defender who sets a tone with his hustle, and after years of laying bricks he’s worked hard to become a dead-eye, spot-up shooter,” O’Connor wrote. “And he brings much more than shooting as a crafty playmaker who keeps the ball moving. But without the handle of a primary creator, it’s critical he sustains his newfound success as a shooter.”
Cooper Flagg Campaigned for James
James was a teammate of No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg last year. Over that time, Flagg was impressed with the guard, and James was one of the players he campaigned for to get drafted.
“As far as Tyrese and Sion, I think they’ve helped themselves a lot throughout this whole process,” Flagg said.
“More than the outside and the public sees, I think they have a really good chance of having their names called and joining a team.”
James’ two-way ability should be good enough for a team to take a chance on him in the second round. Every team needs good shooters and perimeter defenders. Going to the Lakers could be perfect for James as he’d be coached by another former Duke guard in JJ Redick. The Lakers do need a big, but they’re more likely to target that on the trade market and free agency. The draft could be the best way for them to try to find more wing talent.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Lakers Predicted to Land 3-and-D Guard Following Trade appeared first on Heavy Sports.