OT: Lakers Draft Pick

[RON_IN_OC]

Forgive me for being a NBA draft novice...I understand the Lakers 1st Round pick is top 5 protected this year...when does the protection drop expire? It looks like the Lakers are battling Minn and OK for the top pick this year.

 

[sunsfan88]

It drops to only top 3 protected in 2016 and 2017. It then becomes unprotected in 2018.

Don't expect LAL to be bad for long though.

 

[JCSunsfan]

It drops to only top 3 protected in 2016 and 2017. It then becomes unprotected in 2018.

Don't expect LAL to be bad for long though.

Not sure why not. They have nothing. Too bad Minny is not better this year. But, if they make the playoffs, the Suns are probably not in, so I would prefer to make the playoffs over having their pick.

 

[AZCrazy]

Philly's got the top spot pretty well secured. Meaning they'll pick 4th after the tanker teams get punished by the ping pong balls.

 

[BC867]

Not sure why not. They have nothing.

The Lakers have the second largest NBA market in the country. And tradition. They will bounce back faster than the average team because there are/will be plenty of free agents who want the advertising exposure (in addition to the climate) of La La Land.

Even the Clippers (the L.A. Renters) are not thought of in the same light, even though in the same market and building.

I had always wondered why the lead team in the largest market -- the Knicks -- have gone over 40 years without another Championship. I think the answer might be that when the Dodgers (who brought along the Giants, so to speak) moved to California, it made them the glamourous favorites, despite being the #2 market behind NY.

I moved from New Jersey to Phoenix twenty years later and felt the same way. I had been planning to someday move West many years before that. The day my wife and sons and I arrived here for good, I was an Arizonan.

Bottom line. California, Arizona and the West have an appeal that outweighed the chilly ol' East.

 

[elindholm]

I had always wondered why the lead team in the largest market -- the Knicks -- have gone over 40 years without another Championship. I think the answer might be that when the Dodgers (who brought along the Giants, so to speak) moved to California, it made them the glamourous favorites, despite being the #2 market behind NY.

Um, a much simpler answer is that John Starks shot 2-18 in Game 7 of the 1994 Finals. Believe it or not, sometimes what a team does on the court is more important than their image, reputation, or the biases of their fans.

 

[JCSunsfan]

If it was all about markets, the football Giants, Jets, Rams (when in LA), White Sox, Cubs, Bears, would all be contenders.

Even the Bulls were only real contenders when they lucked into Michael Jordan.

You cannot overcome bad management, and that is what the Lakers now have. They will not get free agents until Kobe is gone, and then they will not get free agents until they show there is some promise. Kobe is going to bleed that franchise dry. The Lakers no longer have Dr. Buss or Jerry West.

Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol got out of town. LeBron, Melo, Bosh, etc all turned them down flat. They have gone through coach after coach. No matter what the market is, that team is not going anywhere soon.

Great franchises fall, no matter what the city.

 

[BC867]

Um, a much simpler answer is that John Starks shot 2-18 in Game 7 of the 1994 Finals. Believe it or not, sometimes what a team does on the court is more important than their image, reputation, or the biases of their fans.

Well, that explains one of the forty-plus years since the last of the Knicks two championships.

Rather than an image, I'd call it an identity, just like the Suns.

I guess we disagree on that.

 

[JCSunsfan]

There are really only a few teams that have won championships. Most teams do not get that one superstar or just that right mix of players and coaching.

Shaq, Kobe, Duncan, Jordan, Magic, Isiah Thomas, LeBron, Bird.

Those players account for all of the NBA Championships of the last 30 years (save 3). This was by design. The NBA rules were designed to highlight individual talent and one-on-one play and raise the impact of superstar players. It seems even the refs added to that. If I were not historically addicted to the Suns, I would not even watch the NBA. While not technically, it is a fixed league. It is designed to give players like LeBron an advantage and make everyone else one form or another of the Washington Generals.

They have made some attempts to change it in recent years. Allowing zone defenses is a help. Strangely, LeBron's move back to Cleveland seems to have thrown a wrench in the superstar team thing. This year might be wide open.

End of rant.

 

[JustWinBaby]

There are really only a few teams that have won championships. Most teams do not get that one superstar or just that right mix of players and coaching.

Shaq, Kobe, Duncan, Jordan, Magic, Isiah Thomas, LeBron, Bird.

Those players account for all of the NBA Championships of the last 30 years (save 3). This was by design. The NBA rules were designed to highlight individual talent and one-on-one play and raise the impact of superstar players. It seems even the refs added to that. If I were not historically addicted to the Suns, I would not even watch the NBA. While not technically, it is a fixed league. It is designed to give players like LeBron an advantage and make everyone else one form or another of the Washington Generals.

They have made some attempts to change it in recent years. Allowing zone defenses is a help. Strangely, LeBron's move back to Cleveland seems to have thrown a wrench in the superstar team thing. This year might be wide open.

End of rant.

I agree with virtually all of that. You cannot win "Big" in this league without superior talent.

The current roster of your Phoenix Suns is made up of a bunch of mid to last first round draft picks. You are not going to win anything with this group unless someone morphs into a Lebron talent, highly unlikely.

I expect that Lebron will be in the finals again this year. One or two players mean that much in this league.

 

[SunsFan89]

The Lakers def Pistons 106-96. They are currently out of the top 5 lottery as of now.

 

[95pro]

Pistons stink, didn't think they'd stink this bad though. Maybe they need to shed a big to us.

 

[sunsfan88]

Kobe racking up double digit assists lately...I have a feeling it won't last very long.

 

[Brian in Mesa]

The Lakers def Pistons 106-96. They are currently out of the top 5 lottery as of now.

4-0 vs the East.

 

[Azlen]

I agree with virtually all of that. You cannot win "Big" in this league without superior talent.

The current roster of your Phoenix Suns is made up of a bunch of mid to last first round draft picks. You are not going to win anything with this group unless someone morphs into a Lebron talent, highly unlikely.

I expect that Lebron will be in the finals again this year. One or two players mean that much in this league.

It's more than saying "superior talent". You really need to have at least a top 3ish player to really have a shot at a championship. It's a real conundrum as to how a team should go about things if they don't have that one superstar. Do you try to put together as good a team as possible and hope to get into the playoffs and maybe win a round or two or do you tank in hopes of being able be bad in one of those years with a possible superstar in the draft. There are no good options really.
This year is looking very different from previous years though with Toronto and Memphis/Golden State leading their respective conferences. How did that happen anyway?? Doubt they will be there at the end though but it will be something different to look forward to if they do.

 

[JCSunsfan]

#6. Here we go!

 

[sunsfan88]

The Lakers would actually have a decent chance of making playoffs if they were in the East.

 

[95pro]

Haha they're 4 for 4 against the east

 

[overseascardfan]

Pick #6 would be pretty good in this draft.....a lot of talented players in the Top 10. Chris McCullough of SYR looks like a guy PHX could really use or Kevon Looney.

I like the NBA Draft Net mock with PHX taking PF Christian Wood of UNLV, kid has some skills for someone his size, 6'11 220.

 

[Hoop Head]

I kind of hope we don't get the Lakers pick this year. It would be good if it were #6-8 but at the same time I can't help but feel the Lakers will be equally as bad next season as well. I believe the pick is just top 3 protected in 2016 and even if it were somewhere around #6-10 in 2016 it may serve the Suns better. It's early this year in the NCAA year and I don't see that many standout players that the Suns could really use. Adding another rookie to this existing roster or core wouldn't give them much time. In 2016 I think things will be a little clearer as far as the future goes and having a top 10 pick may be better for us then. Either way I think it would be a valuable trade chip this year or next and we may be better served combining it with a player to pick up a rebounding/defensive big, someone like Monroe, Drummond, or Favors (just examples of the type of player I think the Suns need).

 

[JCSunsfan]

I kind of hope we don't get the Lakers pick this year. It would be good if it were #6-8 but at the same time I can't help but feel the Lakers will be equally as bad next season as well. I believe the pick is just top 3 protected in 2016 and even if it were somewhere around #6-10 in 2016 it may serve the Suns better. It's early this year in the NCAA year and I don't see that many standout players that the Suns could really use. Adding another rookie to this existing roster or core wouldn't give them much time. In 2016 I think things will be a little clearer as far as the future goes and having a top 10 pick may be better for us then. Either way I think it would be a valuable trade chip this year or next and we may be better served combining it with a player to pick up a rebounding/defensive big, someone like Monroe, Drummond, or Favors (just examples of the type of player I think the Suns need).

I am always afraid that something unforeseen will happen, like the Lakers signing two great free agents and then we get their pick in the 20's. I am still miffed about wWhen we traded #7 (luol Deng) and ended up with a late first rounder.

 

[slinslin]

Pick #6 would be pretty good in this draft.....a lot of talented players in the Top 10. Chris McCullough of SYR looks like a guy PHX could really use or Kevon Looney.

I like the NBA Draft Net mock with PHX taking PF Christian Wood of UNLV, kid has some skills for someone his size, 6'11 220.

Myles Turner would be perfect for us at #6 and Chris McCullough also looks like a great fit.

Others in that area are Stanley Johnson and Justise Winslow.

The top 3 likely going to be Okafor, Towns and Mudiay.

 

[sunsfan88]

Magic Johnson gets it.

Magic Johnson hopes the Los Angeles Lakers lose enough games to keep their first round pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

The pick will go to the Phoenix Suns if it falls out of the top-5 as part of the Steve Nash trade.

"I hope the Lakers lose every game," Johnson said, according to Newsday. "Because if you're going to lose, lose. I'm serious."

The Lakers have dealt with a number of injuries, including seventh overall pick Julius Randle.

"If you're going to lose, you have to lose because you can't be in the middle of the pack," Johnson said. "You either have to be great or you have to be bad to get a good pick."



Johnson believes the Lakers are in a position to quickly improve their roster.

"The Lakers are in a good space, too, next summer if they can sign or trade for a talented guy," he said. "I'd rather be all the way bad than be in the middle."

 

[AzStevenCal]

Magic Johnson gets it.

No, Magic doesn't get it. In fact, he misses it by a long shot. The Lakers signed a huge local TV deal with Time Warner Cable (largest of it's kind, ever) and a complete collapse (IOW, no Kobe) would greatly impact that deal. As long as they keep the viewer numbers up they look to average more than 200 million a year for 20 to 25 years.

Steve

 

[sunsfan88]

No, Magic doesn't get it. In fact, he misses it by a long shot. The Lakers signed a huge local TV deal with Time Warner Cable (largest of it's kind, ever) and a complete collapse (IOW, no Kobe) would greatly impact that deal. As long as they keep the viewer numbers up they look to average more than 200 million a year for 20 to 25 years.

Steve

Their fans also want them to suck more than win and lose out on the pick.