The Lakers are reportedly locked in at selecting Jahlil Okafor with the second overall pick in this summer’s NBA Draft.
If true, that’s good for the folks in Los Angeles -- because another report says that Karl-Anthony Towns is all but certain to go to the Timberwolves at number one.
From Mark Heisler of Forbes:In the Lakers’ dreams, Minnesota, picking No. 1 in the NBA draft, would take Jahlil Okafor, dropping Karl Towns to them at No. 2, which looked like it could happen but does no longer.
Minnesota GM/coach Flip Saunders, who had been leaning toward Okafor, is said to have turned pro-Towns after seeing him last week in Los Angeles.
The splash sent ripples throughout the NBA. Says an insider: “There’s no doubt, the T-Wolves are taking Towns.”
The crux of that piece is that now things are difficult for the Lakers, and that plenty of options in addition to Okafor -- like Emmanuel Mudiay or D’Angelo Russell, for example -- are worthy of being considered.
But this draft is heavy with talent at the top two positions, and since both Towns and Okafor are projected to be franchise-level additions, don’t expect the Lakers to think too hard about going in another direction.