Los Angeles Lakers fans would love to see Ben Simmons (profiled in detail here) get the opportunity to wear gold and purple, just like he did in college and high school, but it’s not going to happen. It’s been confirmed, Simmons is going first to the Philadelphia 76ers, and that means Brandon Ingram is going to Los Angeles at two.
These are the predictable picks in the NBA Draft. Then things start to actually get interesting, and the real draft begins at #3 with the Boston Celtics.
No doubt this is a very very weak draft, but the real drop off doesn’t happen until after about 6-8, and then again after 12, when it really drops off. Brandon Ingram is a great consolation surprise for the L.A. Lakers, who desperately need to add another true building block, to try and get a foundation set in place for the massive rebuilding project that’s in store.
There will be no Kobe Bryant retirement puff pieces this year to distract you from all the losing.
In 2016-17, it’s time for Lakerland to truly start showing some legitimate progress. ESPN College Hoops and International Draft expert Fran Fraschilla discussed the 2016 NBA Draft on a media conference call, and here’s the transcript of a Brandon Ingram related Q&A below, via an ESPN release.
Fraschilla:
“where there was a huge gap three months ago between Simmons and Brandon Ingram, there’s no question the gap has shrunk. There’s things about Ben that have to be figured out in interviews, and he’s only going to interview for one or two teams anyway and the team is going to have to decide what to do.”
“In terms of Brandon Ingram, you’re looking at a young combo forward who has got multiple offensive skills but still weighs 205 pounds. You’re going to have to figure out if you draft him, are we playing him at the three, or are we playing him as a stretch four, what I would call a floating four, and he’s got a world of upside.”
“But defensively right now, you’re going to be covering for him for the foreseeable future because he doesn’t have a position to guard at the moment. But an enormous offensive talent.”
“So you’re deciding between taking, do you like vanilla or do you like chocolate. To me, as long as the attitude checks out, Ben Simmons is a once-every-five-to-ten-years-type of draft pick.”
Here’s the link to our latest NBA mock draft. We do have Brandon Ingram slotted to the Lake Show and here’s why:
2. L.A. Lakers-Brandon Ingram, SF, Duke, 6-9, Fr.
Long and wirey, Brandon Ingram boasts a smooth stroke from the perimeter but adding muscle to his thin frame is a must. The Lakers have a hole at small forward and Ingram would be a solid building block along with D’Angelo Russell, Julius Randle, and Jordan Clarkson.
Sure, Ingram obviously needs to add weight really badly, but if that’s the biggest defect in your draft stock, then you’re sitting very pretty. A 5-star recruit and McDonald’s All-American, Ingram took his talents to Durham for one season, and his pedigree indicates that he’s a perfect fit at Staples.
Duke. MCDAAG. This guy has experience playing for a big brand with big expectations; perfect for the Lake Show.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram