well, on espn's around the orn, they were talking about who had the best draft night and who had the worst. unfortunately, they didn't like our picks very much. they said we were draf niht losers because we drafted bynum, who is very raw and won't be able to contribute for 3 to 4 years. by that time, phil jackson will be gone, and kobe will be 30-31 years old. then they said our 39th pick was waisted cuz we drafted wafer when we could have justed signed him as an undrafted free agent cuz he probably would'nt have been drafted anyways, and they said we should've picked up gomes, roko, or taft. i guess the only pick they liked was the turiaf one. and also, not much people are showing us much love for our picks: http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=sk-r...=yhoo&type=lgns Los Angeles Lakers ? Phil Jackson will be gone before Andrew Bynum ? the 10th overall pick ? is ready to play in the NBA. Bynum is a high school center who could one day be good, but he's a project. This was the highest selection the Lakers have had in years, and they had a chance to add any one of a number of players who could have helped immediately. The Lakers' second-round picks might be more ready to play ? Ronny Turiaf and Von Wafer are talented ? but Jackson traditionally doesn't trust rookies. They'll have to wait their turn. Grade: C there was another sight i saw that gave us D, but i forgot where i saw it. to tell you the truth, i'm not very high on this draft either, cuz i think we should have gotton joey graham at #10, cuz he could've came in and contributed right away, and not have to wait and develope. also, the #39 pick, IMO, was just a waist of pick, and on espn, they said that wafer probably won't even make the team. so, what are your thoughts of the draft?
Joey Graham? He plays SF, why would the Lakers draft yet another SF? He would be behind Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Jumaine Jones, Luke Walton, and Devean George. He'd be able to contribute in the Summer Pro League and the NBDL, but not on the Lakers. Remember Phil Jackson does not give heavy minutes to rookies. Even if the Lakers make some trades, Graham will still be behind 3 or 4 players. Same could be said for Danny Granger. Ronny Turiaf was the perfect pick for the Lakers at the right spot, he's exactly what they need up front. I think most people didn't know who Andrew Bynum was until the Lakers drafted him. The kid was the top rated Center in his high school class. He has the physical tools to be a beast in the league if he puts in the work and listens to his coaches and trainers. It does not matter if Bynum takes 2-4 years to develop and be an impact. The Laker are not going to be a Championship caliber team for at least 3 or 4 years anyways. Most of the players in this draft aren't going to make an immediate impact. The top 4 players have a chance Andrew Bogut, Marvin Williams, Chris Paul, and Deron Williams, after those 4 most of the players drafted are going to be life long role players. Gerald Green has a chance to be a superstar, but it's going to take him equally as long as Bynum, but Bynum is 2 years younger. So in 3 years who would you rather have? A potential 7'0 / 300lb monster in the paint. A high scoring swing player. A solid role player. Von Wafer must have blown away the Lakers in his workout, otherwise I'm not sure what the deal is selecting him. Let's see what he can do in the SPL.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting shapecity:</div><div class="quote_post">Joey Graham? He plays SF, why would the Lakers draft yet another SF? He would be behind Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, Jumaine Jones, Luke Walton, and Devean George. He'd be able to contribute in the Summer Pro League and the NBDL, but not on the Lakers. Remember Phil Jackson does not give heavy minutes to rookies. Even if the Lakers make some trades, Graham will still be behind 3 or 4 players. Same could be said for Danny Granger. Ronny Turiaf was the perfect pick for the Lakers at the right spot, he's exactly what they need up front. I think most people didn't know who Andrew Bynum was until the Lakers drafted him. The kid was the top rated Center in his high school class. He has the physical tools to be a beast in the league if he puts in the work and listens to his coaches and trainers. It does not matter if Bynum takes 2-4 years to develop and be an impact. The Laker are not going to be a Championship caliber team for at least 3 or 4 years anyways. Most of the players in this draft aren't going to make an immediate impact. The top 4 players have a chance Andrew Bogut, Marvin Williams, Chris Paul, and Deron Williams, after those 4 most of the players drafted are going to be life long role players. Gerald Green has a chance to be a superstar, but it's going to take him equally as long as Bynum, but Bynum is 2 years younger. So in 3 years who would you rather have? A<font color="DarkRed"> potential </font> 7'0 / 300lb monster in the paint. he has POTENTIAL. i'm not saying anything against him, but i just don't like takins gambles so much. i mean, he could be like shaq and dominate, but what if he turns out to be a degasa diop? A high scoring swing player. A solid role player. Von Wafer must have blown away the Lakers in his workout, otherwise I'm not sure what the deal is selecting him. Let's see what he can do in the SPL.</div> POTENTIAL. he has potential. but he also has potential to be a bust. i'm not saying anything against bynum, but i just don't like taking gambles so much. i mean, he could turn to be like shaq, but on the other hand, he could ba a degasa doip.
Every player drafted is a potential bust though, not every player drafted is a potential franchise player. DeSagna Diop has not developed because of injury and having a new coach every year he's been in the league. Prior to going pro he played a limit amount of basketball and he's always had a questionable work ethic. Diop can still break out, and a new team might be what he needed to get his career going. Jermaine O'neal was a bust in Portland, but he turned out ok after he was given a chance to succeed. Diop is still only 22, and only played 3 years of basketball when he first came to the United States.
"Paint" Bynum the next Kobe(without the legal probs) [quote name='yao ming']well, on espn's around the orn, they were talking about who had the best draft night and who had the worst. unfortunately, they didn't like our picks very much. they said we were draf niht losers because we drafted bynum Would they call Jerry West a loser for trading for 17 year old Kobe? I don't think so. If "Paint" Bynum pans out, and nobody knows for sure, just like everyone of the other picks in the first round, Mitch will be praised. IMO the only other player drafted after "Paint" Bynum that may make us eat our words is Sean May, but Torief has almost the same skills at the same position so we took a center instead. "Vanilla" Wafer is a reach but how many 6'5" guards taken in the second round even get out of training camp. Kobe was in the Finals by his fourth year and "Paint" Bynum, wearing no. 17 to remind all those doubters will get the Lakers back to the finals by his and Phil's third year back.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting whatthef?:</div><div class="quote_post">[quote name='yao ming']well, on espn's around the orn, they were talking about who had the best draft night and who had the worst. unfortunately, they didn't like our picks very much. they said we were draf niht losers because we drafted bynum Would they call Jerry West a loser for trading for 17 year old Kobe? I don't think so. If "Paint" Bynum pans out, and nobody knows for sure, just like everyone of the other picks in the first round, Mitch will be praised. IMO the only other player drafted after "Paint" Bynum that may make us eat our words is Sean May, but Torief has almost the same skills at the same position so we took a center instead. "Vanilla" Wafer is a reach but how many 6'5" guards taken in the second round even get out of training camp. Kobe was in the Finals by his fourth year and "Paint" Bynum, wearing no. 17 to remind all those doubters will get the Lakers back to the finals by his and Phil's third year back. </div> hope your right.
well, hoopshype gave us an F for our draft. - Los Angeles Lakers: F / Andrew Bynum, Ronny Turiaf and Von Wafer This is perhaps the most befuddling draft choices in Laker history. Bynum has so much game and life maturity to achieve he could be finally coming into his own ? in about 3-4 years. He?s gifted but so far away right now from contributing that this pick ? thought to be the beginning of the road back, but looking much more like a flat tire ? is potentially tragic. Turiaf, a highly regarded West coast banger could be three years into making his presence felt before Bynum ever earns serious minutes. Wafer earned raised eyebrows after a bad workout in Chicago in which he reportedly lost his cool. For the Lakers, much will have to fall right and many will have to be wrong. http://www.hoopshype.com/articles/draft_rodecker4.htm
Hoopshype also gave the Celtics a lower grade than the Knicks and Magic. Most rookies in this draft class are going to take 3 or 4 years to make an impact anyways. Wafer elbowed a player guarding him, he's a highly competitive kid, and hopefully Phil and the staff can teach him how to play under control.
