After failing to land the 2nd overall pick from the Timberwolves for Lamar Odom, the Lakers were left with four 2nd round picks in this year's NBA Draft and they selected players with the 41st and 46 picks that could help to fill some needs going into next season. Below is an overview of their new additions.
2nd Round: 41st Pick
Darius Morris, PG
6'5 190 LBS
NBA Comparison: Jalen Rose, Andre Miller
Background: A Los Angeles native, Morris heads back home after being selected 41st overall by the Lakers. The 20 year old Michigan PG finished his sophomore season averaging 15 points, 6.7 assists (Led Big 10) and 4 rebounds and was a 3rd team All-Big 10 selection.
Positives: His 6’5 frame makes him a walking mismatch at the PG position. A true point guard, he’s a gifted passer with great timing and court vision. At only 20 years old, Morris has a great feel for the game and a ton of potential.
Negatives: He’s not the most athletic of players, relying mostly on his first step to get by defenders. He sometimes pushes the ball up the court even without numbers, often times leading to bad shots or turnovers. Not a great shooter (shot 22.3% from 3 at Michigan). Despite his length, he’s only an average defender.
Summary: The Lakers got a player at 41 that they were thinking about trading up for at 27 and if he would have stayed in school another year he would have been a sure-fire first round selection. Due to the Lakers lack of depth at the PG position, Morris has an opportunity to not only make the team but could carve out a role as a backup guard with a good training camp.
2nd Round: 46th Pick
Andrew Goudelock, PG/SG
6’2 198 LBS
NBA Comparison: Eddie House, Ben Gordon
Background: Goudelock finished his career at the College of Charleston as the 39th all-time leading scorer in Division 1 history with 2,571 points and averaged 23.7 points, 4.2 assists as a senior. He led his team in assists for three straight seasons and shot 41.2% from 3-point range in college.
Positives: He can flat out shoot the ball with range extending well beyond the arc. He’s a difficult player to defend and works hard to get open. He’s got a quick release and rarely holds the ball for more than a couple seconds without making a move. He’s also an active defender.
Negatives: He’s a bit of a tweener. Undersized for a SG and not quite quick enough to defend some PGs. Only average athletically. He’s somewhat unproven, due to the fact that he played against lower competition in college.
Summary: The Lakers drafted arguably the best shooter in this season’s draft and got him midway through the 2nd round. Due to the Lakers lack of outside threats, Goudelock could earn a spot on the Lakers bench as a 3-point specialist.
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