The decision of high school prospect Thon Maker to enter the 2016 Draft has somewhat changed the initial plan for the Los Angeles Lakers heading into the offseason.
Maker filed application for the 2016 NBA Draft despite not playing one year of college basketball. Maker's camp believes the 7-foot prospect has a strong case to be accepted in the draft because he already graduated high school in Canada and already 19-years old - the minimum age set by NBA for draft applicants.
Should the NBA approve Maker's bid to enter the 2016 NBA Draft, his inclusion in an already top-heavy pool of talents that includes LSU's Ben Simmons and Duke's Brandon Ingram will absolutely change the dynamic for lottery hopefuls moving forward.
The Lakers are in position to land a top-3 pick in the draft and rumored to be interested in Simmons and Ingram. However, Maker's availability in the draft will make decision tougher for the Lakers brain trust, knowing the fact the prospect's massive upside.
Widely regarded by scouts as a revolutionary player, Maker is a 7-foot center with a skills-set of a guard. There's no question he has the physical tools to succeed in the NBA, although scouts aren't sure if he's mentally prepared for the big league without going through college [Sports Illustrated].
One thing is for sure, Maker has officially entered the list of prospects the Lakers will be closely monitoring between now and the 2016 Draft.
-Chad Ford of ESPN [via SB Nation] believes Ingram would be a huge upgrade for the Lakers if they decide to pick him at draft night. The Lakers have been looking for a scoring wing for quite some time, and Ford thinks Ingram has all the tools to make an impact right away.
Moreover, the ESPN analyst envisions a potent Lakers offense in the future with the continuous development of D'Angelo Russell and Ingram.