The LA Lakers have the coveted no.2 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft but they do have multiple positions to cover.
While they have free agent targets for a swingman (DeMar DeRozan, Harrison Barnes), the Lakers are likely to let Roy Hibbert walk and leave a gaping hole at the center position.
Hibbert was traded by the Indiana Pacers in a virtual salary dump and the Lakers took on his expiring contract as they failed to sign a big man in free agency last year. That shows how difficult it is to secure a big man even in the era of "small ball."
This is why the Jahlil Okafor proposal to the Lakers has generated some buzz. However, there could actually be a better option for the Tinseltown team than Okafor and that is Denver Nuggets rookie center Nikola Jokic.
In a recent NBA chat, Kevin Pelton of ESPN Insider addressed this question, "How good is Jokic? He had an impressive 20 year old rookie season. Would you put him ahead of Simmons and Ingram in this draft?"
Pelton replied: "I would, though that's not a totally fair comparison. I wouldn't have put Jokic ahead of them this time a year ago, certainly. But his rookie year showed All-Star potential for sure."
While Pelton explained that Jokic is more of a sure thing now than any of the two prospects the Lakers will choose from, the Serbian player has more upside than Okafor and could better adapt to the fast paced offense that Luke Walton is most likely to implement.
Jokic is a great passer and has a better shot from the mid-range (and even a three point shot) than Okafor does.
This is why Today's Fastbreak has suggested Jokic as a possible trade target for the no.2 pick.
"A veteran player or two plus a lower lottery pick might be enough to get Kupchak to listen," TFB's Taylor Smith stated. "One would imagine the first player Kupchak would seek in any hypothetical discussion with the Nuggets would be big man Nikola Jokic, fresh off an All-Rookie First-Team selection."
Jokic was drafted in 2014 at 41st overall but only made the jump last season. The Lakers could ask for more assets like Will Barton, Kenneth Faried or even the 7th or 15th pick in this year's draft that the Nuggets hold,