Twitter/Thon Maker
The NBA Draft is just weeks away and the LA Lakers are hanging over the edge on their first round pick.
While the Lakers are the second worst team in the league last season, all it takes is two other teams getting lucky in the lottery to push the Lakers out of the first round. The Philadelphia 76ers own the Lakers pick if it falls outside the top three. Thus, it is vital for the Tinseltown team to prepare for their 2nd round pick (32nd overall) since it is the only pick they are assured of until the lottery determines their fate on Tuesday night.
At the NBA draft combine, it was noted that the Lakers are taking interest in some "project" big men, and the most interesting name was that of Thon Maker.
In an article by Adam Zagoria in SNY, he says that Maker is poles apart with his potential. "Depending who you talk to, Thon Maker could be the next Kevin Durant or the next Pavel Podkolzin."
The first comparison doesn't need any introduction. Pavel Podkolzin, though, was a Russian prospect in 2004 picked 21st overall by the Utah Jazz and acquired via trade by the Dallas Mavericks. A postmortem in Dallas Mavericks site Mavs Moneyball described him as someone with lottery potential (he was 7'5, 303 lbs) but was a massive disappointment.
Of course, Maker would rather stick with the first name mentioned: "Exactly, I like Durant as a player," Maker, said with a chuckle here Friday. "They [the media] say I think I think I'm Durant."
The article quoted ESPN's Fran Fraschilla: "He's agile, he's athletic, he's long. He's going to really impress people.You're going to take him in the later part of the first round with a big guy you cand develop."
Teams like the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers who have multiple first round picks may gamble on him with their mid-20s selections (both teams have lottery picks) as a second option but the Lakers interviewed him leading to the assumption that they might try and take him with the 32nd overall pick.
Lakers Nation was cautious with their conclusion: "Although the Lakers have already met with Maker, there's been no indication whether he's left the team wanting to see more in a workout," Ryan Ward of LN stated. "It would be safe to assume the Lakers brass will bring him in for a closer look in the coming weeks if they view him as a legitimate option in the second round."
Another question is whether Maker could actually be in play. Draft Express placed Maker at 39th but other mock drafts and big boards have him at the early to mid-20s.
Maker's versatility makes him perfect for new coach Luke Walton's faster offense. He has ball-handling abilities, speed and agility and has also been developing a three-point shot.
