Okafor The Win? Lakers Hopeful 2nd Pick In NBA Draft To Return Team To Greatness
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com/AP) — If history is any guide, the Los Angeles Lakers are about to get a great player with the second pick in the 2015 NBA Draft set to be held Thursday.
The last time the Lakers drafted this high was when they made forward James Worthy the No. 1 overall pick in the 1982 draft. Worthy went on to win three championship rings and the 1988 NBA Finals MVP.
In fact, the Lakers have had only five top-two picks before, and four of them turned out to be Hall of Famers: Elgin Baylor, Jerry West, Earvin "Magic" Johnson and Worthy.
The fifth? David Meyers out of UCLA in 1975 - whom they traded just weeks later as part of a deal to land Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
As for who the Lakers will take with this year's pick, the consensus appears to point to Duke's Jahlil Okafor, considered to be a close second pick after Kentucky center Karl-Anthony Towns, who will likely be selected by Minnesota with the top pick.
"Two is not bad, being in Los Angeles," Okafor said. "Neither is being in Philly. Especially not being in New York."
Any of those destinations still remained a possiblity as the Lakers were reportedly active in trade talks in the days leading up to the draft, specifically in regards to landing All-Star Kings center DeMarcus Cousins.
The Lakers have been exploring multiple options to lure Cousins, including a potential three-team deal involving the Orlando Magic and the Kings, according to CBS Sports. The Magic have their own up-and-coming center in Nikola Vucevic.
All three teams have top-six picks in the NBA draft.
Rumors have swirled recently about the Lakers also signaling interest in acquiring Miami Heat star Dwayne Wade - who remains mired in heated contract negotiations - and Bulls forward Jimmy Butler.
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