2015 NBA Draft: How Each Top Prospect Fits With The Los Angeles Lakers

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D’Angelo Russell

Age: 19

Height: 6’5″

Weight: 180 pounds

The former Ohio State Buckeye is another lead guard, which would make his selection at the No. 2 slot an indulgence, rather than a necessity.

With the current roster that is in place, Russell’s position and skill set seems redundant with Clarkson running the show already. Conversely, Russell does fit a little better in the backcourt than the aforementioned Mudiay, because Russell has shown the ability to score from inside and out, averaging 19.3 points per game on 41.1 percent shooting from 3.

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Outside of scoring versatility, Russell takes a more cerebral and precise approach to the game than Mudiay, because of his unspectacular athleticism. Although the lack of world-class athleticism might be unappealing to many, his measured and methodical manner may be a decent compliment to Clarkson’s attacking, drive-oriented outlook. The only issue is that Russell prefers to create offense for himself.

According to Hoop-Math, 75.4 percent of his 2-point jump shots, and 46.8 percent of his 3-point shots, last season were unassisted.

On the defensive end, Russell may pose a problem to smaller guards, but his lack of foot speed and conflicting position are a bad fit for a Lakers team that finished second-to-last in the league in defensive efficiency (points allowed per 100 possessions) with 108.

Similar to Mudiay, Russell is a tantalizing talent and player, given that he can be the focal point of the offense. But on the Lakers, Russell will have to take a backseat to Clarkson and Bryant, making him nothing more than an overqualified third, or even fourth, option.

Next: Justise Winslow