Dec 18, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Justise Winslow (12) drives to the basket during the second half against Connecticut Huskies guard/forward Daniel Hamilton (5) at the Izod Center. Duke Blue Devils defeats the Connecticut Huskies 66-56. Mandatory Credit: Jim O
Justise Winslow
Age: 19
Height: 6’6″
Weight: 225 pounds
As the only true wing in our top five, Winslow would be a welcome addition to the purple and gold, but at No. 2, his value is questionable at best.
At 6’6″ and 225 pounds (and still bulking up), Winslow has juuust enough size to get away with playing either shooting guard or small forward, so he could provide the Lakers with much-needed depth and defensive presence at those positions. If the Lakers would choose to play him alongside Bryant and Clarkson, he would be an upgrade over Wesley Johnson, who had a -0.6 defensive box plus/minus (according to basketball-reference) and a defensive rating 112 last season.
While Winslow’s strong base and sound defensive principles should be an improvement over Johnson, his offensive game is limited to open-court plays or spot up 3-pointers. Last season at Duke, Winslow had only 82 assists to 71 turnovers. Furthermore, he seemed to have benefit on wide-open looks that was a result of low-post double teams on Jahlil Okafor, as 93.5 percent of his 3-pointers were assisted.
Concerns over No. 1 option status notwithstanding, being on a team with Clarkson and and Bryant, ball handling and shot creation aren’t necessary from him right away.
On paper, Winslow seems to be a wonderful supporting piece for the Lakers, but for a team that has the opportunity to select a franchise-changing player, Winslow could be a relative disappointment.