Restoring Showtime with Jestorball
Nov 13, 2013 12:23:30 GMT
Post by Jestor on Nov 13, 2013 12:23:30 GMT
Young Big Man Returns To Showtime
Andrew Bynum is excited to return to the Lakers
For Lakers fans at least, the NAH will look at least a little bit like the old NBA. With the 6th overall pick in the dispersal draft, the Los Angeles Lakers brought back 24 year old center Andrew Bynum to be the foundation piece to build the franchise around. Blessed with excellent scoring, shooting and rebounding ability, and strong defense and shot-blocking skills, Bynum, a career-long Laker in the old NBA from 2005-2011 before his offseason trade to the 76ers, will continue to only be on court for the Purple and Gold his entire career after the selection. With his massive 7', 285 lb. frame, he plays close to the basket and shoots at a high %, qualities demanded of big men in the Jestorball offense scheme.
"We knew going into the draft we wanted either Andrew or Dwight Howard," Lakers GM Jestor said. "There's not a lot of guys right now in this league who play the traditional post shooting game because everything's gone the way of the perimeter game, so barring somebody like Chris Paul dropping to us, this was really priority #1 for us in the first round."
Like most of the first round teams who have already made their selection, the Lakers are reportedly eyeing the point guard spot in the second round, though could conceivably also go swingman to find their perimeter scorer, should the remaining floor generals prove too much of an overdraft at that stage.
Lawson The New Point Man In Town
Ty Lawson takes over the reins at point guard
After a long wait and considerable nervousness on the part of Lakers Nation, the team finally got to select again, and very happily landed their lone remaining top-flight young point guard on the list, securing 24 year old Ty Lawson to be in charge of distributing the ball. The former North Carolina Tarheel is noted for his quality floor general skills, basketball intelligence, and tenacious defense that will help set the tone and get the ball inside to Bynum, the team's presumed #1 option on offense in the middle.
"We don't know what we would have done if Ty hadn't fallen to us," GM Jestor admitted. "After him, you were looking at guys who were either old or didn't have the passing, handling, and IQ skillset we look for in the point guards in our system. We absolutely love his defensive ferocity as well, and since RFAs are still being allowed for the first season as per the CBA, we're guaranteed to bring him back, even if it's at, say, a max-level contract. Though obviously we hope that we can return Ty cheaper than that.
It's A Dinosaur In Round 3!
Expect to see a lot of Chris Bosh dinosaur memes out of the Lakers' organization the next four years
After building with youth and talent in the first two rounds, the Lakers made a pick that shocked many observers, taking the large contract and Internet meme popularity of 28 year old big man Chris Bosh. Due to be paid anywhere from $17 million-22 million over the next four seasons (assuming he takes the PO in his final contract), Bosh makes big money on a long-term deal, though nowhere near the money and length of say, Joe Johnson.
But alongside the large money, the NAH's favorite dinosaur has large talent, boasting a strong scoring knack, terrific defense of the non-playmaking variety, and an uncanny ability to draw fouls inside. He also has quality handles for a big man, and good discipline and intelligence. While not the strongest rebounder by any means, particularly on the offensive end, that's not something he has to worry about in the NAH. Unlike Miami, where Bosh was often forced to play center in the old NBA due to lack of any other options on the Heat, his new team will put him at the 4 alongside Bynum, who can and will shoulder the boarding load.
"Some may say it's early, but I absolutely love Bosh's game for playing the PF spot on our team," said Jestor. "We may work with him a bit on his shooting preferences, simply because we prefer our bigs to be post-oriented in their shooting here, but I think the trio of Andrew, Ty, and Chris gives us one of the stronger groups of three built to win now and in the future. They're all under 30, and Chris is just 28. Are the finances something to be a little concerned about? We'll definitely keep an eye on it going forward, certainly, but what teams that are stockpiling all these rookie contracts need to realize is that there's no fourth year option here, as per the CBA. So yeah, you might have young guys you're developing the next couple years, but when they all hit the market at once, even if we still have the RFA in place by then, it's going to cost a lot of money to keep them, so the finances all work out the same long-term in the end."
3 and D In Round 4
It'll be Lakers fans who cheer Danny Green's 3 point shooting prowess next season
With the Lakers' Big 3 of Andrew Bynum, Ty Lawson, and Chris Bosh taken in the first three rounds, it now fell to the organization to find the right players to put around them. First up on the list is 25 year old Danny Green, drafted in the 4th round to occupy either the SG or the SF spot and provide tenacious defense, and more importantly, a killer 3 point gunner's mentality as evidenced in the former NBA Finals a year ago, when he broke the 3 point record. While he'll no doubt be deferring to Bosh and Bynum down low, and Lawson will get most of the perimeter shots, having Green opens up another avenue in the new Lakers' offense.
"We were sweating this pick out a bit," GM Jestor said. "We knew the Washington Wizards were liable to be high on him, so we wanted to make sure we got him this round. Danny should be a perfect complement to our other starters, and despite the fact that we don't traditionally emphasize defense in Jestorball, we're starting to look like a pretty darn good defensive squad nonetheless."
A Ball-Secure Gunner To Round Out Lineup In 5th
The Lakers will rely on J.J. Redick's patrolling the 3 point line
So what if he's only 6'4, shorter than the traditional Jestorball 2 guard? Fifth round selection J.J. Redick brings a wicked shooting stroke, particularly behind the 3 point line, passable defense, and what is arguably the biggest criteria for the system, strong handling skills. On a team that features four other above average to strong defenders in the lineup, the 28 year old Redick will be asked to snipe treys and protect the basketball, and perhaps his defense will be better than most anticipate.
"We're reaching that point in the draft now where finding players who know how to protect the ball, shoot, and fit in our championship window all in one package are difficult to find," Jestor said. "It's going to be difficult to retain him this offseason, since we have Ty and Andrew to also concern ourselves with, but we'll find a way to make it work, because this is a unit that we believe will work well together and play off one another's strengths and weaknesses."
And so the projected lineup is:
PG Ty Lawson
SG J.J. Redick
SF Danny Green
PF Chris Bosh
C Andrew Bynum
Now comes the job of filling in the bench in the rest of the draft.
Round 6: An Enforcer Arrives
Lakers GM Jestor will try to hook Kendrick Perkins on skim milk
Little surprise that the Lakers went big man on their reserve selection, taking the large Kendrick Perkins with their 6th round pick. At 6'10, 280 lbs, the 27 year old has a reputation as a defensive enforcer, one who's able to use his size to clog the middle and play strong defense. On the offensive end, he excels at drawing fouls and is largely post-oriented in his game, a high percentage shooter who should fit in seamlessly in the Jestorball philosophy.
"We're quite pleased to get Kendrick," Jestor said. "We've been hoping he would fall to us this round and happily he did. Now, no matter what happens, we'll have a big man who can draw fouls on the court, whether it's Kendrick, Bosh, or both on the floor at the same time. He'll take both PF and CE minutes off the bench, which means the perimeter reserves will be our priority in the next couple of rounds, unless there's an incredible value selection big that we can't pass on before then."
Perkins is also under contract for three seasons, although the third year has an option. Nonetheless, it gives security and cost control to a roster that features two UFAs (Bynum and Redick), and an RFA (Lawson).
A Bright Young Point Guard In 7
Eric Maynor plays the type of ball security game Jestorball loves
With their seventh round pick, the Los Angeles Lakers snapped up 25 year old Eric Maynor to be their primary backup point guard. Possessed of arguably the safest hands of any point guard left in the draft and strong defensive skills, he'll serve as the backup to Lawson and could potentially see minutes at the 2 spot, although it's believed the Lakers will look to find another player to come off the bench at SG.
"I've always said the most important guy to have after the starting five in our system is the backup point guard we can trust to run the offense," Jestor said. "And when you have a player who's as good at protecting the ball as Eric is, you have somebody whom you can feel safe about having there at night, even in the worst of all possible outcomes. Better still, although he hits free agency this year, we'll have RFA rights on him just like we do with Ty, so this is a pair of young point guards we can keep around as our point guard rotation for a long, long time to come."
Youth Movement Continues In Round 8
Al-Farouq Aminu will bring geek power to the Lakers
Although they considered a more veteran option with their 8th round pick, in the end the Los Angeles Lakers snapped up 22 year old swingman Al-Farouq Aminu with the selection instead. Although not a star by any means, the young Georgia Tech alum, ironically drafted by the Clippers, is noted for his promising defense and rebounding ability on the wing, as well as his potential to develop into a more better shooter as he grows and develops.
"Some people will no doubt question why we took someone who's still growing his game in Al-Farouq", GM Jestor said, "Especially one who still has a ways to go on his basketball intelligence and awareness, but frankly, we just really liked his potential, and we felt like with Bosh and Green's weaknesses on the offensive glass, that we could use a small forward capable of crashing the offensive boards. Happily, that's a strength of our latest selection, and while he'll primarily play the 3 as Danny's backup, if he can get his handling up some more, we could potentially see him get some minutes at the 2."
Jestorball Favorite Tabbed In Round 9
GM Jestor loves Ronny Turiaf, too
There's some players that are just designed to fit certain systems, and the Lakers' 9th round pick, 29 year old Frenchman Ronny Turiaf, fits that bill perfectly. He's considered one of the most-turnover free post players in the league, shoots at a high percentage, excels at drawing fouls and plays solid defense. Although he will likely only see scant minutes behind the big man trio of Bosh, Bynum, and Perkins, he's nonetheless terrific injury insurance and a player the Lakers will try to lock up long-term in the offseason.
"We love Ronny," Jestor said. "We've had him in our system before, and he was originally drafted in the second round by the Lakers a few years ago. Good luck trying to go hard against our bigs, opposing teams, because they will foul your guys out like nobody's business. Sure, Ronny's not a good rebounder, but that doesn't matter. We've covered our boarding elsewhere and we'll be just fine in that category. Besides, Jestorball emphasizes shooting accuracy enough that there won't be that many rebounds, offensively, to go around. Overall, I'm very excited about how our team is shaping up, and truly believe we have the opportunity to be title contenders in the NAH's inaugural season."
At 29, Turiaf is presently the oldest player drafted by the Lakers in the dispersal draft.
Long Nightmare Ends In Round 10
Allen Iverson's brief Turkish sojourn is in the mists
Finally, the Lakers took a player over 30, and it ended up being 36 year old Allen Iverson, who can at last forget the bitter disappointments that awaited him since the 2009/10 season. Just how much he'll play is uncertain, though it's believed AI will at least get a shot to be the backup to J.J. Redick. GM Jestor got a little teary-eyed as the selection was announced, and was quick to defend the choice against critics who said it was a sentimental value pick of one of the GM's personal favorite players of all time.
"You can talk about the drinking, the gambling, the skills not quite what they used to be," the GM said, "But the fact of the matter remains, Allen still can provide defense, which most people don't realize he has a fair amount of ability in, he can still draw contact at a high rate for a guard, and he still has great on-court awareness and intelligence. That's a skillset that doesn't go away, and frankly, we're thrilled that he's still available in the 10th round."
Lakers officials also said they'll work closely with the former Philadelphia 76ers' franchise star, and attempt to help him with his off-court life, in addition to his on-court one. One also remarked, "At no time will we talk to him about practice, or maybe we will, just to hear his wonderful routine again."
Another Swingman Prospect In Round 11
Kyle Singler opted to hone his game playing for two clubs in Spain during last year's lockout season
For the second straight round, the Los Angeles Lakers chose an American native who played on the Eastern seaboard in college and also has international experience. But unlike the 10th round, where Allen Iverson got the call to start his NAH comeback, this was a rookie swingman, Kyle Singler, who though raw, has some respectable all-around potential, and will compete with 8th round selection Al-Farouq Aminu for the backup spot to Danny Green.
"Basically, we see Kyle as a little bit better passer and ballhandler, and a lot more knowledgeable about the game," GM Jestor said, "Whereas Al-Farouq is better in the rebounding, defending, and drawing contact. Some might say we've duplicated ourselves here, but really, in our metrics, we see Kyle as more of a long 2 guard that we've utilized in our system in the past, whereas Al-Farouq we see more of a 3, so there's definitely a place for both on our team. We won't know until we get on the court who will be Danny's main backup, but it's going to be a fun, spirited competition, and I really feel like Kyle could end up one of the value picks of the dispersal draft."
When asked why the Lakers, who have championship aspirations, didn't go with a veteran, Jestor responded, "That's something we thought a lot about. In fact, we had our eye on two veterans for that very purpose, but in the end, with Ty, J.J., and Eric all out of contract this year, and with Chris's monster contract, we wanted another young reserve we knew we could grow and develop, and have cheaply for the next three seasons. So long-term finances and cost control played a lot into it."
Old Man Value In Final Round
Richard "Rip" Hamilton now joins the Purple and Gold rather than fights them
The Los Angeles Lakers couldn't believe it. 34 year old Richard "Rip" Hamilton, a player they'd mulled taking ever since the 8th round, was still there near the end of the draft, and the team wasted no time in snapping up the championship-pedigree veteran to mentor the glut of young swingmen on the roster and add more playoff potency to a squad that already had Allen "The Answer" Iverson among its ranks. In fact, Hamilton's addition causes a nice problem for the Lakers.
"Basically, we have a bunch of quality swingmen, and we're not quite sure where to play everyone. Rip might be a starter at SG, maybe he starts at SF, and then what do you do about Iverson, Redick, Aminu, Danny, Al-Farouq, and Singler? We went from a position where we felt like swingman was our weakest position, to now we have a ton of different looks and options there," GM Jestor said. "It's a wonderful problem to have, and getting Rip this late is just the cherry on top of what I think has been an exceptional dispersal draft for us as we gun for the title from the get-go."
Andrew Bynum is excited to return to the Lakers
For Lakers fans at least, the NAH will look at least a little bit like the old NBA. With the 6th overall pick in the dispersal draft, the Los Angeles Lakers brought back 24 year old center Andrew Bynum to be the foundation piece to build the franchise around. Blessed with excellent scoring, shooting and rebounding ability, and strong defense and shot-blocking skills, Bynum, a career-long Laker in the old NBA from 2005-2011 before his offseason trade to the 76ers, will continue to only be on court for the Purple and Gold his entire career after the selection. With his massive 7', 285 lb. frame, he plays close to the basket and shoots at a high %, qualities demanded of big men in the Jestorball offense scheme.
"We knew going into the draft we wanted either Andrew or Dwight Howard," Lakers GM Jestor said. "There's not a lot of guys right now in this league who play the traditional post shooting game because everything's gone the way of the perimeter game, so barring somebody like Chris Paul dropping to us, this was really priority #1 for us in the first round."
Like most of the first round teams who have already made their selection, the Lakers are reportedly eyeing the point guard spot in the second round, though could conceivably also go swingman to find their perimeter scorer, should the remaining floor generals prove too much of an overdraft at that stage.
Lawson The New Point Man In Town
Ty Lawson takes over the reins at point guard
After a long wait and considerable nervousness on the part of Lakers Nation, the team finally got to select again, and very happily landed their lone remaining top-flight young point guard on the list, securing 24 year old Ty Lawson to be in charge of distributing the ball. The former North Carolina Tarheel is noted for his quality floor general skills, basketball intelligence, and tenacious defense that will help set the tone and get the ball inside to Bynum, the team's presumed #1 option on offense in the middle.
"We don't know what we would have done if Ty hadn't fallen to us," GM Jestor admitted. "After him, you were looking at guys who were either old or didn't have the passing, handling, and IQ skillset we look for in the point guards in our system. We absolutely love his defensive ferocity as well, and since RFAs are still being allowed for the first season as per the CBA, we're guaranteed to bring him back, even if it's at, say, a max-level contract. Though obviously we hope that we can return Ty cheaper than that.
It's A Dinosaur In Round 3!
Expect to see a lot of Chris Bosh dinosaur memes out of the Lakers' organization the next four years
After building with youth and talent in the first two rounds, the Lakers made a pick that shocked many observers, taking the large contract and Internet meme popularity of 28 year old big man Chris Bosh. Due to be paid anywhere from $17 million-22 million over the next four seasons (assuming he takes the PO in his final contract), Bosh makes big money on a long-term deal, though nowhere near the money and length of say, Joe Johnson.
But alongside the large money, the NAH's favorite dinosaur has large talent, boasting a strong scoring knack, terrific defense of the non-playmaking variety, and an uncanny ability to draw fouls inside. He also has quality handles for a big man, and good discipline and intelligence. While not the strongest rebounder by any means, particularly on the offensive end, that's not something he has to worry about in the NAH. Unlike Miami, where Bosh was often forced to play center in the old NBA due to lack of any other options on the Heat, his new team will put him at the 4 alongside Bynum, who can and will shoulder the boarding load.
"Some may say it's early, but I absolutely love Bosh's game for playing the PF spot on our team," said Jestor. "We may work with him a bit on his shooting preferences, simply because we prefer our bigs to be post-oriented in their shooting here, but I think the trio of Andrew, Ty, and Chris gives us one of the stronger groups of three built to win now and in the future. They're all under 30, and Chris is just 28. Are the finances something to be a little concerned about? We'll definitely keep an eye on it going forward, certainly, but what teams that are stockpiling all these rookie contracts need to realize is that there's no fourth year option here, as per the CBA. So yeah, you might have young guys you're developing the next couple years, but when they all hit the market at once, even if we still have the RFA in place by then, it's going to cost a lot of money to keep them, so the finances all work out the same long-term in the end."
3 and D In Round 4
It'll be Lakers fans who cheer Danny Green's 3 point shooting prowess next season
With the Lakers' Big 3 of Andrew Bynum, Ty Lawson, and Chris Bosh taken in the first three rounds, it now fell to the organization to find the right players to put around them. First up on the list is 25 year old Danny Green, drafted in the 4th round to occupy either the SG or the SF spot and provide tenacious defense, and more importantly, a killer 3 point gunner's mentality as evidenced in the former NBA Finals a year ago, when he broke the 3 point record. While he'll no doubt be deferring to Bosh and Bynum down low, and Lawson will get most of the perimeter shots, having Green opens up another avenue in the new Lakers' offense.
"We were sweating this pick out a bit," GM Jestor said. "We knew the Washington Wizards were liable to be high on him, so we wanted to make sure we got him this round. Danny should be a perfect complement to our other starters, and despite the fact that we don't traditionally emphasize defense in Jestorball, we're starting to look like a pretty darn good defensive squad nonetheless."
A Ball-Secure Gunner To Round Out Lineup In 5th
The Lakers will rely on J.J. Redick's patrolling the 3 point line
So what if he's only 6'4, shorter than the traditional Jestorball 2 guard? Fifth round selection J.J. Redick brings a wicked shooting stroke, particularly behind the 3 point line, passable defense, and what is arguably the biggest criteria for the system, strong handling skills. On a team that features four other above average to strong defenders in the lineup, the 28 year old Redick will be asked to snipe treys and protect the basketball, and perhaps his defense will be better than most anticipate.
"We're reaching that point in the draft now where finding players who know how to protect the ball, shoot, and fit in our championship window all in one package are difficult to find," Jestor said. "It's going to be difficult to retain him this offseason, since we have Ty and Andrew to also concern ourselves with, but we'll find a way to make it work, because this is a unit that we believe will work well together and play off one another's strengths and weaknesses."
And so the projected lineup is:
PG Ty Lawson
SG J.J. Redick
SF Danny Green
PF Chris Bosh
C Andrew Bynum
Now comes the job of filling in the bench in the rest of the draft.
Round 6: An Enforcer Arrives
Lakers GM Jestor will try to hook Kendrick Perkins on skim milk
Little surprise that the Lakers went big man on their reserve selection, taking the large Kendrick Perkins with their 6th round pick. At 6'10, 280 lbs, the 27 year old has a reputation as a defensive enforcer, one who's able to use his size to clog the middle and play strong defense. On the offensive end, he excels at drawing fouls and is largely post-oriented in his game, a high percentage shooter who should fit in seamlessly in the Jestorball philosophy.
"We're quite pleased to get Kendrick," Jestor said. "We've been hoping he would fall to us this round and happily he did. Now, no matter what happens, we'll have a big man who can draw fouls on the court, whether it's Kendrick, Bosh, or both on the floor at the same time. He'll take both PF and CE minutes off the bench, which means the perimeter reserves will be our priority in the next couple of rounds, unless there's an incredible value selection big that we can't pass on before then."
Perkins is also under contract for three seasons, although the third year has an option. Nonetheless, it gives security and cost control to a roster that features two UFAs (Bynum and Redick), and an RFA (Lawson).
A Bright Young Point Guard In 7
Eric Maynor plays the type of ball security game Jestorball loves
With their seventh round pick, the Los Angeles Lakers snapped up 25 year old Eric Maynor to be their primary backup point guard. Possessed of arguably the safest hands of any point guard left in the draft and strong defensive skills, he'll serve as the backup to Lawson and could potentially see minutes at the 2 spot, although it's believed the Lakers will look to find another player to come off the bench at SG.
"I've always said the most important guy to have after the starting five in our system is the backup point guard we can trust to run the offense," Jestor said. "And when you have a player who's as good at protecting the ball as Eric is, you have somebody whom you can feel safe about having there at night, even in the worst of all possible outcomes. Better still, although he hits free agency this year, we'll have RFA rights on him just like we do with Ty, so this is a pair of young point guards we can keep around as our point guard rotation for a long, long time to come."
Youth Movement Continues In Round 8
Al-Farouq Aminu will bring geek power to the Lakers
Although they considered a more veteran option with their 8th round pick, in the end the Los Angeles Lakers snapped up 22 year old swingman Al-Farouq Aminu with the selection instead. Although not a star by any means, the young Georgia Tech alum, ironically drafted by the Clippers, is noted for his promising defense and rebounding ability on the wing, as well as his potential to develop into a more better shooter as he grows and develops.
"Some people will no doubt question why we took someone who's still growing his game in Al-Farouq", GM Jestor said, "Especially one who still has a ways to go on his basketball intelligence and awareness, but frankly, we just really liked his potential, and we felt like with Bosh and Green's weaknesses on the offensive glass, that we could use a small forward capable of crashing the offensive boards. Happily, that's a strength of our latest selection, and while he'll primarily play the 3 as Danny's backup, if he can get his handling up some more, we could potentially see him get some minutes at the 2."
Jestorball Favorite Tabbed In Round 9
GM Jestor loves Ronny Turiaf, too
There's some players that are just designed to fit certain systems, and the Lakers' 9th round pick, 29 year old Frenchman Ronny Turiaf, fits that bill perfectly. He's considered one of the most-turnover free post players in the league, shoots at a high percentage, excels at drawing fouls and plays solid defense. Although he will likely only see scant minutes behind the big man trio of Bosh, Bynum, and Perkins, he's nonetheless terrific injury insurance and a player the Lakers will try to lock up long-term in the offseason.
"We love Ronny," Jestor said. "We've had him in our system before, and he was originally drafted in the second round by the Lakers a few years ago. Good luck trying to go hard against our bigs, opposing teams, because they will foul your guys out like nobody's business. Sure, Ronny's not a good rebounder, but that doesn't matter. We've covered our boarding elsewhere and we'll be just fine in that category. Besides, Jestorball emphasizes shooting accuracy enough that there won't be that many rebounds, offensively, to go around. Overall, I'm very excited about how our team is shaping up, and truly believe we have the opportunity to be title contenders in the NAH's inaugural season."
At 29, Turiaf is presently the oldest player drafted by the Lakers in the dispersal draft.
Long Nightmare Ends In Round 10
Allen Iverson's brief Turkish sojourn is in the mists
Finally, the Lakers took a player over 30, and it ended up being 36 year old Allen Iverson, who can at last forget the bitter disappointments that awaited him since the 2009/10 season. Just how much he'll play is uncertain, though it's believed AI will at least get a shot to be the backup to J.J. Redick. GM Jestor got a little teary-eyed as the selection was announced, and was quick to defend the choice against critics who said it was a sentimental value pick of one of the GM's personal favorite players of all time.
"You can talk about the drinking, the gambling, the skills not quite what they used to be," the GM said, "But the fact of the matter remains, Allen still can provide defense, which most people don't realize he has a fair amount of ability in, he can still draw contact at a high rate for a guard, and he still has great on-court awareness and intelligence. That's a skillset that doesn't go away, and frankly, we're thrilled that he's still available in the 10th round."
Lakers officials also said they'll work closely with the former Philadelphia 76ers' franchise star, and attempt to help him with his off-court life, in addition to his on-court one. One also remarked, "At no time will we talk to him about practice, or maybe we will, just to hear his wonderful routine again."
Another Swingman Prospect In Round 11
Kyle Singler opted to hone his game playing for two clubs in Spain during last year's lockout season
For the second straight round, the Los Angeles Lakers chose an American native who played on the Eastern seaboard in college and also has international experience. But unlike the 10th round, where Allen Iverson got the call to start his NAH comeback, this was a rookie swingman, Kyle Singler, who though raw, has some respectable all-around potential, and will compete with 8th round selection Al-Farouq Aminu for the backup spot to Danny Green.
"Basically, we see Kyle as a little bit better passer and ballhandler, and a lot more knowledgeable about the game," GM Jestor said, "Whereas Al-Farouq is better in the rebounding, defending, and drawing contact. Some might say we've duplicated ourselves here, but really, in our metrics, we see Kyle as more of a long 2 guard that we've utilized in our system in the past, whereas Al-Farouq we see more of a 3, so there's definitely a place for both on our team. We won't know until we get on the court who will be Danny's main backup, but it's going to be a fun, spirited competition, and I really feel like Kyle could end up one of the value picks of the dispersal draft."
When asked why the Lakers, who have championship aspirations, didn't go with a veteran, Jestor responded, "That's something we thought a lot about. In fact, we had our eye on two veterans for that very purpose, but in the end, with Ty, J.J., and Eric all out of contract this year, and with Chris's monster contract, we wanted another young reserve we knew we could grow and develop, and have cheaply for the next three seasons. So long-term finances and cost control played a lot into it."
Old Man Value In Final Round
Richard "Rip" Hamilton now joins the Purple and Gold rather than fights them
The Los Angeles Lakers couldn't believe it. 34 year old Richard "Rip" Hamilton, a player they'd mulled taking ever since the 8th round, was still there near the end of the draft, and the team wasted no time in snapping up the championship-pedigree veteran to mentor the glut of young swingmen on the roster and add more playoff potency to a squad that already had Allen "The Answer" Iverson among its ranks. In fact, Hamilton's addition causes a nice problem for the Lakers.
"Basically, we have a bunch of quality swingmen, and we're not quite sure where to play everyone. Rip might be a starter at SG, maybe he starts at SF, and then what do you do about Iverson, Redick, Aminu, Danny, Al-Farouq, and Singler? We went from a position where we felt like swingman was our weakest position, to now we have a ton of different looks and options there," GM Jestor said. "It's a wonderful problem to have, and getting Rip this late is just the cherry on top of what I think has been an exceptional dispersal draft for us as we gun for the title from the get-go."