On the Lakers and the 2014 NBA Draft (Get the Point, Not the Size)

For the first time in nine years, I'm watching the NBA Draft to see what happens to the Lakers. The three-year back slide since the 2011 playoff sweep by the Mavericks has led to this and I guess all year, we've been waiting to see what happens.

Mostly, I've been praying that with some of the questionable personnel moves that Lakers management have made, they do the right thing on Thursday. Avoid getting a big man and get a guard to finally move into the 21st century NBA. With no second round pick this year or any draft picks for 2015 as of right now, this pick means a lot which is why they need to go small than big.

The Lakers have lacked a great, young, dynamic point guard for 15 years. While Ron Harper, Derek Fisher, Gary Payton, Smush Parker and Ramon Sessions were solid, Nick Van Exel was really the last one they've had. In this era you need a strong lead guard to be able to do anything in the West.

That's why the Lakers need to pray Dante Exum or Marcus Smart are available.

Recapping the Crazy, Fun and Wild 2013 NBA Draft

So raise your hands if you expected Anthony Bennett going No. 1?? Raise your hands if you expected the Pac-12 to tie for the most draft picks by conference?? Heck, raise your hands if you've not dizzy from all the trade talk.

I tried my best to focus on what I liked in the draft. No losers, just winners and good things. Except for maybe a few words on Bill Simmons trying to bring down the draft coverage like he does on the ESPN NBA crew.

Oh and Cody Zeller to Charlotte? Good luck there. 

I'd also like to say I'm very happy for Allen Crabbe and Solomon Hill, having covered them close in high school. I saw Tony Snell help Kawhi Leonard beat Mater Dei in the 2009 CIF Division I-AA championship and it's funny that Riverside King now has 2 NBA players from their squad and that loaded Mater Dei team has none yet.

Also, I didn't cover this in the video but the Boston-Brooklyn trade? Either the Nets are going to be the 2003-04 Lakers or it's going to blow up spectacularly. Rajon Rondo's going to have be a miracle worker but he's got good pieces in Kris Humphries and Gerald Wallace along with Marquis Daniels and Avery Bradley.

Five years after they met in the NBA Finals, the Celtics and Lakers are both pretty close to starting back at square one. Nature of the beast, I guess.