Reports claim the Los Angeles Lakers are eying a point guard - either D'Angelo Russell or Emmanuel Mudiay - in the 2015 draft. Although an NBA insider confirmed the Lakers are interested in Russell and Mudiay with the No. 2 pick, the insider said Los Angeles would only draft one of the guards if center Karl-Anthony Towns was no longer available.
Towns seemingly has surpassed Okafor as the projected No. 1 pick of the draft. Although multiple reports have linked Los Angeles to one of the aforementioned point guards, ESPN insider Chad Ford believes Los Angeles will only go with a 1-guard if Towns the Minnesota Timberwolves take Towns with the first overall pick.
"If Towns is there at 2 ... (it's) a lock. If it's Okafor, I think it's up in the air between Okafor, Russell and Mudiay," Ford wrote Wednesday. "All three in the mix. But not strong feeling right now which guy it would be. I also hear they are digging on (Kristaps) Porzingis, though I doubt they have the guts to take him that high."
Porzingis is a 6-foot-11 forward-center combo who's drawn comparisons to Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki and a more athletic Nikola Mirotic. There's no way Los Angeles takes him with the No. 2 pick, though.
Scouts consider Towns to have the greatest upside of any player in the 2015 draft class. The Kentucky freshman has already proved he has the potential to become an elite defender in the NBA, he can hit free throws, and the weakest part of his game - his offense - is viewed as something he's capable of improving.
Okafor, by contrast, has a polished offensive game but is lacking in the free throws department and with defense.
For a more detailed breakdown of Russell and Mudiay, look here.
