The Lakers dysfunction at the center position was put on full display last season. After letting Julius Randle and Brook Lopez walk for no discernible reason, the Lakers resorted to signing JaVale McGee to the veteran minimum.
Bol Bol is one of few players outside the top handful who possess enough potential upside to become a legitimate star in the league. Even if it’s a roll of the dice, the Lakers have no time to wait and watch prospects develop.
While McGee performed nicely this season, the Lakers can’t assume a steady pipeline of veterans will be lining up to join the dysfunctional environment in LA. Grabbing Bol would be a strong step in the right direction after shipping Ivica Zubac out for peanuts.
Rui Hachimura may be the most polarizing prospect in this entire draft. Some media outlets are convinced Hachimura has top five potential, other analysts are on the fence if he’s even a first-round talent.
But if history has taught us anything, it’s that Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan is prone to becoming too enamored with wild card prospects. If the Hornets are lucky, Rui’s 19.7 points per game on a 63.9 true shooting percentage will translate to the NBA smoothly.
Hachimura should have no issues translating into Charlotte’s lineup. With a young core of Malik Monk, Miles Bridges, and Hachimura the Hornets may just be able to pull off a successful rebuild while still retaining franchise star Kemba Walker.