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LA Lakers: Towns Would Bring Heat Needed For Playoff Push In 2015-16

By Connor Renfro

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Karl-Anthony Towns — like fellow front-court product, Jahlil Okafor — is essentially a lock to be a top-two pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.

Although whispers of Emmanuel Mudiay being a possibility to go either No. 1 to the Minnesota Timberwolves or second to the Lakers, it should be — and is — still expected that Towns and Okafor will be the top two picks.

If picks aren’t traded, draft order remains, and Minnesota selects as expected, the Lakers too will have a crack at a franchise centerpiece.

Just as I reviewed what to expect in free-agency should Okafor come to Laker-land, Towns is also a distinct possibility to be available at number two.

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Thus, free-agency building around Towns should also be looked at.

If Karl-Anthony Towns becomes a Laker, they can expect a defensive presence in the paint, a good below-the-basket rebounder, and a well-rounded offensive player.

Towns doesn’t seem to have the ability to dominate the NBA’s low-post quite like Okafor does

But his jump shot and athleticism have his offensive game in a very versatile position that can be either perimeter and pick-and-pop oriented, or opportunistic and rim-finishing oriented.

Either way, the Lakers would do well to have Towns on their roster.

One potential move in-particular peaks my interest when talking about a Lakers front-court featuring Towns.

That move is the one for PF Kevin Love.

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    • With Towns’ defensive potential, a liability on that end such as Love could be an affordable luxury who could provide a much-needed offensive touch, both from the post as well as beyond the three-point line.

    Love — or another offensive-minded front-court compliment — could allow Towns’ offensive game to be ushered in at a more methodical pace, rather than him having to try to find his shot 20 times per-game.

    LaMarcus Aldridge is another player that would provide Towns the freedom to anchor the paint defensively and also allow him to have ample space to work with offensively.

    Really any scoring big-man would pair well with Towns in LA.

    Towns has the look of a player who will blossom into a good enough defender to where he can — in part — mask the defensive shortcomings of a hypothetical Love or Aldridge.

    Looking to the back-court, Towns would likely be a better fit offensively with Jordan Clarkson and Kobe Bryant than Okafor.

    He won’t need to grind it out down low to score, and could be a useful tool for the two ball-dominant guards to use when they successfully draw extra defenders.

    With either Towns or Okafor, the Lakers would do well to pursue Wesley Matthews.

    Ideally, they could get him on a one-year deal citing his Achilles injury, move Nick Young, and hope to go all-in to retain Matthews next off-season should he come back from his injury and perform well.

    Playing behind Bryant for a year would also serve Matthews well, even if he doesn’t know that.

    While at first the idea of fewer minutes for such a gifted player seems blasphemous, but an entire season of a meaningful but reduced workload may help Matthews in the long run.

    Matthews would be able to ease his legs back into NBA-ready shape rather than giving them the crash course right from opening night.

    Matthews’ contribution to the improvement of Towns would be less pronounced than that of Okafor, but space for a young big-man trying to find his way is never a bad thing.

    Bottom Line: Towns Could Be The Guy To Pull The Right Trigger For A Team Looking For Answers

    At small forward, I’d like to see a more hands-on guy capable of handling the ball if Towns is picked.

    While an off-ball shooting wing would be ideal for Okafor, a guy who can create space and move the ball when needed might serve Towns better. Think Luol Deng, possibly Khris Middleton, and Tobias Harris.

    Obviously a guy like Kevin Durant in 2016 would be ideal, but if the Lakers want to rid themselves of Wesley Johnson and get some tangible production at the three-spot for a change, they could do a lot worse than these guys.

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