2017 NBA Draft: Who did the Lakers draft according to NBA 2K17
By Jason Reed
Quite frankly, if the Lakers manage to secure Justin Jackson at 28th overall then they have a steal of a selection. What is ironic is that Jackson is actually projected by NBADraft.net to go 28th to the Lakers. However, in CBS Sports prospect rankings, Jackson is the tenth overall prospect heading into the NBA Draft. Regardless, this selection would be huge for the Lakers.
The six-foot-eight junior is a natural born scorer that could play either small forward or shooting guard for the Lakers. Averaging 18.3 points per game and just under five rebounds, Jackson has proven in his senior year that he can be a dynamic scorer at the NBA level. Although he would not start on the Lakers, he would give them a great scoring option for their sixth man.
Having a prolific, high volume scorer off the bench would be huge for the Lakers. Even if Jackson averages around 12 points per game, that would add a huge dynamic that the Lakers currently lack. With a three-point percentage just under 40, Jackson can knock down the long balls and be a leader of the second unit.
Jackson would play perfectly behind D’Angelo Russell at shooting guard, or, if David Nwaba keeps impressing he could see time behind Brandon Ingram. With Luol Deng on the decline, the Lakers lack a good backup small forward. Justin Jackson would give them just that, and potentially more as he progresses.