Sophomore point guard D’Angelo Russell has given the Los Angeles Lakers and their fans plenty to be happy about this season when he’s healthy. He is playing more freely, the offensive IQ is clearly there, and he’s showing flashes of potential superstardom.
All those good vibes don’t change the fact that the Lakers passed on Kristaps Porzingis, a current superstar, to get Russell. There is no need to dread the team’s future because of it, but it is a necessary footnote so long as Porzingis is worlds better than Los Angeles’ cornerstone.
Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding staged a deep dive into the Lakers’ thinking ahead of that stacked 2015 draft following the New York Knicks’ Sunday night victory over the boys in purple and gold. Among the most interesting anecdotes that showed how badly the franchise misjudged Porzingis was this gem about then-head coach Byron Scott:
Lakers assistant coach Mark “Mad Dog” Madsen, notorious for physical play in his 2000-09 NBA career, was pushed on Porzingis in the workout. To put it in preschool-level terms, the workout looked a lot like Big Bird being pushed all around the court by his dinosaur-ish friend Snuffleupagus.
Then-Lakers head coach Byron Scott, whose outdated mindsets have been well documented, even joked with Lakers staffers after watching Porzingis wilt with exhaustion that Scott had better get a contract extension if the club decided to draft Porzingis and wait for him to grow up.
The Lakers deserve to be ridiculed for their commitment to old-school constructs. But it is not okay to thrash their future because of this blunder. Firing Scott in favor of hiring the more progressive-minded Luke Walton was a sign that they are changing their ways, and the team’s play style this season is further evidence of a metamorphosis.
Plus, Russell is talented enough for this not to matter down the line. For now, though, it’s worth noting.
Porzingis is saving one franchise that, despite selecting him, has been slow on the modern-day uptake. With him, perhaps the Lakers could have gotten where they’re going now much faster.
