3 Reasons Why The Los Angeles Lakers Should Consider Drafting D'Angelo Russell

The Los Angeles Lakers finished with the fourth worst record in the NBA, yet they were able to grab the No. 2 overall pick in the draft in the lottery. That gives the Lakers a plethora of options to quicken their rebuilding process, and while many think LA will draft either Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor, there are reports that the team is very interested in Ohio State point guard D'Angelo Russell.

Here are three reasons why that would be the right pick for the Lakers:

1) Point guard is the most important position in basketball

As the NBA becomes a much more perimeter-oriented league, the point guard has supplanted the center as the most important position on a team. Russell is arguably the best point guard in the draft, and some scouts think he has as much upside as either Towns or Okafor, both centers.

2) Leadership

Russell took over as the starter on an experienced Ohio State squad from day one, then carried them to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament even though they wouldn't have even made the field without him. Plus, he got all of the older, more experienced players on the team to buy in and follow his lead - something that will serve him well in his early years in the NBA.

3) All-around game

Russell led the Buckeyes in points, rebounds, and assists last season, and that versatility makes him extremely dangerous whenever he has the ball in his hands. He's excellent at attacking the basket, but also has the range (41.1 percent from beyond the arc) to hurt a defense from anywhere. Russell does need to improve his defense a little bit, but his 1.6 steals per game show that he can still make an impact on that end of the floor.

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