The Pacific division has been the talk of the NBA for the last few months. The Golden State Warriors won the NBA championship, while the Los Angeles Lakers were the talk of the town for all the wrong reasons. Meanwhile, the Clippers have had an exciting offseason, and the Kings look to be on quite a rollercoaster as well. The NBA draft was an opportunity for all of these teams to take a step forward in the right direction. Some made bigger steps than others, so let's see who fared best in the 2015 NBA Draft from the Pacific division.
Los Angeles Lakers
Los Angeles knew they weren’t getting Karl-Anthony Towns, so it came down to either Jahlil Okafor or D’Angelo Russell, the highly touted point guard from Ohio State. Ultimately, the Lakers went with Russell to add a crucial piece to their backcourt. Part of this decision had to have come from their desire to sign either Kevin Love or LaMarcus Aldridge, and their stated interest in DeMarcus Cousins as well. Given that none of those things happened, it’s natural to second-guess this pick. However, Russell has a tremendous feel for the game, and that is vital for a new point guard. In a league dominated by point guards, the Lakers did themselves a favor by adding the best one in the draft.
The Lakers had two other picks, and spent them on Larry Nance Jr. and Anthony Brown. Brown is an excellent three-point shooter, and Nance is a great athlete who can do a variety of things. There may have been more suitable picks at 27 where the Lakers took Nance, but Brown was a great add and it remains to be seen how either will turn out. Regardless, taking Russell ensures that the Lakers had a pretty good draft.
Grade: A-
Sacramento Kings
The Sacramento Kings had a very obvious need to fill. The Kings were horrendous defensively, and went with the clear-cut best defender in the draft. Willie Cauley-Stein will step in and improve on a defense that finished next to last in opponents’ field goal percentage within 5 feet. WCS can contribute offensively around the basket, but his real value is his immense athleticism and ability to switch onto just about any position. Sacramento may be dealing with some other issues at the moment, but they absolutely nailed this pick.
Grade: A
Phoenix Suns
Phoenix has had a whirlwind of an offseason, being one of the most active teams in free agency and making several trades to change their roster. One of the better moves they’ve made was drafting Devin Booker, who many draft analysts say is the best shooter in this class. He’s drawn comparisons to J.J. Redick and Klay Thompson, and he’s a good bet to end up somewhere in between. He will add spacing and can work off-the-ball, and will grow as a scorer and defender. Adding to his appeal is that Booker is the youngest player in the draft, so his ceiling is still growing. Overall, this was a good fit and a great pick for the Phoenix Suns as they move towards the future.
Grade: B+
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors have to have been salivating when Kevon Looney was still on the board at pick number 30. Looney was a projected fringe lottery pick, and yet concerns about his health and position at the next level caused every other team to pass on him. Golden State had no such concerns, and at 30 he could provide a tremendous value pick for them. He is athletic and attacks the glass, and the Warriors can simply wait and stash him in the D-League like they have with past picks to let them develop. If there was any weakness for the Warriors, it would be depth at the power forward position in case Golden State had to go big. However, they seemed just fine with that weakness, and now seem to have gotten richer without giving anything up. The concerns about Looney’s health are legitimate, but for what the Warriors set out to do, it’s hard not to like the pick.
Grade: A-
Los Angeles Clippers
The Clippers did not have their own pick in the draft, but made a deal with the New Orleans Pelicans to acquire the 56th pick, Branden Dawson from Michigan State. He provides energy and athleticism, but doesn’t have much shooting ability. At the end of the second round, the Clippers found future value if they can help him develop a deeper range, but for now he can rebound and defend adequately. He is a project, but the Clippers took a chance on him instead of sitting the draft out this year.
Grade: C