Draft Day

I've got to admit, I haven't been following the draft prospects as much as I normally do because first we all know what is happening at the top with Oden and Durant and second, I fully expected that whoever the Lakers draft at 19 will not be with the team as he should be moved in a trade. But as the draft draws near, I am facing the reality that the 19th selection very well may be on this team next year. Considering the Lakers already drafted Jordan Farmar last year, and they have an offer out for most of their Mid Level Exception to Theodoros Papaloukas it is assumed that the Lakers will take a player for the front line if the pick is theirs to keep. But we can hope someone like Farmar, who was projected higher last year, can fall and the Lakers can get a steal at 19. I've heard numerous possibilities from Javaris Crittenton to Josh McRoberts to Rudy Fernandez to Sean Williams or Jason Smith. If it is a random player not on our board that could be the signal that a trade has been made and the pick is for another team. Which would be reminiscent of the Lakers drafting Chris Jeffries a few years back and shipping him that night to Toronto for Kareem Rush.

There is a lot of anticipation among Lakers fans for a trade, free agent signing or draft pick, anything to help the team improve and also show Kobe that the team is serious about winning. The next few weeks are very important to the Lakers franchise and can either save or destroy the team. I can only hope for a miracle move by the front office or my beloved Lakers may be put into rebuilding mode for many years to come, which is extremely difficult for me to fathom considering the success the Lakers have had all throughout my life. There have only been a couple of times the team has even missed the playoffs while I've been alive so to think of it without a superstar and a competitive playoff team is difficult for me to swallow. I really hope it doesn't have to come to that.