The Lakers will have the 31st pick in the Usenet draft.  The Lakers have
no first round (or second for that matter) so that is why they are in the
supplemental Usenet draft.  Their first round pick was traded to Phoenix
for Cedric Ceballos.  We had to find a new GM because the original one
vanished, so thanks to:

   John Koshel 

for taking over.  John selects:

   John Amaechi, C, 6-10.  Penn State.

===========================================================================

THIS PAST YEAR:

The Lakers surprised about everyone (except for Jerry West and the rest of
the Lakers management).  This team was the 'Cinderella' of the NBA, and I
am sure a lot of people have trouble saying that of the famed Lakers.  They
finished just under .600, which came as a result of their weak play down
the stretch (lost their last 7 games).  The beginning of the season was
carried by the play of Cedric Ceballos, who the Lakers obtained from
Phoenix for their first round draft pick of this year.  Ceballos went down
with a hand injury just before the All-Star Break, which he then had to
forego because of the injury.  Eddie Jones, the rookie starting SG for the
Lakers, soon followed with a shoulder injury that he suffered on a dunk.
The Lakers were able to continue with the amazing clutch play of Nick Van
Exel, the dependable Vlade Divac, the good play of Anthony Peeler, the
inconsistent but sometimes very good play of Elden Campbell, and the rest
of the Lakers rosters.  The Lakers went into the playoffs and handled the
Sonics, as they had in the regular season.  They met their match in the San
Antonio Spurs.  The team could never find their rhythm and took heroics by
Van Exel to keep the Lakers in the series for 6 games.

It was a fun year.  The Lakers took their fans on a roller-coaster ride
that had many of us biting our nails.  It can only get better.  Delmer
Harris in his rookie year with the Lakers was named Coach of the Year and
Jerry West finally received the Executive of the Year award (with Layden
saying it is an insult since the trophy should be named after Jerry West).

TEAM NEEDS:

The feeling amongst the Laker fans, media, and management is that the
Lakers need some frontcourt help.  The Lakers are searching for a starting
PF or a very capable backup who can also play some time in the center
position.  The Lakers lost their first round pick in the Ceballos deal and
they lost their second round pick in the Miller deal.  The Laker have no
picks this year in this very deep draft, especially at the power positions.
So the pick that I am making is just more for 'fun'.  The nucleus of the
team is intact.  The Lake Show (don't be calling it ShowTime!) is here to
stay.  Next year can only be brighter for the this very young team (one of
the youngest in league).  In the UseNet Mock Expansion Draft, Threatt was
taken; however, I expect someone like Harvey will be taken.  First an
analysis of the positions and the players.

CENTER:  Vlade Divac fills this position nicely.  There has been much talk
of where he stands in the ranks of NBA centers, and it seems that he is at
the top of the second tier behind the likes of the Dream, the Admiral,
Shaq, and Ewing.  Most rate him around the likes of Mutumbo and Mourning
(some below, some above, but that is an argument for others).  Divac plays
more of a finesse game than the power game of the likes of the younger
centers like Shaq and Mourning.  He has a decent outside shot, but
sometimes he sits out on the perimeter too much.  His presence is needed
inside since the Lakers are weak there.  Most people forget that he is
young, born Feb. 3, 1968.  He has lost most of his flop mentality that he
came into the league with.  Every year he improves, and I would say that
barring injury, the Lakers do not need to worry about the starting center
role.  Sam Bowie was the backup for Divac this year.  He was a capable
backup, but then the playoffs came!  Bowie could never find himself in the
playoffs.  There were times he was fouling once per minute of play.  Bowie
would be welcomed back, but he is retiring.  Elden Campbell can see time at
the center position.  He did an admirable job against David Robinson this
year; however, Elden must spend most of his time at the PF position.
Antonio Harvey was on the Lakers again this past year, but he did not see
much playing time.  He will likely be left unprotected for the Expansion
Draft, and one of the Canadian teams might want to pick up this athletic,
big project.  OUTLOOK:  Need a backup.

POWER FORWARD:  Elden Campbell was the starting PF for most of the '94-'95
season.  At times he would make you happy that he was a Laker, but at
others he would make you frustrated.  Still, Jerry West picked Campbell
with a late first-round pick a few years ago (27th in 1990 out of Clemson).
Knowing that you would have to say that he has played very well.  He has
good moves in the low post, as the playoffs showed; therefore, next year he
may see much more time there.  Divac will be moved out to the weak side and
to a higher post.  This will allow Campbell to 'show' his sorely needed but
ill-used low-post abilities.  However, often when Elden does not score
early in the game or be the focus of the offense, his name can change to
Seldom.  His play would become lackluster and there appeared to be a lack
of desire to compete.  He seems to be coming out of this funk, and maybe we
Laker fans need to just wait a few more years for him to mature completely.
Whatever is said about Campbell he does have very good one-on-one defense
(just ask the Spurs).  Often he tries to go for the block too much or have
to be the last resort for a breakdown in the perimeter defense of the
Lakers.  This puts him out of position so that his rebounding numbers are
rather weak for a starting PF.  His passing is suspect, but once again his
playoffs were not indicative of this.  If Elden could always play like he
did against the Spurs, there would be no desire by the Lakers to find a new
PF.  Campbell would be great as a backup PF/C, but his psyche/ego may not
allow this.  The backups include Antonio Harvey (see above) and Anthony
"Pig" Miller.  Miller was a rookie this past year.  His minutes wear
increased as the season wore on, and there were times that he played very
well.  If the Lakers cannot obtain another PF by free agency or trade, then
count on the Lakers protecting and using Miller as their backup PF.  George
Lynch was the starting PF at the beginning of this past season.  He was
undersized and this lineup was quickly changed by Del Harris.  His natural
position is SF, but he can probably see some time at PF, especially when
going up against smaller teams and/or backup PFs.  OUTLOOK:  Need at least
a quality backup.

SMALL FORWARD:  The All-Star Cedric Ceballos has this position wrapped up.
He was the catalyst at the beginning of the season.  A nickname that would
explain his type of play is the "Garbageman".  He is very good at
positioning himself inside to pick up rebounds, loose balls, and the like
and then scoring.  After his hand injury he came back a bit tentative and
tended to rely more on his outside shot.  He has developed a rather decent
outside shot with range for the three; however, the Lakers need him to roam
around the paint more.  His rebounding and inside scoring are needed by the
Lakers.  The Lakers have a quality backup in George Lynch.  His defense is
very good, unlike Ceballos, who plays a matador type of defense.  His
offense is not quite there.  He needs to get a bit more aggressive on the
offensive end of the court.  He also needs to work on his outside shot.  He
is a good rebounder.  The Lakers can also play Eddie Jones at SF; however,
his is more suited for the SG position (see below).  OUTLOOK:  set.

SHOOTING GUARD:  This position is set with the likes of Anthony Peeler and
Eddie Jones.  Jones was a rookie last year, but he stepped into the
starting role with ease.  Anthony Peeler, who would be a starter on many
other teams, had to be a backup.  Jones is amazing on the defensive end of
the court, and his offense was starting to blossom when his shoulder injury
sidelined him.  When he returned he could never get back into the flow, so
Peeler became the starter for most of the playoffs.  Still, who was in at
the end of the game?  Eddie!  This guy can sky, dunk with authority, cover
you like a glove, and the accolades could go on, but his biggest asset is
that he wants to win and does not care too much about PT and limelight.  He
will be the starter for many years to come, and most think he will be an
All-Star in a few years.  Anthony Peeler has had a troubled NBA career.
Before being drafted he was seen to be trouble, but the Lakers took their
chances with him.  He has been good when he has played, but that has been
the biggest problem:  when he has played.  Peeler has been plagued by
injuries.  He starts to shine and then he is sidelined for a few weeks with
a fracture, a sprain, etc...  If he stays a Laker, he will likely do it as
the third guard.  There has been much talk that he may be traded.  Both of
these guys can he the three with regularity.  OUTLOOK:  Set.

POINT GUARD:  Nick Van Exel is the man for the Lakers.  Most Laker fans
have known this for the whole year, and in the playoffs he showed it to the
rest of the world.  Houston may be Clutch City, but Nick is the Clutch Kid.
He has a million nicknames:  Nick the Quick, Nick the Brick, Nick at Nite,
Nick Van Smack, etc...  Maybe these nicknames get across his mentality and
type of play.  He is described by many as brash, arrogant, and cocky;
however, while these descriptions are correct in a sense, he is able to
back them up.  Nick has won many games this past year with treys launched
>from different states.  You cannot forget how he defeated the Celtics with
a 3 from 30 some feet with guys all over him and just a second on the
clock.  But this escapade was topped by his performance in the San Antonio
series.  In the 'game', he had not hit a 3 for the whole game, something
like 0 for 5.  None of shots were drawing much net, but somehow he pulls
off two amazing shots to win the game.  The first three from way outside
with about 15 seconds left on the clock ties the game to send it into
overtime.  Then in overtime, he hits a dipsy-doodle three to win the game.
If you could not tell, I am very high on Nick (I am in three fantasy
leagues, and he is on all 3 teams, 2 from his rookie season).  He has
developed into a very capable PG.  He will be the starter and leader of the
Lakers for years to come.  He was in the top 10 in assists this year and
improvement in that area is expected.  He needs to work a bit on his shot
selection, but he tends to hit the shots when they are needed.  He is the
Clutch Kid.  As a backup there is Sedale Threatt.  Threatt is a great
backup, and a lot of teams would love to have him except for his price tag
and age.  It is expected that the Lakers will leave him unprotected in the
Expansion Draft.  Maybe Vancouver and Toronto will take him due to the
experience and leadership he can provide to a young ball club; however,
most feel that he will not be taken.  He was injured in the playoffs,
strained abdominal muscles, and Chick Hearn was heard to say that it may
end his career.  If Threatt can come back from the injury and is not taken
in the Expansion Draft, then the Lakers are set at PG.  Tony Smith is
another backup, but he is in reality a SG with not much offensive game but
decent defense.  Smith has not shown much ability to handle the backup PG
duties.  The Lakers should look to acquire a backup in the case that
Threatt is incapable to stay.  Van Exel cannot be counted on to play 48+
minutes per game (+ because of playing overtimes!).  OUTLOOK:  a backup
would be nice.

COACHING and MANAGEMENT:  With the like of Del Harris and Michael Cooper as
coaches I am not complaining.  We are set here.  I also have no complaints
with the management:  Jerry West, Mitch Kupchak, and Magic Johnson.  The
ownership is also stable in Jerry Buss and Magic Johnson.  OUTLOOK:  the
best club in the league.


MY SELECTION:

There is not much available when it comes to the 31st pick; however, I
still see a number of quality players available.  With the Lakers pick at
number 31 I choose John Amaechi of Penn State.  This might be a reach for a
pick, but it fills a hole that is starting to grow within the roster of the
Lakers:  power forward and center.  With Bowie leaving, Harvey maybe
getting selected in the Expansion Draft (or Miller if he is not protected),
the lack of rebounding by the Lakers this past year, and the desire to
replace Campbell made this the most logical pick in my opinion.  He bring
decent defense, especially when it comes to team play.  He is a big body
(6'10" at 270 pounds).  He has developed a sense for the game with hard
work, and there is the possibility that he can dramatically improve.  He
may not be the fastest guy in the world, but where in lacks in athletic
ability, he can make up for it with brains (e.g., look at Larry Bird).  He
will also be a stabilising influence to the Lakers.  He will not come in
with some attitude that rocks the boat.  I expect he will be a team player
that can handle the backup PF/C position behind Campbell and Divac easily.

OTHERS CONSIDERED:

Kurt Thomas was my second choice; however, I wanted someone that could step
in right away like Amaechi.  There are sill a few unknowns about Thomas,
and the biggest would be his maturity at handling a backup position after
being the 'man' at TCU (and winning the scoring and rebounding titles last
year in NCAA Division I play).  I may regret it, but I think the large body
that Amaechi can bring is more needed than the high-flying of Thomas.  I
guess I just see shades of Bo Kimble.  I also considered Tyus Edney of
UCLA; however, I think Amaechi was a better player in the sense of what he
could add to the Lakers and the possibility in the future.  If Threatt is
no longer available for the Lakers, I would rather obtain an NBA veteran to
backup Nick.  I also considered Lawrence Moten out of Syracuse, but that
position is just way too strong on the Lakers.  Additionally, he has
suspect defense, and it is well known that defense wins games.  He would
just never see the light of day with Ceballos, Lynch, Jones, and Peeler who
have fine offensive games plus exceptional defense in Jones and Lynch.  I
wanted a player who could play decent defense and not get frustrated by his
lack of PT and lack of offensive plays set for him.  The last possibility
was John Wallace out of Syracuse.  He is listed at 6'7", but from my TV
viewing, he appears bigger than that.  He looked a good 2 inches taller
than Corliss Williamson in the NCAAs this past year.  I think Wallace
should have stayed another year in the college ranks to refine his game now
that Moten is gone.  If I could confirm that he was taller than the
Syracuse listing, I would take him in a heartbeat (we do not need another
George Lynch).  A 6'9" Wallace will be a starting PF in the NBA.  I see him
slipping in the draft so he may likely return to Syracuse for hi final
year.  He grew up in Rochester, NY; therefore, lies another factor in me
considering him.


WHO THEY WILL PROBABLY TAKE:

No one barring a trade!


OTHER MOVES:

There are so many rumours about the Lakers, but in fact I expect that you
will not see much of a change in their roster.  They are actively seeking
Anthony Mason (F, NYK), but they will likely not go too far in the bidding
war that is likely to happen (CHI, NYK, etc...).  If Threatt is gone,
expect the Lakers to pursue a PG free agent like Brian Shaw (G, ORL) or
Haywoode Workman (G, IND).  Unfortunately, there may be many teams after
the services of these two.  There is also Otis Thorpe of Portland.  If for
some reason Portland is able to pick up someone like Gary Trent (F, Ohio
University) in the draft like they did in the UseNet Draft, I see Jerry
West pursuing Thorpe.  I do not expect Trent to make it that far in the
real draft - can you say top 10 to 12.  I can!  Still, the Lakers will
likely pursue Thorpe barring any other developments.  Other trade
possibilities include Derrick Coleman (F, NJN).  The trade would probably
be along the lines of Peeler and Campbell for Coleman.  I for one would
like this trade, but there are a lot of detractors of DC.  I think his game
would improve dramatically if he gets away from NJ and the Seacuacus 7.
There have also been rumours about Christian Laettner (F, MIN).  It would
also likely involve something with Campbell and Peeler; however, this trade
is less likely since the Wolves need a PG.  The Lakers will not be able to
offer that.  There have also been rumours involving Divac and the Bucks,
but I do not expect to see this happening.  The Lakers would be trading
away a very good center who would have to be replaced by Campbell or
whomever is obtained in the trade (Baker?....).  There are just too many
unknowns for this trade to be considered.  Finally, there is the hint of
Magic Johnson returning.  He would return to be the starting PF in this
scenario.  The lineup would then be:  C - Divac, PF - Johnson, SF -
Ceballos, SG - Jones, PG - Van Exel.  The Lakers would also answer their
backup PG concerns with the return of Magic.  If it does happen, do not
expect an announcement till after the Expansion Draft.  Finally, it has
been hinted that Magic wants to play in NY for Riley.  It could happen
since Riley knows Magic would likely give him another Final's appearance.
However, the concept of Magic playing for anyone besides the Lakers leaves
a very sour taste in my mouth.  Excuse me, I have to go and brush my teeth.
============================================================================