2017 NBA Draft: Five best fits for Gonzaga big man Zach Collins
By Doug Winkey
1. Los Angeles Lakers
Like Atlanta, LA just made a trade to change their front court composition. Gone is Timofey Mozgov and in comes Brook Lopez from Brooklyn. The Lakers won’t pick Collins at #2, but the team could move either the 27th or 28th pick to try and get back in the top 15.
Collins would have a tough road to playing time assuming Lopez sticks and the 32nd pick from last year, Ivica Zubac, continues to develop. However, Collins could potentially beat out Zubac for a backup role and play next to young power forwards Julius Randle and Larry Nance Jr. The Lakers are one of the more intriguing teams in the league trying to reclaim prominence, so getting a potentially dominant center like Zach Collins is a distinct possibility.
Lonzo Ball looks to be the pick at #2, but who is to say that getting back into the lottery for another potential-driven prospect wouldn’t be a good idea? Sure, the Lakers are looking to make a run at superstars like Paul George, but if they go this route, their team in the future could increase more than just adding a star for the next couple of years while the other youngsters develop.
Next: Los Angeles Laker cannot miss on Lonzo Ball
On the whole, any team that selects Zach Collins will likely walk away happy. His ability to be a versatile two-way center gives him the potential to become one of the best centers in the NBA a few years down the road. With the Draft coming up, we will soon find out just which team ends up with Collins as their big man of the future.