NBA Draft 2018: Which players are heading to the toughest situations?
By Brian Rauf
PF Moritz Wagner, Los Angeles Lakers – Round 1, Pick 25
Wagner is a skilled offensive player who can stretch defenses with his excellent shooting ability, and his scoring helped spur Michigan to the national championship game. That positive in his game – his shooting – fits into the Lakers’ small-ball system and will help a team that ranked 29th in 3-point shooting last season. However, the negatives in his game make him a bad fit.
Los Angeles wants to get up-and-down the court quickly because they play small-ball and Wagner lacks quickness. That inability really shows itself on the defensive end and, given the way all players in today’s NBA have to be able to defend on the perimeter, Wagner may have a hard time finding consistent minutes.
Wagner can also play a bit soft at times which is reflected in his rebounding – he had 11 games with five or fewer rebounds last season. The 6-11, 231-pounder will find a place in the NBA because of his shooting ability but it’s everything else that could make the Lakers a bad fit for him.
Next: Which prospects are heading to the best situations?
Despite these seemingly difficult situations, though, these are all players that have the potential to be successful. If things go according to plan for them and their respective teams, then they can disregard the potential “bad fit.”