The Lakers' desire to become more of the stout defensive team that Mike Brown is used to coaching could be seen in their two second-round draft picks Thursday night.
The Lakers bought the 55th overall pick from Dallas to take guard Darius Johnson-Odom. He is only 6-foot-2, the major drawback, but he's 215 pounds and strong enough to compete right away at the NBA level.
He averaged 18.3 points and just 2.7 assists for Marquette as a senior -- similar to his numbers as a junior (15.8 points, 2.4 assists) -- and he has a very good left-handed outside shot. Marquette went 24-5 last season. As a sophomore, he was already the team's Defensive Player of the Year.
But if Johnson-Odom can't play point guard, it will be tricky for the Lakers to figure out how to get him on the court to guard people. The Lakers in the second round last year took offensive-minded Andrew Goudelock, a 6-3 shooting guard who plays a little point guard, last season -- in addition to a true point guard in Darius Morris.
In a new business world where the Lakers don't have the salary-cap exceptions to throw at free agents or the money overall to spend as they once did, they are looking for more ways to add talent.They think they did that by buying the pick to get Johnson-Odom. He could be likened to ex-Laker Derek Fisher in his strong physique, left-handed shot and winning history except Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak described Johnson-Odom as ridiculously athletic.Johnson-Odom said he has been compared to James Harden despite Harden's height advantage. Johnson-Odom also has the middle name Earvin, which he said his mom gave him because of Lakers legend Earvin Magic Johnson.I wouldn't tell my dad this, but I think she kinda liked him, Johnson-Odom said.Kupchak said the Lakers viewed Johnson-Odom as someone who should go in the top 30 or 40 of the draft -- about the range where a team would expect a draftee is more likely than not to make the roster. Johnson-Odom conceded he lacks polished point-guard skills and traditional shooting-guard height, but he said: I always find a way to win.Johnson-Odom could carve a niche for himself with the Lakers as an energetic defender with spot-up shooting skills. He said he has underrated pick-and-roll skills and hopes to be someone that brings energy off the bench.
With the 60th and final pick in the draft, the Lakers took Robert Sacre, a center from Gonzaga. He is 7-foot and 260 pounds and could make a defensive contribution also.
Sacre was the 2012 West Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Year after averaging 1.4 blocks, 6.3 rebounds and 11.6 points -- with enough shooting touch to make 82.3 percent of his free throws. As a junior, his averages were 1.9 blocks, 6.3 rebounds and 12.5 points.
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Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48012832/ns/local_news-orange_county_ca/
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