Is the Lakers lucky or unlucky this season? The result of missing the playoffs was disappointing, so that the team was portrayed as a chaotic and rotten team, but the Nets were swept out in the first round of the playoffs, saving the Lakers from the depths of the water. However, the pelicans general manager David Griffin's recent interview still made the Lakers be fiercely pricked.
Why is pelican general manager talking about the Lakers? It has to do with a draft pick.
Griffin said in an interview about the Lakers' 2022 draft pick for the lottery, and he excitedly said, "If anyone says that we know that the Lakers' draft pick is a lotto draw, it must be lying — we were looking at the draft picks for future years." We were so lucky. As is often the case in our work, luck is always a good thing. ”
David Griffin's 2022 Lakers draft pick came from an Anthony Davis' big deal.
In the summer of 2019, Pelinka completed the unfinished business of "Magic" Johnson, taking Anthony Davis from the Pelicans through a trade. The deal cost the Lakers a few young players — the "Four Youngsters" left only Kyle Kuzma because he drew a high pick in the draw, in addition to a number of other role players.
There were also multiple draft picks and first-round pick swaps, including the 2022 first-round pick, though the draft pick was later given to the Grizzlies in a trade. Judging from the situation at the time of the transaction, the Lakers' draft pick will not be very high in the order - who would have thought that the "Zhan Mei combination" could not bring the team into the playoffs?
The Lakers unexpectedly missed the playoffs, and the 2022 draft pick unexpectedly has a relatively high value, because this draft pick will become a lotto signing. Of course, the ownership of this draft pick would be a little more complicated, and the Pelicans gave the draft pick to the Grizzlies for protection when trading — the first round of 1 to 10 belongs to the Grizzlies, and the 11th to 30th pick belongs to the Pelicans.
Since David Griffin took charge of the Pelicans, he has brought the team into the playoffs, and the first round of the series with the Suns was very tragic, and unfortunately failed to beat the Suns and was eliminated. Speaking about the team's condition, Griffin said: "We certainly didn't expect this draft pick to be a lotto signing. We're a playoff team, and it's rare to get a lotto pick. We must have been lucky this time. ”
For the Lakers, this is really a result they do not want to see, and what is worse is that the draft picks that the Lakers can trade are in 2027. The reason for this is because the Davis deal has hollowed out the team's future, and in addition to the 2022 draft pick, the Pelicans can also choose one of the first-round picks in 2024 and 2025.
Oh, and the swap rights for the first round of signing in 2023.
This season the Lakers have a dismal end, the offseason is bound to change the decline through operation, if the next season can not change the current situation, the Lakers will be in an embarrassing situation. At that time, the happiest is the Pelicans, and David Griffin will probably tell reporters, "Make a lot of money, the Lakers are really alive!" ”
(Text/Yan Wujun)