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While Darius Garland was the first big name to leave the NBA Draft Combine with a promise to be taken in the early lottery, he was far from the last. Another top prospect, Coby White, left the combine shortly after with a similar promise to be taken by a team picking in the four to seven range. While initially Garland’s promise was thought to be from either the Los Angeles Lakers or Suns, could it be possible the Lakers wound up not promising Garland, but instead, Coby White?
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Lakers NBA Draft: Did LA Promise Coby White Over Darius Garland at No. 4?
While Darius Garland’s three-point shooting and playmaking abilities make him an appealing lottery prospect, the Lakers don’t need a point guard in the same way that they need a shooting guard. White has shown the ability to play on-ball when need be but looks to be an ideal off-ball scorer to play alongside LeBron James and Lonzo Ball.
While most NBA mock draft boards have White going off the board just a shave after Garland, the quality of prospect falls off hard after the top three players and it isn’t out the realm of possibility for the Lakers to reach a bit beyond where most analysts feel comfortable.
Beyond stepping in and filling an immediate void, Garland is coming off an injury that forced him to miss almost an entire season. He should take a bit of time to adjust to the speed and skill of the NBA whereas White is coming off one of the best freshman scoring seasons in ACC history. Garland’s sample size is extremely small while White offers a bit more peace of mind as most NBA front offices have a good idea of what they’re getting out of the kid based on his sample size.
Coby White Los Angeles Lakers Fit
While not as natural of a three-point shooter compared to Darius Garland, White is a bit more accomplished at finishing at the rim and from mid-range. With excellent size and athleticism, White should thrive in an off-ball role at the NBA level. Forced to take on more playmaking responsibility than previously accustomed to, White still put up excellent numbers in his freshman campaign.
Going with White over Garland would be a bit more of a natural fit in terms of the lineup as both Garland and Lonzo Ball traditionally play point guard. Grabbing White allows them to keep everyone in their natural positions while allowing White to go back to his primary role of an electric, multi-level off-ball scorer.
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