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 When grading the NBA draft, the most important thing is value.
And that is just what the Los Angeles Lakers got when they selected Darius Morris with the 41st overall selection. Morris, a 6'4'' point guard out of Michigan, grew up in Los Angeles and was one of the top guards on the West Coast coming out of high school. At Michigan, Morris was a leader. As a freshman, he played along side two of the Big Ten's premier players in Manny Harris and DeShawn Sims. Last year he was the most creative playmaker in the nation, with almost seven assists per game, leading a Michigan team that overachieved during the season, taking Duke down to the final seconds in Round 2 of the NCAA tournament. As far as his NBA future, Morris landed in the perfect spot. Morris has never been known as a scorer, but alongside Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, putting the ball in the basket is not what he will be asked to do. Also, with aging guards Derek Fisher and Steve Blake raking in major minutes for the Western Conference's second-best team in the regular season, Morris will be able to step in right away and have a chance to contribute significant minutes. His playmaking and fast-paced playing style should fit in with Kobe Bryant's attack style and Shannon Brown's extreme athleticism. And his improvement on defense should continue under new head coach, Mike Brown. Overall, the Los Angeles Lakers got a point guard of the future in the second round. For a franchise that has continued to flourish despite a league of constant change, Darius Morris can and will lead LA into the future. For more 2011 NBA draft coverage, stay tuned to Bleacher Report for B/R's Big Board of Recruits, NBA draft rumors, NBA draft results and NBA draft grades.
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