Mid-Range: Lamar Odom with better defense
Odom, who was coincidently also picked No. 4 overall in the 1999 NBA Draft, had one of the more underrated NBA careers in recent history. Before his noisy exit from the league, Odom was a show-stopper for some substandard Clippers teams before finding new life as a tertiary scorer on Kobe Bryant’s mid to late 2000s Lakers.
Odom’s career averages of 13.3 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game are even more impressive when you consider that he had Kobe and Pau Gasol taking shots away from him for large chunks of his career. Odom’s blend of shooting, athleticism, rebounding, and interior finishing made him ideal for those Laker teams.
LO got fancy with the spin move + no-look assist. #LakeShow @RealLamarOdom x @paugasol pic.twitter.com/uSk08FqJym
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) May 21, 2020
Scottie Barnes could emulate Lamar Odom with the Toronto Raptors.
The Lakers were reliant on Odom’s ability to pull opposing bigs out of the paint and make a play by either getting to the rim or making a key pass. Barnes could easily fill that role on a championship team, and he could do so while providing even more defensive skills than Odom did.
Considering how raw Barnes is at the moment, if the Raptors can turn him into a player like Odom, a third scoring option on a title team or second option on a playoff team, Scottie would be a tremendous selection.