FanPost

These People Live Among you: Vol 2

Yes, they're back. Like the undead they will keep coming for you and they will not stop. ever. No one will hear your screams.

Bill Plaschke's rhetorical question — "They can't blow it now. Can they?" regarding the Lakers ending up with the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft — begs to be answered.

And the answer is that as long as Jimmy Buss is making the pick, Lakers fans have every reason to believe he will serve up another on-court debacle with his less-than-Magic touch.

Dwight Howard, Steve Nash, Mike Brown, Mike D'Antoni, D'Angelo "Not-So-Smartphone" Russell, and a host of D-League players all star in the Jimmy Buss Under-Achievers Parade of the last three seasons. Do I hear four?

Gino Cirignano

Playa del Rey

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The Lakers celebrating the second pick in the NBA draft lottery is like the guy who celebrates after simply purchasing a Powerball ticket: You must wait for the numbers to come in before anyone wins anything.

Jeff Nuzzi

Pasadena

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Now that all Lakers fans can exhale because they kept their precious pick, please take a step back from the nonsense that this will turn the team from its current state. There is no Lew Alcindor, Shaquille O'Neal or Tim Duncan waiting. The two top picks are so flawed, it would be in the best interest of the teams to trade them away. Unless they strike gold in free agency or via trades, the Lakers will certainly be back holding their breath next season for ping-pong balls to fall their way. Just remember this: The Timberwolves have the last two rookies of the year and they still were in the lottery — and the Lakers currently have nowhere near that talent.

Geno Apicella

Placentia

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Dear Mitch and Jim,

Congrats on getting the No. 2 pick. Now, please go on vacation for five weeks until the draft. Do not overthink this. Whether it is Ingram or Simmons, take whichever player falls to you. Do not try to outsmart the world like last year. Sometimes the obvious choice is the correct choice.

Joe Nadeau

Santa Clarita