Offensively-skilled big men are a commodity in basketball. It’s the reason why Moritz Wagner heard his name called in the first round of the NBA draft on Thursday night, and it’s the reason why he’s a fit with the Los Angeles Lakers, who took him with the No. 25 pick. But Wagner would’ve been a fit with most other teams, too. That’s just the nature of today’s game. For the most part, the NBA has eschewed the play style that once saw teams give big men 20-30 post touches a game. Nowadays, teams regularly spread all five players across the court, in search of open shots from beyond the arc. More and more, teams have understood that three is more than two. More:Warde Manuel: John Beilein didn't use Pistons as contract leverage In that sense, Wagner should be a great fit with the Lakers, or any other team, should he find himself in a new home like former Sixers draft pick Mikal Bridges did. At Michigan, Wagner was a threat from all areas of the court. He was crafty enough to give opposing centers trouble down low, and he could handle the ball well enough to take them off the dribble. Those skills will be somewhat neutralized in the NBA, where the level of talent is much higher. Big men are quicker and more physical, and defenses are stingier. But Wagner’s most valuable asset — his shooting — will carry over. As a sophomore, Wagner was a secondary option on a Michigan team that featured point guard Derrick Walton Jr. and wing Zak Irvin. On many possessions, the offense ran through Walton and Irvin. Wagner was a lethal threat running the pick-and-pop with Walton, forcing defenses to choose whether they wanted to fight through screens or switch defenders. That year, he shot 39.5 percent from the 3-point line on three attempts per game. As a junior, Wagner was Michigan’s offensive workhorse. He led the team in scoring yet suffered no drop in his efficiency, shooting 39.4 percent on 4.1 three-point attempts per game. The proof is there: Wagner can stroke it like a guard. It’s what made him so valuable to coach John Beilein, and it’s what will make him valuable to the Lakers. It’s easy to envision Wagner running the pick-and-pop with former No. 2 overall pick Lonzo Ball, whose court vision and passing ability should result in plenty of 3-point attempts for Wagner. Last year, Lakers center Brook Lopez, a pending free agent, attempted 4.4 threes per game. There’s a blueprint for Wagner to follow there. Where Wagner will need to improve — as do most rookies — is on defense. He’ll have to get bigger and stronger in order to battle down low with centers like Karl Anthony-Towns. He’ll also have to find a way to stay on the court against smaller, quicker lineups — such as the Golden State Warriors’ ‘Lineup of Death,’ which features 6-foot-7 Draymond Green at center. No rookie is flawless, and the Lakers certainly aren’t expecting Wagner to be perfect. But they may expect him to continue shooting like he did at Michigan. Duncan Robinson heading to Summer League According to a report from Chris Haynes of ESPN, former Michigan wing Duncan Robinson has agreed to play for the Miami Heat’s Summer League team in Las Vegas. Robinson played three seasons for the Wolverines between 2015-2018. After transferring from Division III Williams College, Robinson quickly earned a reputation as one of the Big Ten’s best shooters. The 6-foot-8 forward shot 45 percent on 5.9 three-point attempts per game during the 2015-16 season, 42.4 percent on four attempts per game in 2016-17 and 38.4 percent on five attempts per game last season. Although far from most projected draft boards, Robinson saw interest during the pre-draft process. He worked out for the Philadelphia 76ers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Golden State Warriors. The Summer League begins play July 2. Download our Wolverines Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!<doc-sep>With their first-round selection, the Lakers chose one of the premier shooting bigs in the 2018 NBA Draft, taking Moritz Wagner with pick No. 25. It was a conclusion of a two-decade journey for a player who idolized the likes of Dirk Nowitzki and Kevin Garnett from his native Germany. ”Growing up I was a huge NBA fan,” Wagner said. “I remember waking up at 3 a.m. to watch games, and Dirk had a big impact on that.” The big man takes center stage: That hat looks good on you, @moritz_weasley! #LakeShow pic.twitter.com/msFfyk0TfT — Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) June 22, 2018 Fresh from leading Michigan to the NCAA championship game, Wagner comes to Los Angeles with a strong offensive reputation. The 6-foot-11 center was arguably the draft’s most dangerous pick-and-pop weapon, sinking 39.4 percent of his attempts from deep. That huge, 241-pound frame also made him a sturdy screener and a freighter when rolling to the rim. These abilities to stretch the floor and dive to the rim led to him averaging a team-high 14.6 points per game, while also pitching in 7.1 rebounds and 1.6 triples. Wagner also showed the ability to punish defenses for lunging at him beyond the arc. The Berlin native displayed plenty of wiggle with his drives, frequently attacking closeouts and getting to the rim, where he was able to finish with either hand. Moe Wagner out here breakin' ankles and breakin' hearts for @umichbball pic.twitter.com/rBOKrJiIMz — FOX Sports (@FOXSports) January 13, 2018 He also projects as a player who can fit in with the Lakers’ league-leading pace. During his collegiate career, the 21-year-old was able to run the floor in transition and finish at the rim or trail the break and spot up for 3-pointers. “They’re obviously a flashy franchise,” said Wagner, who worked out for the Lakers twice before the draft. “They like to play fast. … They focus a lot on playing fast, so that’s something I’m very excited to prove (I can do).” Wagner’s last act for the Wolverines was a dominant one, as he was named to the 2018 NCAA All-Tournament Team. This included a 24-point, 15-rebound domination of Loyola in the Final Four, as well as a 16-point finale against Villanova in the championship game.<doc-sep>When Moritz Wagner made the move from Germany to Michigan, he made sure to bring his cherished poster of countryman Dirk Nowitzki. Now Wagner will be packing it up and taking it with him to Los Angeles after being selected with the No. 25 overall pick by the Lakers in Thursday’s NBA Draft at the Barclays Center. "It's a lot of hard work, a lot people that help you out to get to this point," Wagner said on the ESPN broadcast after being drafted. "I'm so incredibly grateful to be here. I'm speechless, truly speechless." Wagner, who was projected to be a fringe first-round pick, became the ninth Wolverine to be selected in the NBA Draft since 2011 under coach John Beilein, joining Darius Morris (2011), Trey Burke (2013), Tim Hardaway Jr. (2013), Nik Stauskas (2014), Mitch McGary (2014), Glenn Robinson III (2014), Caris LeVert (2016) and D.J. Wilson (2017). He also became the seventh first-round pick since 2013 under Beilein and 27th in program history. More:UM's Wagner looks to turn risk into reward at NBA Draft More:John Beilein contract extension with Michigan nearing the finish line "Coach Beilein helped me out so much. The whole staff, they're all here. They support me so much," said Wagner, who had a block 'M' and a logo of Alba Berlin, his former team in Germany, lining the inside of his suit jacket. "I'm so grateful to have all these great people around me. Without them, I couldn't do this. It means so much to me." Wagner, a 6-foot-11 big man, starred during his junior season and left his mark by leading the Wolverines to one of their most successful seasons in program history, highlighted by a single-season program record 33 wins, the Big Ten tournament title and Michigan’s seventh national championship game appearance. He started 39 games, scored in double figures 31 times, recorded eight double-doubles, and averaged team-highs in scoring (14.6 points), rebounding (7.1) and 3-point shooting (39.4 percent). His 278 total rebounds were the most by a Wolverine in 20 seasons and his 63 made 3-pointers were the most by any player 6-10 or taller in the nation. Wagner also elevated his game throughout Michigan’s postseason run, where he was named Most Outstanding Player of the Big Ten tournament and was selected to the West Region and Final Four All-Tournament teams in the NCAA Tournament. It put a stamp on his three-year career at Michigan, where he helped the Wolverines to an 82-33 record, three straight NCAA Tournaments and back-to-back conference tournament titles all while serving as an emotional leader who frustrated opposing defenses with his long-range shooting ability. "He's very skilled. He's a big guy that can step away and shoot. He's among the best shooting big men in the draft," ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas said. "I would say Michael Porter Jr. would be No. 1. I would put Omari Spellman of Villanova up there and then I would put Moe Wagner up there, as well." While there’s no doubt Wagner’s offensive skill set and pick-and-pop prowess will translate to the NBA, there are questions about his defense in an age where today’s big men are able to protect the rim, switch in pick-and-roll situations out on the perimeter and defend in space. Regardless, Wagner has the attitude and moxie to fit in on a young, hungry Lakers team that has been assembled by general manager Rob Pelinka, who played for Michigan's 1989 national championship team as well as the 1992 and 1993 national runner-up squads. "He's mobile, crafty, fundamentally sound," Bilas said. "Not a great athlete, but he does a solid job (on the glass). He's not a great rebounder, but he blocks out every time and that sort of goes with the fundamentally sound nature. "He can stretch you a little bit and make an open 3, he can put the ball on the deck and he's a good passer. He's gotten better year after year after year at Michigan." And after waiting over two hours to find out his next destination, Wagner will head West with the hopes of continuing his upward trajectory on his well-traveled journey to the NBA. "I'm just going to give it all, 100 percent every day. That's all that matters," Wagner said. "I love basketball and whatever happens, happens, but I'm going to love it and I'm going to leave it all out there." jhawkins@detroitnews.com twitter.com/jamesbhawkins<doc-sep>As the Lakers try to build their next championship team, general manager Rob Pelinka is learning something about opponents’ willingness to help him accomplish that. “It’s not like teams are saying, ‘Oh, I’m not going to do a deal with the Lakers,’ but I do think when you have 16 banners there’s going to be a natural envy from your competitors because you’re sitting at the top of the food chain,” Pelinka said. “But that’s just life in general. If you have success in any walk of life you’re going to face that.” This will be a pivotal offseason for the Lakers, with or without the help of other teams. On Thursday, they took their first steps into it during the NBA draft. Call it an appetizer for what’s to come. They selected German former Michigan forward Moe Wagner with the 25th pick, a pick acquired in the trade that sent Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. to the Cleveland Cavaliers. They took German Isaac Bonga with the 39th pick, which they will officially acquire after the moratorium ends on free agency next month, and they drafted Svi Mykhailiuk of Kansas with the 47th pick. Advertisement Mykhailiuk, a 6-foot-8 guard from Ukraine, made 44.4% of his three-point shots in his senior year at Kansas and set a school record by making 115. Wagner, who grew up in Germany, made 39.5% of his three-point shots during his sophomore and junior seasons at Michigan. “Growing up I was a huge NBA fan,” Wagner said. “I remember getting up at 3 a.m. watching the games. … I’m just a skinny kid from Germany. The dream is very, very far away from over there.” Bonga, 18, is expected to be a project, but the Lakers are excited about his potential. Pelinka and director of scouting Jesse Buss got a close look at Bonga during a trip to Europe this spring. The Lakers acquired the pick in a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, giving up cash and a 2019 second-round pick. This year also marked the end of the Lakers’ debt for the trade that netted them Steve Nash in 2012. The 76ers took Mikal Bridges with the 10th pick, acquired from the Lakers, and traded him to the Phoenix Suns. Moritz Wagner walks across the stage at the Barclays Center after the Lakers selected him with the 25th pick in the NBA draft on Thursday night. (Mike Stobe / Getty Images ) For the Lakers, this year’s draft felt dramatically different than last year’s, when they took Lonzo Ball with the second pick and called him the face of the franchise. They didn’t want to make a splash in free agency, preferring to sign one-year deals and wait. Advertisement This year, the offseason’s main course is free agency, which opens July 1. “It feels like the last several weeks have just been a constant planning session, moving the chess board around with all the different options,” Pelinka said, “and we won’t rest until we get it right. ... There’s an incredible excitement to get to July 1 and to see what the options are.” They could include several big names. The Lakers had a preliminary conversation with the San Antonio Spurs about their disgruntled star Kawhi Leonard recently, but no true negotiations followed. That the Spurs aren’t interested in trading Leonard to the Lakers has been widely reported. Advertisement Last summer, the Lakers faced similar resistance when Paul George made clear his interest in playing for the Lakers. The Indiana Pacers instead traded him to the Oklahoma City Thunder. “We don’t really see that as a challenge, we just see it as a reality,” Pelinka said of the envy that he believes other teams might feel about the Lakers’ past success. “But we also feel like because of the DNA shift here and because of the energy around our team and our young core and our cap flexibility, that players want to be here.” As Pelinka finished his post-draft news conference, Isaiah Thomas appeared on the Lakers’ practice court and began shooting three-pointers with no teammates on the court. It has been his habit to come to the Lakers practice facility for late-night workouts this offseason. Other players such as Lonzo Ball, Kyle Kuzma and Julius Randle also have frequented the facility, working to build their bodies as team executives have asked. The players’ responsibilities haven’t changed despite all else swirling around the organization. Any of them could wind up with another team through trades or free agency. Advertisement The decision-makers, including Pelinka and president of basketball operations Magic Johnson, have split their focus the last few weeks. With the draft finished, they’ll turn fully to the big names that could dramatically change the franchise, and quickly. “We feel like we can be really, really good right away but also build sustainably,” Pelinka said. “I don’t think that leveraging success of the future is the right thing to do. I think sustainable success is really our goal.” tania.ganguli@latimes.com Follow Tania Ganguli on Twitter @taniaganguli<doc-sep>
By Mark Whicker Los Angeles Daily News El Segundo, Calif. — A quick check of phone records shows no evidence of a call from Cleveland to El Segundo and the following mumble: “Take Moe Wagner.” And there were no texts from any south Texas wine cellars, or from the 512 area code, that might have commanded the Lakers to do the same. With the 25th pick in the first round of the NBA draft, the Lakers did take Wagner. There’s every possibility that he will stay here, that he will become yet another brick in their wall. But as the Lakers finally begin to end their wilderness years, they also enter their Mystery Summer. It’s possible the Lakers will need to trade some of their nest egg to get LeBron James, and Wagner could be a part of that. It’s also possible that San Antonio will go against its instincts and get the maximum return for the alienated Kawhi Leonard, who is reportedly ready to sign with the Lakers in the summer of 2019. More: UM's Robinson to sign Summer League deal with Miami More: John Beilein contract extension with Michigan nearing the finish line Lakers fans are frothing over the possibility that the team will get James, Leonard, Paul George, Bruno Mars and Chadwick Boseman this offseason. They will be traumatized if nothing happens and the Lakers re-tee it up with the Left Behind: Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, Julius Randle, Lonzo Ball, etc. If so, they might warm up to Wagner. He grew up in Berlin and played three years at Michigan. He will make a handsome living wherever he plays. He also is the deferred payback for all the nights the Lakers have been tortured by Dirk Nowitzki. For Wagner, Nowitzki was an inspiration, the kind Nowitzki never had. Wagner is 6-foot-11 and 245 pounds, very much the modern big man, who can prosper behind the 3-point line, drive the lane, and do it all with a joyful verve that captivated Michigan fans. Wagner shot 10-for-16 in December when the Wolverines stormed back to beat UCLA. He shot 9-for-13 at North Carolina. He averaged 20 points and 11 rebounds for a Michigan team that lost the NCAA championship game to Villanova. And as Michigan fans staged a home invasion of Staples Center during the West Regional, Wagner was sensational against Texas A&M, hitting 8-of-12 shots and all three of his 3-point attempts. It is hoped that the joyless NBA does not drain the joy from Wagner. He never suppresses emotion. Occasionally he would irritate Coach John Beilein, who once wished he could learn to tell Wagner in German that “fouling is stupid.” But Wagner did not recede from big shots. From deep space he shot 39.4 percent last season. “There’s no uncertainty for me anymore, nothing to be unsure at night when I fall asleep,” Wagner said as the pre-draft process wound down. “Just enjoy and have a smile on your face and be yourself. I try to have quite a lot of fun.” Victor Moritz Wagner began with a soccer ball, of course. But his parents, Axel and Beate, gradually wearied of standing outside in the rain watching him play. Basketball was played indoors. As Wagner improved, he joined the Alba Berlin club. The coach was Henrik Rodl, who played on the North Carolina team that beat Michigan for the 1993 NCAA championship, a victory abetted by a timeout Chris Webber called but Michigan did not have. Wagner was playing on Alba Berlin’s top team. One of his teammates was Niels Giffey, who had played at Connecticut. By then Wagner had become a fan of the U.S. college game. The time was coming for him to turn pro in Europe. But a middleman had sent Beilein a video of Wagner. Beilein admits he doesn’t check his e-mail hourly or even daily. When he saw this one he immediately flew to Berlin. He said all he wanted was a big German dinner and a big beer, and the Wagners obliged. But it was Wagner’s unfettered personality that convinced Beilein. The coach offered the scholarship before he flew home. If you’re having trouble placing Wagner, scroll back to Michigan’s last-tick win over Houston in the second round of the NCAAs. As Corey Davis bent over from the weight of the agony of defeat, Wagner approached him and patted him on the back, and radiated such sincerity that Davis did not take it as a taunt.