The Los Angeles Lakers own the No. 2 pick in next week’s NBA Draft, and that should allow them to add a fantastic young player given the depth and elite-level talent in this year’s class.
But there’s no guarantee they’ll actually keep the selection. Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times reported Thursday that the Lakers have listened to offers and given offers on the No. 2 pick.
“In the month since, however, the Lakers have been taking and making calls about trading the pick, said a source who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject,” Ganguli wrote. “They’ve had scenarios presented to them, and offered their own.”
The Lakers need to add a few marquee stars to compete for a championship, and trading this pick could help them put together a package to acquire that type of player.
But there are a couple of players the Lakers could take with this No. 2 selection who could develop into franchise cornerstone guys. UCLA guard Lonzo Ball, Kansas forward Josh Jackson and Duke forward Jayson Tatum are the best options. The Boston Celtics are expected to take Washington guard Markelle Fultz with the No. 1 pick.
Using this pick probably is a better idea for Los Angeles than trading it. Why rush your rebuild when the Golden State Warriors look poised to dominate the league for the foreseeable future?
Thumbnail photo via Justin Ford/USA TODAY Sports Images
