Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Lakers Considering Trading Away #2 Draft Pick To Suns Or Kings
The 2017 NBA Draft takes place in Brooklyn, NY next Thursday. The Los Angeles Lakers own the number two pick, and up until a couple weeks ago, it was almost a certainty for them to pick hometown hero Lonzo Ball.
But a lot has changed since then. First and foremost, every team possibly drafting Lonzo is concerned about his father LaVar, who hurt the draft value of his son. Secondly, Ball was not in the best shape when he worked out for the Lakers and didn’t entirely convince the Lakers to pick him. He will get a second workout though, in the next couple of days. Thirdly, rumors have started to build up, that the Lakers now seem more interested in picking Josh Jackson as their number two pick, and fourthly, according to ESPN’s Chad Ford, the Lakers might even trade their number two pick:
“The Lakers held internal discussions about trading back two spots to No. 4 if the Suns were to offer them a 2018 first-round pick. … The Lakers believe that Ball or Jackson might be available at the No. 4 spot. If not, the Lakers are still very high on De’Aaron Fox and Jayson Tatum, and believe that securing an additional prospect might be worth dropping two spots in the draft. The Kings are another potential trade partner for the Lakers. They hold the rights to the fifth and 10th picks and have discussed moving up in this year’s draft.”
According to some reports, Sacramento is sold on Fox and really want him to be their pick, possibly even be willing to move up to get him for sure. If the Lakers trade their 2nd pick, for Sacramento’s 5th and 10th, they may be able to pick up two future star players in this deep draft, and the possibility to even draft Ball with their 5th pick. It wouldn’t be too surprising for the first three or four teams to pass on him.
The Suns’ 4th, and their 2018 first round pick could be even better for the Lakers. Ball would likely be available, and the Suns are likely to finish in the lottery again, next year. That’s why I highly doubt that the Suns would agree to such deal, the Kings’s front office however, is as unpredictable as ever.
