The Los Angeles Lakers and point guard Lonzo Ball seemed to be a match made in heaven after the team landed the No. 2 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, as Los Angeles could use a pass-first point guard to run Luke Walton’s system.
Ball has expressed his interest in playing for his hometown Lakers, as he reportedly refused to workout for the Boston Celtics, who own the top overall pick.
Ball’s father, LaVar, originally said that he would only work out for the Lakers, although it appears it could work out for the Philadelphia 76ers, who own the third pick, as well.
The long awaited workout with the Lakers was recently set, as it was announced that Ball would workout at the Lakers facility on June 7.
While some thought that Ball would workout with some of the other top point guard prospects in the draft, potentially De’Aaron Fox, that is no longer going to be the case as Ball will be working out solo for the Lakers.
According to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, Ball will have a lot riding on that workout with the Lakers:
With reports surfacing that the LA Lakers and former UCLA guard Lonzo Ball have finalized the details of a workout and face to face meeting in LA next week, there is a growing sense that unless Lonzo absolutely blows the doors off, he may not be the Lakers’ guy.
If Ball does not end up with the Lakers then the likely prospects that could are Fox, who scored 39 points for Kentucky against Ball and UCLA in the NCAA Tournament, or Kansas product Josh Jackson, who many view as the best two-way player in the draft.
Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson has spoken very highly of Ball though, so he is still considered the favorite to end up in Los Angeles.
