NBA Draft rumors are in full force with less than a week to go until the picks finally come in. As is usually the case, the Los Angeles Lakers remain at the forefront of many of them.
One of the more recent rumors has been the Lakers potentially trading down from the no. 2 spot. A deal with the Suns has reportedly been discussed internally while the Kings own two picks in the top-10 and could look to move up as well.
If the Lakers were to move down it is anyone’s guess as to who the pick would be, but one favorite should they land a second pick in the top-10 would be Luke Kennard according to Chad Ford of ESPN:
And a Lakers source said he’d be a favorite if the team ends up with a second pick in the top 10.
Kennard has already worked out for the Lakers and it’s not hard to see why they would be interested in him. Kennard is one of the best shooters in the draft, hitting 43.8 percent from three-point range last season. But he is also a high IQ player who makes the right plays and would be a great fit for Luke Walton’s system.
Of course the likelihood of Kennard landing in Los Angeles is still pretty low. It would likely take a deal with the Kings to put them in position as it is believed that the Lakers don’t want to move out of the top-5 and the Kings are the only team that could keep them there while also giving another top-10 pick.
Even if that were to happen, there is no guarantee that Kennard would last to the 10th pick as he is rising up draft boards rapidly right now.
Regardless, Kennard is a player that would be an excellent addition to the Lakers, but it is highly unlikely we see him in purple and gold.