The Los Angeles Lakers 2016-17 season was a bit of a disappointment, as after a solid 10-10 start, the team went 11-45 in their next 56 games before winning five of their last six to close out the season.
While the 26 wins was an improvement the franchise worst 17 wins in 2015-16, the team’s young core still has a ways to go before returning to the championship caliber franchise that the Lakers are used to being.
Bringing in two more young players will help do that, as the Lakers were awarded the No. 2 overall pick at Tuesday night’s draft lottery in addition to the 28th pick that they received from the Houston Rockets.
Receiving that pick may have sparked some fire in the team’s young players, as seven of them participated in optional team workouts Wednesday morning, via Mike Bresnahan of Spectrum SportsNet:
Lakers taking part in optional workouts today: Ingram, Zubac, Randle, Clarkson, Nance Jr., Nwaba and Ennis.
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) May 17, 2017
Brandon Ingram, Ivica Zubac and David Nwaba have all said they intend to play for the Lakers Summer League team in Las Vegas this July, so it comes as no surprise that they are working out to stay in shape for that.
Tyler Ennis, who is no longer under contract with the Lakers, has expressed desire to remain with the organization that gave him playing time that no other team did. His future with the organization may have been clouded by the Lakers landing the No. 2 pick, as the top two prospects in the upcoming draft, Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball, both play the same point guard position that Ennis plays.
Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr., who are now considered veterans on this young team, still have plenty of room for growth so it is nice to see them working out with their teammates.