The Los Angeles Lakers may have the second overall pick in the NBA Draft, but they don’t appear to be certain about what to do with it just yet. After the draft lottery revealed that they had the second pick back in May, the general consensus has been that Lonzo Ball would be their choice, but recent weeks have thrown that into question.
It seems as though, with each new rumor, the case for alternative picks like Josh Jackson and De’Aaron Fox keeps getting stronger. Ball worked out for the Lakers on Wednesday but reportedly did not seal the deal to be the second pick. If they don’t take Ball, Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report has reported that Los Angeles is more interested in Jackson and Markelle Fultz than they are Fox:
The Lakers remain intrigued by Markelle Fultz and Josh Jackson, and to a lesser extent De’Aaron Fox, along with Ball for their No. 2 overall pick.
If this report is correct, the implication would be that the Lakers’ big board would currently have Jackson, Ball, and Fultz in some order as the top three, with Fox falling fourth or lower. That said, there are tons of smoke screens this time of year, so all rumors have to be taken with a grain of salt.
When he worked out on Wednesday, Ball generated an absolutely massive media presence, which is an indication of just how popular and marketable the Southern California kid could be in a Lakers uniform.
Los Angeles decision-makers flew up to Sacramento to watch Jackson workout on Thursday in a very different setting with little media presence.
Fultz, meanwhile, is largely thought to be the first overall pick selected by the Boston Celtics, but with new rumors emerging that he may work out for the Sacramento Kings, who have the fifth pick, one has to wonder if a trade is in the works. Should he fall to the second pick, one would have to imagine that the Lakers would be very interested.
The NBA Draft is on June 22nd, and that’s where we will finally get certainty over just who will end up getting their name called when the Lakers pick is in.