The Los Angeles Lakers are in an extremely fortunate position as things stand right now. The team will pick second in the upcoming NBA Draft and are in great position to land another outstanding young talent to add to their existing core. In all likelihood that player would be Duke’s Brandon Ingram as it is becoming increasingly likely that Ben Simmons will be the first choice by the Philadelphia 76ers.
Of course, with Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson, D’Angelo Russell, and Larry Nance Jr. already in the fold, some have wondered whether the Lakers wouldn’t be better off adding more veteran talent and there are very few trade pieces more valuable than the second overall draft pick.
As it stands right now, however, all signs point to the Lakers holding on to their pick unless a major deal arises according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News:
No, none of the five are Philadelphia or the Lakers. The consensus around the league is that the teams with slots 1-2 will hold onto their picks. If a blockbuster develops for L.A., that could change, but nothing is imminent on that front.
This thought process is something of a no-brainer as the second overall pick is extremely valuable, especially in a draft like this. Unless the Lakers are getting someone on the level of a Paul George or DeMarcus Cousins they would be far better off to simply take whoever is left between Ingram and Simmons and go from there.
Lucky for the Lakers, both Ingram and Simmons have the potential to be stars in this league and adding either of them to the roster would be excellent. Things can change in an instant in the NBA, but it looks as if the Lakers won’t be making a major trade before the draft.
