With the NBA Draft less than a month away, rumors are continuing to ramp up surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers and what they will do with the second overall pick. The overwhelming favorite was that the team would take UCLA guard Lonzo Ball, but that sentiment may be changing.
There have been some rumblings that many in the Lakers organization have their eyes on other prospects such as Kansas’ Josh Jackson and Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox and now Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report is reporting that the Lakers would pass on Ball if the draft were today:
Per source, the #Lakers would pass on Lonzo Ball if #nbadraft was today. Team isn't convinced he's a star and remains concerned about LaVar.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) June 3, 2017
Schultz would go even further, saying that it isn’t close right now between Ball and the other prospects:
Per source, re Lonzo Ball: "It's not even close right now. Ball won't be a Laker unless they really start 2 buy into him as a star." #lakers
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) June 3, 2017
At this time of year, rumors should always be taken with a grain of salt. Teams are known to float different things out into the public in order to potentially garner trade interest or get other teams off the scent of the player they are truly interested in.
Of particular note in this report is that the Lakers are concerned about Lonzo’s father LaVar. People within the Lakers organization have publicly said that LaVar isn’t a concern and head coach Luke Walton even compared LaVar to his own father, Bill.
Ball will have his chance to show the Lakers brass that he is the player the Lakers should take at no. 2 as his workout and interview is set for June 7. It was already reported that he needed to have an excellent showing for the Lakers so the pressure will undoubtedly be on for the UCLA product.