By all accounts, the Los Angeles Lakers will almost certainly take Duke forward Brandon Ingram with the second overall pick. The Philadelphia 76ers seem locked in on Ben Simmons, and Ingram is the clear second-best prospect though there are some other players who are pretty popular amongst teams.
One of those players is Providence point guard Kris Dunn, who some view as the best guard prospect in this draft. Dunn’s all-around game and defensive intensity made him stand out during his college career, and he will almost definitely be taken within the first five picks.
Dunn’s competitive fire has been on display during the pre-draft period as he wants to workout against the other top prospects. While it is highly unlikely the Lakers would take Dunn at two, the team has shown some interest in him according to Chad Ford of ESPN:
He’s refusing to do 1-on-none workouts with teams. Will only workout for teams if it’s against Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram or Jamal Murray source says. Dunn is currently projected in the 3 to 8 range. Sixers, Lakers, Celtics, Wolves, Pelicans and Kings have all shown interest in Dunn.
Even though Ingram to the Lakers seems like a foregone conclusion, the Lakers have done their due diligence on a number of different players. The team worked out Jaylen Brown and Skal Labissiere and is expected to work out Buddy Hield as well.
It is crucial for the Lakers be prepared for anything to happen in this draft. Trade offers are always flying around during this time, and if the Lakers find themselves in a different spot on draft night, someone like Dunn could be there for the taking.
The Lakers do already have two young guards on the roster in D’Angelo Russell and Jordan Clarkson, but Dunn brings a different style of play than either. His ability to guard both backcourt positions would also allow him to pair up with both of them should this be the case, though again, that seems unlikely at this time.