The Lakers’ first-round pick is up in the air, but there are players that could help in the second round of the 2016 NBA Draft
The majority of Los Angeles Lakers fans are looking at the 2016 NBA Draft with a mix of optimism and anxiety. On the one hand, they are holding strong with the second-worst record in the NBA. On the other, the lottery could bite them in a big way if their pick were to fall outside of the top-three, as the first-round pick would then transfer to the Philadelphia 76ers.
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It’s a frustrating juxtaposition for a rebuilding team like the Lakers and their fans because of the high variance in regards to the possibilities with their 2016 first-round pick. While they could land a prospect like Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram, the rebuilding process could take a hit by coming up empty-handed in the first round as a result of losing their pick.
That being said, the Lakers in no circumstance will walk away from the 2016 NBA Draft entirely empty-handed as they still have their second-round pick. The Lakers have shown tremendous ability in recent years in regards to finding talent outside of the lottery, both Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson serving as the examples of that.
Because of how they’ve performed as of late in second rounds, there has to be hope that the Lakers can once again find value in 2016 with the pick that they are certain to keep and bring in some help to the rebuilding process in regards to a second-round prospect.
Looking at current prospect rankings and mock drafts, these are five prospects that the Lakers should have their eye on as it pertains to their second-round pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.
Next: No. 5 Ante Zizic