NCAA Tournament 2016: 5 West Region Players for Lakers to Watch

Mar 1, 2016; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Brandon Ingram (14) and guard Grayson Allen (3) head down the court after Allen scored against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the first half of their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 1, 2016; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Brandon Ingram (14) and guard Grayson Allen (3) head down the court after Allen scored against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the first half of their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
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Mar 1, 2016; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Brandon Ingram (14) and guard Grayson Allen (3) head down the court after Allen scored against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the first half of their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 1, 2016; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Brandon Ingram (14) and guard Grayson Allen (3) head down the court after Allen scored against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in the first half of their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports

Five players in the West Region of the 2016 NCAA Tournament that the Lakers should watch

The 2016 NCAA Tournament gets rolling on Friday in a real way with the first massive slate of First Round games now that the First Four games have been decided. That means that March Madness can commence, but it also means that teams like the Los Angeles Lakers will have scouts out in abundance and eyes on TV to watch all of the players that could potentially be competing at the next level.

Anyone who’s familiar with the Lakers will tell you that they could use all of the young talent that they can get their hands on this offseason, be it through free agency and the draft.

As a young, rebuilding team, the Lakers have plenty of holes that they need to fill and doing so with young players coming into the league to grow around players like D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, and Julius Randle seems like as good a way as any to make that happen. As a result, the Lakers will need to make sure they’re familiar with any player coming out of college that could potentially help them.

The West Region will be the first to tip off on Thursday in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament, so we’ll look there at the players that could potentially help the Lakers as they make the jump to the next level. Be it potential lottery picks or players that could go undrafted but still contribute, these are the five players that the Lakers should watch in the West Region of the 2016 NCAA Tournament.

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