Lakers Rumors: LA Would Have Targeted Brandon Ingram at No. 1 Per ‘The Vertical’

The Vertical recently revealed an interesting, yet useless, bit of information in regards to the Los Angeles Lakers and who they would’ve targeted had they received the first pick

The draft is less than a week away and news sources are doing their best to get in their last mock drafts while they can. One of the latest to do so is Yahoo Sports, more specifically, The Vertical who offered insight on the behind the scenes thinking of some of the teams.

Sticking to the script, Jonathan Givony had LSU’s Ben Simmons going first overall and Duke’s  Brandon Ingram second. Surprisingly, he also had Providence’s Kris Dunn leaping to third, going to the Boston Celtics, Washington’s Marquese Chriss going fourth to the Phoenix Suns, and Croatian product, Dragan Bender falling all the way to the Denver Nuggets at seventh.

But this wasn’t the most interesting piece information from the article, instead it was the idea that Givony suggests that the Los Angeles Lakers would have “targeted” Brandon Ingram had they received the first overall pick on May 17.

"In a draft many consider to have a significant dropoff after the second pick, the Lakers will be happy to “settle” for whomever the Sixers pass. Ingram is the player the Lakers would have targeted at No. 1 had they won the lottery, sources told The Vertical. He is a perfect fit for their roster and should generate a great deal of excitement about the future."

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This newest “report” about the Lakers seems to fit the script that both LA and the Philadelphia 76ers have been following as of late: smokescreens, smokescreens everywhere.

While it is commonly accepted that teams like to keep each other on their heels, hardly revealing exactly who they’re going to draft in order to hinder trades or whatever it may be, the reports between the Lakers and the Sixers to the media has been relatively ridiculous.

The Sixers obviously want to take Simmons but are scared of his wanting to play elsewhere and no matter how many times the Lakers say it, they’d be tickled pink if they got Simmons with the second pick.

Regardless, all of this chatter will finally end on Thursday come draft night.

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Other interesting inclusions from Givony’s mock draft include Zhou Qi going 28th overall to the Phoenix Suns and no talk of Thon Maker going in the first round.