Recent reports are that the Los Angeles Lakers would pass on Lonzo Ball if the NBA Draft was today. What would Lakers Nation do when the Lakers are on the clock?
Over the weekend, one of the biggest stories in the NBA was that the Los Angeles Lakers would pass on Lonzo Ball if the NBA Draft was now. According to Jordan Schultz, the Lakers have some concerns about Ball.
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
While Ball was a very good player at UCLA, there are some concerns about him. While in college, Ball did disappear at times, as he could have played better in certain games. He did lead the nation in assists per game, but it also helped that he was surrounded with some very good players.
In addition to some of the concerns on the court, the real concern is likely about the influence of his dad, LaVar Ball. As a big personality, Ball has caused quite a bit of controversy since his son became one of the best prospects in the upcoming draft.
Recently, we polled Lakers Nation to ask what they would do if they were running the show. The results were pretty close with a slight edge going in favor of the Lakers still drafting Ball. Here are the results:
Recent reports are that the #Lakers could pass on Lonzo Ball. Would you take him with the 2nd overall pick?
— Lake Show Life (@TheLakeShowLife) June 3, 2017
Having the second pick comes with a lot of pressure for the Lakers. As the franchise hopes to move forward this season, they need to make sure they get a franchise player with this pick. While a guard appears to be the direction that the Lakers would like to go in, they are also considering De’Aaron Fox from Kentucky.
Next: Who do the Lakers take in our complete first round Mock Draft?
Fox, like Ball, is an extremely talented player and would be a great addition. For the Lakers, they want to make sure that whoever they take can be a star, as that is what the team needs. While the Lakers not being interested in Ball could be a smokescreen, some of the reported issues they have with him are understandable.