The NBA draft is right around the corner and the Los Angeles Lakers are still uncertain about who they will take at No.2.
For much of the Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason, UCLA guard Lonzo Ball has been seen as their likely pick at No.2. Not only has he gone public several times about his desire to stay local and play for Los Angeles, but members of the Lakers’ organization have praised him for his style of play.
But as the draft grows nearer, Ball’s stock with the Lakers continues to drop. Many reports claim that Ball seemed ‘out of shape’ in his workout with the organization, while Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox and Kansas’ Josh Jackson both highly impressed L.A.
In the latest reports, the Lakers are deciding between Fox and Jackson. Fox held a private workout with L.A. Tuesday and Jackson came in after for a second workout. Maybe reports about the Lakers picking Fox or Jackson are just smoke screens. But if not it seems the organization is doing their due diligence and making sure they select the best possible player.
Lakers are finalizing details in bringing Lonzo Ball in for a second workout. It appears likely Markelle Fultz will have one, too.
— Mark Medina (@MarkG_Medina) June 14, 2017
L.A. also hopes to get one final look at Lonzo reportedly wanting to schedule him for a second workout as well. Considering Ball didn’t knock it out of the park in his first workout and may have seemed “too cool” by executives, a second workout is his chance to change some perceptions of him, and perhaps show off he is in better shape.
Next: Who do the Lakers land in our complete first round mock draft?
Smokescreen or not, if there is smoke there is usually fire so if multiple executives felt Ball wasn’t conditioned he probably wasn’t. A second workout for him could replace his not so impressive first workout with a successful one that will stick in the Lakers’ executives minds. This is an opportunity Ball must take advantage of if he intends to be a member of the purple and gold next year.