Lonzo Ball remains the odds-on favorite for the Los Angeles Lakers with the second overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft. But that doesn’t mean that the team isn’t exploring all of its options.
The team appears set on drafting a point guard with their selections, and recently worked out Dennis Smith Jr. out of NC State. A source told Zagsblog on Sunday that Smith Jr. impressed the Lakers considerably in his visit with them.
In his only college season, Smith Jr. averaged 18.1 points per game, while dishing out 6.2 assists and pulling down 4.6 boards per game.
The team also visited with De’Aaron Fox last week, and is hoping to bring in Markelle Fultz later this week for a workout. The team is clearly interested in exploring all of its options, and Lonzo Ball isn’t a lock to be their selection; especially considering the Lakers weren’t too happy with his conditioning following his workout with them.
That might something of a red flag for the Lakers. If they noticed Lonzo struggling to get through their workout, they might go elsewhere if everything else is considered even.
They still admire his leadership abilities, and his penchant for scoring and passing though.
What would happen if Lonzo didn’t get drafted by the Lakers? His father LaVar would likely explode on the spot. After stating public on several occasions that his son was only interested in playing of the Lakers, he’d have to eat his words. He’d have to bite his tongue, smile through his teeth, and talk about how much he loves playing somewhere other than his preferred destination.
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