That sounds dramatic, but general manager Mitch Kupchak and the organization gambled it all on another tanked season despite the risk of losing a pick.
The suffering got Lakers fans one last memorable ride, one of the worst seasons in franchise history and the No. 2 pick—which means a possible stab at LSU's Ben Simmons or Duke's Brandon Ingram.
Just as the team planned it.
Kupchak and Co. now have versatility. The No. 2 pick allows the front office to go out and get a top-tier prospect to help a young foundation that already has strong upside thanks to D'Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson and Julius Randle. Or the team could deal the pick and get a major, more immediate return.
Either route leads to one thing: the pursuit of major names in free agency this summer.
Bleacher Report's Kevin Ding recently revealed the Lakers will review all options, including letting the pick go. "Still, the Lakers will actively explore trading the pick," Ding wrote.
This isn't surprising, right? This is Los Angeles, a team unexpectedly willing to fight through a few years of a traditional rebuild instead of finding a way to fix things overnight. Sooner or later the tide was going to turn in this direction.
But it's more than that in large part because the Lakers need to ensure that a past mistake doesn't come back to bite them too much. Ding elaborated on a situation possibly on the horizon in next year's draft:
They want to get better as soon as possible—in part to make sure Philadelphia doesn’t get too good of a pick next year when the Lakers’ first-rounder conveys to the 76ers if it’s outside the top three. Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak is also seeking a better blend of youth and experience on the roster.
Dealing No. 2 would net a monster haul, though two of the thre...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
