Just how badly do the Los Angeles Lakers want Markelle Fultz? Enough to give up the No. 2 pick and one of their top prospects.
In a series of tweets sent out by Jonathan Givony of Draft Express, Fultz “murdered” his workout with the Lakers on Thursday, and president of basketball operations Magic Johnson “is in love” with the former Washington star. But Fultz is projected to go first overall to the Boston Celtics, meaning the Lakers would likely have to trade up with the Celtics in order to get Fultz. Offering the No. 2 pick and 2014 first-rounder Julius Randle is a possibility, according to Givony.
Word out of LA is Markelle Fultz "murdered" his Lakers workout yesterday. May be "the best one" they've seen. Sadly, likely all for naught.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 16, 2017
Multiple sources have told me that Magic "is in love" with Fultz. May try to move up to #1, possibly with a Julius Randle + #2 pick offer.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 16, 2017
Randle, 22, is one of the team’s most promising young players, and has been compared to Golden State Warriors All-Star Draymond Green. This past season, he averaged 13.2 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.6 assists in 74 games.
Parting with Randle would be difficult, given how much he has improved in each of his first three NBA seasons, but Fultz has the potential to be a franchise lead guard, something the Lakers have been missing for a while now.
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