The Los Angeles Lakers and Magic Johnson might just trade the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NBA draft.
At the least, the front office continues to do its due diligence by listening to offers. Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times confirmed the Lakers continue to work the phones, at least entertaining the idea of getting a monster haul in return for the pick:
In the month since then, the Lakers have been taking and making calls about trading the pick, said a source who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject. Teams have presented trade scenarios to them, and they have offered their own.
The idea the Lakers move the pick is an interesting one. They’ve been linked to top names suck as Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball and Josh Jackson. Adding another top-tier prospect would further the current rebuilding plan, though it would also limit the amount of positions the team could pursue in free agency, where the team expects to finally be contenders for major names again.
Alas, the move make sense if the Lakers like the young core of D’Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram and Julius Randle. If trading the pick doesn’t net a superstar, it could still open the team up to chasing a major name like Paul George in free agency over the next year or two.
Even if the Lakers go the boring route, keep the pick and show patience on a guy like George, the team has options—which is a lot more than it has been able to say in recent years.
As usual, the Lakers are one of the top teams to watch this summer.
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