Los Angeles Lakers select Lonzo Ball, Ivan Rabb in latest ESPN Chad Ford mock draft
The Los Angeles Lakers selected Lonzo Ball and Ivan Rabb in Chad Ford’s most recent mock draft.
The Los Angeles Lakers were one of the biggest winners in the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery. The Lakers entered the lottery with the third-best chance at landing the No.1 overall pick. The most important thing for the Lakers was remaining in the top three.
If the Lakers fell out of the top three, they would have to send their selection to the Philadelphia 76ers. Not only would they lose this year’s pick, they would also have to send their 2019 first round pick to the Orlando Magic.
For a rebuilding team like the Lakers that would have been crippling.
Odds were not in favor of the Lakers heading into the lottery. Los Angeles had only a 46.9 percent chance of remaining in the top three.
Lady luck was wearing purple and gold during the lottery as the Lakers not only remained in the top three, they moved up to No.2; there was a 15.7 percent chance of that happening.
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Magic Johnson was ecstatic at the podium as the Lakers retained their pick. Fans were undoubtedly happy with how things turned out as well. Not only had the Lakers kept their pick, they moved up to the second spot. That puts them in prime position to land UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball.
Ball and Markelle Fultz are the top two prospects right now. They are expected to be the first two players off the board in the 2017 NBA Draft. That is what ESPN’s Chad Ford believes will happen in his latest NBA mock draft.
Ford has Fultz going first overall to the Boston Celtics. With the second pick, the Lakers keep Ball in Los Angeles. This has been what Lonzo’s father, LaVar Ball, has been saying will happen and it looks like it will come to fruition.
Here is what Ford has to say about the second selection in the draft.
"The Lakers had about a 53 percent chance of losing their pick, but instead moved up a spot.Ball as a potential Laker has been discussed for months, and it appears to be destiny. He has that Showtime quality that the Lakers have been missing since Kobe Bryant retired. And D’Angelo Russell should have no problem moving over to the 2 full time.It’s unlikely, but one sleeper here is De’Aaron Fox. The Lakers have been enamored with him since he destroyed Ball in the UCLA-Kentucky game during the NCAA tournament. He could move ahead of Ball with great workouts."
The only thing that will ruin the Ball to Lakers scenario is if the Celtics trade the first pick and the team that moves up likes Ball as well. It could be a moot point as Ball will only work out for the Lakers leading up the draft according to his dad.
All of the focus for the Lakers will be on the second selection. It will be the pick that the organization and fans hope can turn around the team. But, it is not the only selection the Lakers have in the first round.
Thanks to the trade that sent Lou Williams to the Houston Rockets, the Lakers will also pick 28th overall. With that selection, Ford has the Lakers selecting California forward Ivan Rabb. Here is what he had to say about the selection.
"Rabb would’ve been a late lottery pick had he stayed in the draft last year. He had a solid sophomore season for Cal, but teams are struggling to figure out what he’ll be in the pros.He lacks the strength to be a full-time center and lacks the perimeter game and quickness to be a 4."
The Lakers stay local with the selection of Rabb. There is no denying the talent that Rabb has. But, as Ford notes, where will he play in the NBA? It will probably be easier for the Lakers to add strength to Rabb than quickness and speed.
Luckily for the Lakers, they are in no rush. They can give Rabb time to develop and figure out what he wants to be on his own. With how the rest of the roster is built, Rabb could be a center/power forward combo.
He has the skill set to play alongside a forward such as Larry Nance Jr., or a traditional big man such as Ivica Zubac.
Selecting a big man with their second pick has been a popular route in mock drafts. In his previous mock draft, Ford had the Lakers selecting North Carolina center Tony Bradley. Going big with their second pick makes some sense as the Lakers are unsure what they have in Zubac yet.
Next: NBA Draft: Best Player Selected In All 60 Spots
If the NBA Draft falls the way Ford’s has, the Lakers and their fans will be very happy. They will be ecstatic just adding Ball to the roster. Anything else is just icing on the cake as the Lakers will add two more potential building block to their roster in the 2017 NBA Draft.