Los Angeles Lakers: 5 reasons Lonzo Ball was the right pick

2. Attracting star players

Although he’s yet to step on an NBA court, Ball is the type of player fellow players will gravitate towards.

An athletic, pass-first point guard who constantly has the offense moving is tailor-made for the modern-day NBA.

At his introductory press conference, Magic Johnson was full of praise for Ball and the attributes he possesses.

Furthermore, he is incredibly confident that Ball is the right player to lead the Lakers forward.

"“I think the main thing here is Lonzo, all he needs to do is play his game. He doesn’t need to change. I think we have great young weapons around him. … I think everybody understands playing with somebody with Lonzo’s talent will make them better and also get them easier baskets. He just needs to play his game. He doesn’t need to change; just play his game.”"

The Lakers’ return to prominence received a significant boost recently when All-Star forward, and Southern California native, Paul George, signaled his intentions to sign with the team once his contract with the Indiana Pacers expires after next season.

Furthermore, there is now the added speculation that the Lakers are possibly in play to lure the greatest player in the game today, LeBron James. Also a free agent in the summer of 2018, James has been linked to Los Angeles due to a number of factors, not the least of which is his Brentwood home where he spends most of his time in the offseason.

Following the Lakers’ decision to trade former No. 2 overall pick, D’Angelo Russell, to the Brooklyn Nets, Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical tweeted the following:

Of course, a number of factors come into play when adding elite talents such as James and George – salary cap space, the performance of the team and the team’s overall style of play. Furthermore, the current homes of James and George (if George is traded elsewhere ion the meantime) may prove to be too difficult to leave.

But with Ball as the new floor general, the perception of the Lakers is going to change dramatically. To have the full backing of a player of the stature of Johnson speaks volume. And that is sure to resonate around the league as players decide their future paths.

Head coach Walton added:

"“When he’s on the floor, all four guys that are out there with him become better instantly. That’s a quality and a trait that not many people have. The great ones all have it, and we hope that by the way he plays everyone else on our team becomes better.”"

Sentiments such as these are only going to add to the Lakers attraction around the league.