For the Los Angeles Lakers, they're most likely able to retain their protected top 3 picks in this year's NBA draft, garnering the second overall selection in the draft lottery.
This is definitely a stroke of luck as everyone's opinion is that Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram are this draft's cream of the crop. According to Lakers Nation, the Lakers will get either of the two as their newest player.
However, the same article mentioned that there are various rumors of the Philadelphia 76ers picking Simmons since they're the first pick overall. Because of this, it's almost certain that the Lakers will pick Ingram once it's their turn. The rumor, however, is refuted by Basketball Insiders's Steve Kyler in a Twitter post.
He said, "For whats its worth - Lakers telling agents they are not locked on anyone yet, and will draft the guy they feel fits."
It's not new for the Lakers to go against most analysts' consensus, just like last year's draft when they picked D'Angelo Russell instead of Jahlil Okafor. Regardless, there would be a lot of other options for them. Some of these players include Jaylen Brown, since most people agree that he has athletic potential, and Skal Labissiere, whose shooting ability and rim protection capabilities make him a fairly interesting pick. However, by next week, the team plans to work out Buddy Hield.
In any case, according to Silver Screen and Roll, Hield being drafted by the L.A. Lakers is unlikely due to a lot of factors -- primarily because he isn't projected to be that much of a defender or a playmaker despite his set of skills. Furthermore, it's hard for the team to pick another guard since they already have Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell on their roster. With this, Ingram still stands to be a better choice.
