According to the ESPN, the L.A. Lakers are adamant on using their no. 2 pick in the current draft to recruit Brandon Ingram. This is most likely due to the fact that the Philadelphia 76ers have the no. 1 pick and are likely to recruit the highly praised Ben Simmons. However, the doors are open for other teams to trade for their pick.
The report points out that the team managers have spent more than three hours with the new coach, Luke Walton, to discuss their potential choices and the Lakers have since confirmed that they all decided Ingram was their top pick now that the 76ers already promised to get Simmons.
Ingram, on the other hand, states that no team has yet promised him anything and this includes a deal with the Lakers, stating "I really don't know who is going to take me. I am in the blind. Whoever takes me, I'll be happy."
According to the report, the Lakers did look into other options such as Kris Dunn from Providence and Buddy Hield from Oklahoma. However, Ingram is widely considered as the top second choice in the draft right now, right behind Ben Simmons, and is highly praised for his shooting skills and the ability to defend multiple positions.
Despite all this, there is still a chance that they could consider something else if a blockbuster deal is offered to them right now. According to the report, if another team offers a young but experienced All-Star player then they may trade their draft pick for it. The actual chances of this happening, however, are reportedly very slim.
The Lakers are designing their team around very young players with the hope that they will become formidable superstars down the line, aiming to replicate the process they did with Kobe Bryant. Bryant has notably left a void in the team after his recent retirement and is known for playing for the Lakers throughout his 20-year career.
