The last 24 hours of draft conversation has been very interesting. Jordan Shultz has reported that the Los Angeles Lakers are not entirely sold on the idea of selecting Lonzo Ball with the second overall pick. A somewhat shocking development in the drama that has been the Ball family saga.
The Lakers already have a 20-year-old point guard that they selected in 2015 second overall in D’Angelo Russell. A point guard with the potential to be a superstar in his own right, and one that is fairly ball dominant (no pun intended) which would be a clash to the style that best suits Lonzo.
However, that is not the reason discussed as to why the Lakers aren’t sold on Lonzo. According to Jordan Shultz, if the NBA Draft was held today, the Lakers would pass on the UCLA product because they are not convinced that he is a star.
Per source, the #Lakers would pass on Lonzo Ball if #nbadraft was today. Team isn't convinced he's a star and remains concerned about LaVar.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) June 3, 2017
As interesting as that revelation is, the most intriguing aspect is the fact that LaVar isn’t the problem that the Lakers have an issue with. The Ball family patriarch has been adamant for as long as anyone can remember that he wants his son to play for the Lakers specifically to learn under Magic Johnson. The Lakers franchise is the family’s hometown team as well, and Lonzo has even stated in past interviews that if he had his druthers that he would prefer to play for L.A.
Per source, re Lonzo Ball: "It's not even close right now. Ball won't be a Laker unless they really start 2 buy into him as a star." #lakers
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) June 3, 2017
This is shocking, quite honestly. Not only has it seemed that Lonzo to the Lakers was a foregone conclusion, but the national conversation has been such that the draft doesn’t even begin until the 76ers select at number three because the draft order of Markelle Fultz and Ball were set in stone.
Before I discuss how this could effect the Suns draft pick at number four, I would be remiss to state that this could absolutely be Magic Johnson and the Lakers playing a public game of chicken with LaVar Ball. LaVar has been trying to not only control the national narrative, but also call his shot stating that Lonzo will only work out for and play professionally for the Lakers. Magic would be silly to not put a little pressure on LaVar to remind him that once drafted the team that selects his oldest son will make the decisions from then on, not LaVar. This leaked information could be nothing more than a poweplay by one of the powerhouse franchises not only in the NBA, but in North American sports in general.
But if this rumor is true, and if the Lakers do skip over Lonzo and select, say, Josh Jackson, this could completely change everything for the Suns two picks later.
Now, if the 76ers were to select Lonzo third then for Phoenix nothing has really changed. The projected top three picks are still off the board when the Suns pick, the only difference would be that the draft order ahead of them just went a little out of the projected order.
However, there are multiple options for the Suns if the Lakers and Sixers break from the conventionally presumed order. If both teams pass over Lonzo, then he falls directly into the Suns’ lap. But if the Lakers take Johnathan Issac and the 76ers select Ball, then Phoenix can land Josh Jackson. If the Lakers select De’Aaron Fox and the 76ers take Issac (or at least trade out of the spot and the team they trade with selects Issac), then Phoenix will have the surprising and difficult decision between Lonzo and Jackson (and wouldn’t THAT be the most interesting draft decision the franchise has made in many years).
Then there is the chance that the Suns too pass over Lonzo and he slips to at least fifth overall in the draft. If Fultz, Jackson, and Issac (in no particular order) are all off the board at four, is it a foregone conclusion that Phoenix even goes with Lonzo? Is there any guarantee that the problems that struck draft fear in the Lakers (and presumably the 76ers at this point) would not be the same fears that the Suns hold as well? At this point would they select De’Aaron Fox over Ball? There is certainly no guarantee that the Suns would place Issac above Fox on their board, so if they have no interest in Ball (or he is lower on their draft board) at this point could Fox be their guy?
At any rate, if this rumor holds any truth, than a simple workout might not be enough to secure Ball as the Lakers’ guaranteed selection at second overall. If there is any chance that the Lakers pass on Lonzo, then this could be one of the most interesting drafts in Suns history, especially if the eldest LaVar son falls into their laps and they draft him.
And as I have said in the past – as a Suns fan, I would absolutely select Lonzo at fourth overall if the Lakers have passed up on him. A scorned Ball family could be exactly the kind of push Lonzo needs to reach superstar status as he would work to forever prove to the Lakers that their decision to pass him was the wrong one.