By Brian Yalung
With the current NBA season looking bleak for the Los Angeles Lakers, the best the embattled ballclub can do is look ahead. And that starts by possibly adding more pieces to its young core. One person being linked as possibly headed to Los Angeles is Lonzo Ball.
D’Angelo Russell and Brandon Ingram were among the eager spectators when the UCLA Bruins faced the Washington Huskies Wednesday. The Bruins routed the Huskies 98-66 where Lakers coach Luke Walton and assistant Jesse Mermuys were also in attendance.
On Lonzo Ball, Walton was impressed by the performance of the 19-year-old point guard. He finished with 19 points to lead the Bruins. While Ball was the obvious star of the game, Walton was hoping to catch a glimpse of Bruins’ Markelle Fultz. The 6-foot-4 guard was unavailable to play due to a knee injury.
For Walton, it would have been a perfect time to see the caliber of both guards. The two are expected to be among the top picks in the 2017 NBA Draft. At the rate things are going, it looks like Ball has the inside track.
Incidentally, the Lakers are a potential team that Lonzo Ball could end up with. His father, LaVar Ball, is hoping to see him don the purple and gold but clarified that his son’s options were not limited to Los Angeles. He adds that he wanted to see his son play for the multi-titled franchise so he could learn from Earvin “Magic” Johnson, ESPN reported.
Right now, there is no telling if the Lakers can get their hands on Ball. They are clueless on whether they will have the privilege of picking among the top-3, something that will depend on the NBA Draft Lottery happening on May 16.