The Los Angeles Lakers lucked out in the draft lottery, where they landed the second overall pick in the NBA Draft. The second pick is particularly valuable this summer, with the consensus being that just two players, LSU’s Ben Simmons and Duke’s Brandon Ingram, have superstar potential.
With the Lakers desperately in need of star-level talent, there are plenty of reasons to be excited whether it’s Simmons or Ingram who ultimately end up wearing the purple and gold. As GM Mitch Kupchak and his staff prepare for the draft, they will have several players in for workouts, including some outside the top two, but most of the focus will naturally fall on Simmons and Ingram.
Now, it appears that the Lakers will get an up-close look at one of the top two prospects. According to Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report, Ingram has scheduled a workout with the Lakers for this coming Thursday:
Brandon Ingram (@B_Ingram13) scheduled for private workout with Lakers on Thursday, according to league sources.
— KEVIN DING (@KevinDing) June 4, 2016
The Lakers will put Ingram through a series of drills to test his skills, but in reality, how he performs won’t have much bearing on whether or not they select the Duke product. Instead, it’s the opportunity to sit down and meet with the player face to face, and discuss how they see themselves fitting into the organization, that teams truly covet.
The Lakers did already have one interview with Ingram at the pre-draft combine, and from what was reported from his interviews with other teams the 18-year-old handled himself very well. Should he end up in Los Angeles, it would appear that Ingram would be a perfect fit, slotting into the opening at small forward that was created when Kobe Bryant retired.
Ingram’s skill set, which includes using his 7’3″ wingspan to block shots and disrupt passing lanes, would fit in nicely with the Lakers’ young core of D’Angelo Russell, Jordan Clarkson, and Julius Randle. Ingram shot 41% from three in college, and that ability to stretch the floor would certainly be a welcome addition to coach Luke Walton‘s offense.
While anything can still happen between now and the draft, Thursday’s workout could be the first step towards a long career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
