The Los Angeles Lakers will soon find out where they land in the 2016 NBA Draft Lottery. The team has a 19.9 percent chance of landing the top pick and if they do so, will have a difficult choice to make between top prospects Ben Simmons of LSU and Brandon Ingram of Duke.
Simmons has long been considered the top prospect in this class while Ingram rose in the ranks throughout the college season and each player brings an entirely different skill-set.
Reportedly, Simmons and his representatives are hoping he gets drafted by the Lakers in order to help him secure a better shoe deal. According to ESPN’s Chad Ford, the Lakers also favor Simmons to Ingram:
If Lakers get No. 1? Major debate in front office between Simmons-Ingram. Ingram a better fit. But team leans Simmons b/c of star potential
— Chad Ford (@chadfordinsider) May 17, 2016
The Lakers can’t go wrong either way, but their line of thinking is in line with what most scouts believe. Simmons’ ceiling is believed to be higher than that of Ingram and a team in the Lakers’ position, in need of a star, is likely to go with the higher potential player than one who ‘fits’ better.
Simmons has drawn comparisons to players like LeBron James and Lamar Odom thanks to his combination of size, speed, ball-handling, and court vision. He is basically a point guard in a power forward’s body, but his lack of a jump shot scares teams.
Ingram, on the other hand, is a knockdown shooter who hit 41 percent from three-point range last season. He is a very skilled offensive player who plays hard at all times, but his body still needs to develop as he could easily get pushed around by stronger players in the NBA.
Whether or not the Lakers have to make a choice between the two remains to be seen, and while they have interviewed Ingram, they have yet to speak to Simmons. The workouts that will take place over the next few weeks will likely clear things up for the Lakers, assuming they keep their pick that is.