Last week, the Los Angeles Lakers worked out Duke’s Brandon Ingram at the team’s practice facility in El Segundo, and now they’ll bring in another player projected to be a high draft pick in Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield.
According to Lakers Nation reporter Serena Winters, Hield will workout for the Lakers on Saturday at the team’s facility:
Lakers will be working out Buddy Hield tomorrow (Again, closed workout, but media will have access afterwards).
— Serena Winters (@SerenaWinters) June 17, 2016
With less than a week to go before the NBA Draft, the consensus seems to be that Ingram is the player the team will select with the second overall pick. LSU’s Ben Simmons is the top-tier prospect that has been linked to Los Angeles, but it seems unlikely the Philadelphia 76ers will pass on the versatile forward with the top pick.
As for Hield, the former Sooners star could be the third overall pick or slightly lower. The Boston Celtics have been rumored to be considering trading the third pick in the draft meaning they may ultimately pass on Hield or use his value to make a deal with another team impressed by his talent.
Other notable prospects in contention to be taken third overall include Marquese Chriss (Washington), Kris Dunn (Providence), Dragan Bender (Croatia), and Jamal Murray (Kentucky). Hield can help improve his draft stock with an impressive workout with the Lakers, but all signs point to the Oklahoma product not being a real option for Los Angeles with the second pick.
In four years at Oklahoma, Hield averaged 17.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game. Hield made a name for himself during his senior season with the Sooners. The 22-year-old put on a show with Lakers legend Kobe Bryant in attendance at the Honda Center in Anaheim scoring 37 points in the win over Oregon to secure a trip to the Final Four.
Bryant has reportedly been working out with Hield during the summer to prepare the Sooners star for draft day on June 23. It’ll be interesting to see if his time with Kobe pays off and helps improve his draft stock after Saturday’s workout with the Lakers.