On Thursday, we learned that the Lakers are “taking and making calls” about the No. 2 overall pick, and according to ESPN’s Chad Ford (Insider-only link), one scenario in particular has piqued the team’s interest. Ford reports that the Lakers have had internal discussions about trading back to No. 4 if the Suns are willing to offer them a 2018 first-round pick. The Suns are currently in line to have two first-rounders next year, with Miami’s top-seven protected pick coming their way, but that’d still be a steep price to move up two spots.
According to Ford, the Lakers are unwilling to trade their No. 2 overall pick if it involves dropping out of the top five entirely, since they want to land at least one prospect with star potential next Thursday. The most likely scenario involves the team simply keeping the pick, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com, who hears from team sources that a trade remains a long shot.
Here are more draft rumors and notes, with less than a week to go until the big day:
- Lonzo Ball, who will work out for the Lakers again on Friday, is considering talking to other lottery teams that want to meet with him, according to Ramona Shelburne. Ball’s preference is to land in Los Angeles, but if the team doesn’t give him any indication after Friday’s meeting that he has “separated himself” from other contenders for that No. 2 pick, he may explore more options, per Shelburne.
- Having worked out for four teams with picks between Nos. 3 and 8, Malik Monk doesn’t intend to audition for any more clubs before the draft, tweets Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com.
- Former Duke sharpshooter Luke Kennard is starting to be considered alongside several second-tier prospects in this draft, according to Chad Ford, who reports that the Knicks are “seriously considering” Kennard at No. 8. One GM tells Ford that his team has Kennard ranked higher than Monk on its board, while a Lakers source says Kennard would be the favorite for L.A. if the club could acquire a second top-10 pick.
- Another GM from a late-lottery team to Ford, regarding Kennard: “There’s no way he gets to us. I don’t think there’s any way he’s out of the top 10. We think he’s the best shooter in the draft. We think he’s tough. He’s more athletic than you think. He really thinks the game. He’s the most underrated guy in this draft.”
- Danny Chau, Jonathan Tjarks, and Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer identify eight prospects who are rising or falling on their respective draft boards.
Knicks should draft Kennard and move Melo for Russell and Deng.
Russell-Lee-Kennard-Porzingis-Noah
Yea no thanks as a Laker fan lol. Why would the Lakers trade one terrible contract for another while giving up young talent? Knicks would also be dumb for taking Kennard as he is projected to be outside the top 10 on every draft board.
Melo and Ball would feed greatly off each other.
Yep one self centered, over priced, ISO ball, Ball Hog and the supposed “savior of the Lakers” who thinks he’s the sh*t
Pass melo is to ISO w/bad knees and
To old!
If the Knicks draft Kennard I will officially be done as a Knicks fan. That will finally push me over the edge.
Why though? Did you not see Kennard at Duke? The dude can play the 3-4 plus shoot the ball and play team ball, reminds me alot of Gordon Hayward not that he will ever be that good but who knows. Who ever thought Curry and Klay would develop into what they are now, just saying.
He is nowhere near the athlete that Heyward is
He is a 2. Maybe a three in spot situations but never a 4. Hayward is like 6’7/6’8. Kennard is 6’4/6’5
Ditto. Kennard and his biblical quotes won’t cut it in NY.
I still think the Knicks and Ntilikina makes too much sense.
But based on things I’ve read these last 2 days, I could actually see Monk and/or Smith falling towards 10-11, depending on what Orlando and Minnesota do, barring trades. That’s pretty crazy to me, but I could theoretically see it happening. I still think that Mitchell goes 10, Justin Jackson goes 11, Luke Kennard goes 12, but I might be totally off. These evaluations of Kennard are totally different from something I read, literally earlier this morning. I saw scouts question if he has a defensive position, and hope that he can just be playable on the court on that end, and not hurt you too much. If he can be useful defensively, then the offense will give him a shot to be a knock down shooter off the bench…I also saw scouts say he’s more athletic than they realized and is already a bench player, and can be a starter if he learns the league. I’ve seen take him 10-12, and I’ve seen people talk more about 17-19…
I ultimately think Kennard goes 12, but so much can happen with this type of a draft
That would be a huge mistake for the Knicks to draft Kennard that high. He’s like a left handed JJ Reddick but worse on D. He would get absolutely torched by opposing teams’ SGs and would have a hard time getting his shot off against bigger and faster guards. A guy like Kennard makes sense on a team with other good players where he can just contribute as a role player or shooter off the bench. Put him on a crappy team like the Knicks and he’s a bust. Plus, the Knicks don’t need offense…they need D and Kennard is arguably a downgrade in that department…if that’s even possible.
That being said, Kennard should be a smart, serviceable NBA player with potential to be a rotation player but no way you draft “serviceable rotation player” at #8 in a loaded draft. They’d be better off taking a chance on the French PG and waiting for him to develop….or they can take baby Steve Francis (Dennis Smith) if he falls to #8…although he doesn’t solve the defensive issues…but at least he’d be fun to watch.