NBA Draft Lottery riggings we want to see
By Brad Rowland
Los Angeles Lakers
This one is pretty easy.
The Lakers are considered, at least by most observers, to be the flagship franchise in NBA history, and it certainly helps to occupy the country’s second-largest market. Beyond that, it is flatly odd to consider that the Lakers felt irrelevant (sans Kobe Bryant) this season, and the NBA would almost certainly love it if this particular organization was more successful immediately.
Los Angeles does have a ton of cap space this summer, which should allow the team to add some talent, even if forced to overpay on someone like DeMar DeRozan. The big thing, though, is that this pick must land in top three in order for L.A. to even make its own selection, and winning the lottery certainly falls within that parameter.
This is yet another team that probably profiles best as a Brandon Ingram landing spot, if only because D’Angelo Russell is the best asset on the Lakers’ books right now, and he needs the ball in his hands to be hugely successful. Adding Ingram to the mix alongside Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle and Russell would be huge for the Lakers moving forward, and even if that team isn’t immediately a playoff contender, the long-term upside is obvious.
If the Lakers actually win the lottery, you can prepare for real stories about how the NBA rigged it for Mitch Kupchak and company, and we wouldn’t object in the slightest.
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