3 nightmare NBA Draft scenarios for Lakers fans

Priority No. 1 for the Los Angeles Lakers this summer is re-signing LeBron James. But around that massive task, they have some huge question marks to answer in reloading this roster. The biggest fork in the road is whether they'll push all-in and try to trade for a star like Dejounte Murray, Trae Young or Kyle Kuzma, or prioritize depth and upside, hoping LeBron and Anthony Davis are enough top-end talent to get them back into title contention.

How the Lakers handle the NBA Draft will be the first big clue about which direction they're heading. They have the No. 17 pick and while they can't trade the pick before the draft, they could theoretically trade the player they select after later in the offseason. They could also theoretically trade the pick and move back in the draft picking up an extra player or pick, as long as they still keep at least one first-round pick in this draft.

They could also eschew all those shenanigans and simply select a player that they think can help them win next season. Or they could take a swing on a high-upside prospect who potentially is a key contributor down the line after LeBron is done. There are a lot of possibilities on the table, but these are the three worst.

3. Taking Zach Edey

Zach Edey may turn out to be a fine NBA player and at least some mock drafts have him going in the lottery which means seeing on the board at No. 17 presents theoretical value for the Lakers. But what Edey offers is the exact opposite of what the Lakers need.

The Lakers can't trade this pick because of the Stepien Rule so it's essential that they get an NBA-ready contributor who can help next season or someone with serious upside who could be valuable in the long run for the post-LeBron era. Edey is neither of those things.

As a four-year college player he should be ready to contribute next season and his outlier size means that his rebounding, rim protection and finishing should translate fairly well. But if the Lakers are playing him, then Davis is at the 4, away from the basket where his effectiveness is limited. Edey is a big target around the rim for passes from LeBron but he also clogs the paint, cutting off driving angles and pushing the Lakers to the 3-point line where they struggled last year. It may also take him a while to adjust to the speed and pace of the NBA game which means you probably aren't getting someone who could fill in for 30+ minutes a night should an emergency need arise.

Again, Edey has value and he can help an NBA team. But not the Lakers and if their front office is prioritizing size, experience, collegiate accolades and on-paper value with a potential lottery pick sliding to No. 17, then they're missing the forest for the trees.

2. Trading back to add multiple first-round picks ... and then keeping them

The Knicks are reportedly interested in packaging their two first-round picks, No. 24 and No. 25, to move up. It's not clear if No. 17 is a big enough move to get them the player they're interested in but this could be to the Lakers' advantage if they have a trade mapped out and are able to turn their one pick into two and move one to help close the deal to trade for an established star.

But if they made a trade like this and kept both players they drafted it would be a huge missed opportunity. Granted, there may not be a huge difference between the quality of prospects available at No. 17 and No. 24 but this would be a sign that the Lakers don't think they'll be able to trade for a star this offseason and think a pair of (probably) rookie 3-and-D wings gets them closer to a title than anything else that's on the table.

If that turns out to be the case, Lakers' fans may be in for a long, disappointing offseason.

1. Taking Bronny James with the No. 17 pick

Everyone assumes the Lakers are going to take Bronny James with the No. 55 pick, although there is still potential for a team like the Celtics to sow chaos by jumping in and taking him earlier. LeBron's camp has basically said that drafting Bronny isn't going to lure him to another team he doesn't want to play for while Bronny has potential he's clearly a second-round prospect who would be a strong possibility to go undrafted if it wasn't for his famous father.

But if the Lakers get jumpy, worried about someone else taking him and feel that drafting him is somehow key to getting LeBron to re-sign there's at least a chance they just eliminate any doubt and take Bronny at No. 17.

Even if this cements LeBron re-signing, it would be an utter disaster. They wouldn't get to select a player with star potential or the ability to help them next season. In addition, they somehow draw even more attention to Bronny with the presumption of nepotism, shining the spotlight on a player who probably needs nothing more than some developmental time in the shadows to figure out who he can be.

Here's hoping the Lakers don't actually go this route because it would be a huge diservice to everyone involved.