Rounding Up the Latest LA Lakers Rumors Ahead of the 2016 NBA Draft
The 2016 NBA draft is just days away, and Los Angeles Lakers rumors are holding at a steady boil.
L.A. has the No. 2 pick in hand with two clear candidates at the top—LSU’s Ben Simmons and Duke’s Brandon Ingram. The Lakers will work out multiple prospects, but it would be folly to believe they’d take anyone else with their prime lottery prize.
Then again, crazy things can happen, and we won't know anything for sure until the night of June 23. L.A. also has the No. 32 pick and a war chest of riches to throw at summer free agents.
And with the Finals now over and the Cleveland Cavaliers claiming the throne, Luke Walton’s Golden State Warriors business is complete. The Lakers' new head coach (and beach volleyball enthusiast) can focus his attention on the gargantuan task before him: guiding a legendary franchise off its recent rocky shoals and back on the path toward greatness.
LeBron James in Purple and Gold?
Fresh off his historic Game 7 title, LeBron James is making a different and surprising kind of headline, per a Monday bombshell from ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith:
“I’m hearing that it’s a huge, huge possibility—if, indeed, he decides to depart from Cleveland—that the Los Angeles Lakers will be in the mix,” Smith said on First Take. “There’s some changes that LeBron would want made if he’s going to go to L.A. and wear the purple and gold. He obviously has aspirations beyond basketball.”
Smith went on to say James recently purchased a home in Los Angeles, and the Lakers and Miami Heat (for a return engagement) are plausible destinations.
But why would James leave his home city for a second time after so much hard work and effort to produce a championship? It seems more likely he stays in Cleveland and tries for back-to-back titles. Regardless, this is a rumor that will continue to get attention.
Brandon Ingram Excited About Lakers Brand
The Lakers are in desperate need of a quality small forward, and Ingram could fit that bill for years to come. The rangy wing stands 6’10” with an outrageous 7’3” wingspan and plays hard at both ends. He also shot 41 percent from long range during his one-and-done season at Duke.
Per Joey Ramirez of the Lakers' official website, the 18-year-old enjoyed dinner with Lakers brass and assistant coaches on June 8 and was able to watch some high-level hoops in the process.
“It went great,” Ingram said, per Ramirez. “All the coaches made me feel comfortable around there and we just had a good time watching the (NBA Finals) game and having dinner.”
The Duke product worked out for the team the following day and later expounded on the Lakers brand.
“I think just coming in here you see a lot of championships and great players coming through here,” he said, per Ramirez. “Of course, as a kid, you dream of just being in a great organization and making your own brand.”
According to The Vertical’s Jonathan Givony, the organization is as high on the kid as he is on them.
“Ingram is the player the Lakers would have targeted at No. 1 had they won the lottery,” Givony wrote. “He is a perfect fit for their roster and should generate a great deal of excitement about the future.”
Will the Sixers Draft Ben Simmons?
Ingram landing in the Lakers' lap has been bolstered by the notion that the Philadelphia 76ers will take Ben Simmons as their top overall pick.
In May, Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding indicated the organization is “leaning heavily” toward selecting Simmons. But more recently, ESPN news services pointed out the Australian-born forward hadn't yet agreed to work out in Philadelphia. When asked about this, Sixers president Bryan Colangelo put a positive spin on the situation.
“Everything that we get with our intel as it relates to Ben is that he would very much like to be selected No. 1,” Colangelo said.
And then came the flip-flop. Pressed whether the team might choose Ingram instead, Colangelo said, “It changes every day.”
The Sixers did break bread with the mercurial prospect, as reported by ESPN.com’s Marc Stein:
Simmons dined in Philly, and word got out Tuesday that he has actually worked out for the team, per Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Ingram has already as well.
“He’s a versatile forward that can handle the ball, can shoot the ball,” Colangelo said after the Duke forward's workout, per Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com. “I’ve referred to him as a silky-smooth small forward. He can do a lot.”
All is not lost for the Lakers if they wind up with Simmons. He’s a 6’10” double-double machine who plays multiple positions and causes matchup nightmares for the opposition. But he also likes having the ball in his hands, which might not be the ideal situation alongside Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell—young players who also love the rock.
D'Angelo Russell to be Traded for a Pick?
One of the most explosive new rumors came from ESPN.com’s Chad Ford (h/t CBS Sports’ James Herbert), who theorized on SportsCenter that the Lakers are concerned about Ingram’s thin frame and may be looking to secure an additional top-five pick.
“I think more likely the Lakers are trying to pick up another pick in this draft in the top five and the guy that they have that they can shop is D'Angelo Russell, a guy who was their No. 2 pick in the draft last year but burned some bridges in the locker room,” Ford said.
Just the idea has beat writers buzzing, including Sean Highkin, who covers the Chicago Bulls for Bleacher Report:
Still, the rumor seems like a stretch. Russell’s biggest critic was former head coach Byron Scott, a man whose historically bad 38-126 record over two years speaks volumes. Scott might have questioned the rookie’s maturity, but he also criticized just about everyone not named Kobe Bryant.
Walton should provide a fresh new perspective for Russell’s sophomore season. Unless the Lakers do the unexpected at the Barclays Center on Thursday night.
Lakers 'Show Interest' in Kris Dunn
All the hoopla about L.A. being locked on the two top prospects could take a slight hit with another rumor from Ford (h/t Lakers Nation’s Corey Hansford). The draft analyst said Providence point guard Kris Dunn is “refusing to do one-on-none workouts with teams,” and he’ll only work out “if it’s against Ben Simmons, Brandon Ingram or Jamal Murray.”
The kicker is Ford’s assertion that “the Sixers, Lakers, Celtics, Wolves, Pelicans and Kings have all shown interest in Dunn.”
Dunn has some confidence that he can knock a higher-projected player down a notch. It’s unlikely Simmons or Ingram would participate in such a gamble; They’re already in front-row seats.
And why would the Lakers pick a point guard at No. 2 when they did that last year with Russell? This feels a bit like a fringe conspiracy theory. But again, Ford is also the guy pushing the idea that Russell could get traded.
Hassan Whiteside on Lakers’ Free-Agent List
The upcoming draft isn’t the only thing generating speculation. L.A. has money to spend in free agency and some big holes to fill. Especially glaring is the need for a starting center.
Hassan Whiteside could fill the bill. The near-7-footer with the crazy 7’7” wingspan was the league’s leading shot-blocker at 3.7 per game last season. The Miami Heat would love to keep their unrestricted free agent.
But Basketball Insiders’ Steve Kyler pointed out the Heat are hindered by not having full Bird rights, compounded by the issue of Dwyane Wade’s free-agent status and the amount of salary cap they’ll have to work with.
Kyler went on to point out the Lakers’ interest:
"There is a sense that Whiteside is one of the top names on the Lakers’ wish list of free agents, with the Celtics also interested. The problem with trying to peg either as having some edge over the other neglects that Whiteside could be the most obtainable free agent in the class and likely gets a lot of interest beyond those two suitors.
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Other free-agent big men include Atlanta’s Al Horford, Toronto’s Bismack Biyombo and underrated veteran Zaza Pachulia of the Dallas Mavericks.
The rumor roundup will only increase in the days and weeks ahead.
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