Lakers Rumors: Execs Split on Drafting Lonzo Ball, De'Aaron Fox, Josh Jackson

As the Los Angeles Lakers weigh their options with the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NBA draft, team executives are reportedly trying to decide among Lonzo Ball, De'Aaron Fox and Josh Jackson. 

Per ESPN's Chad Ford, the Lakers are still leaning in Ball's direction but are giving serious consideration to the other two players:

"I also think it reflects a genuine split within the organization about whom the best long-term candidate is. Ball was a clear favorite of the prior administration run by Mitch Kupchak and still has his fans within the organization. But the Lakers also took note on how Fox outplayed Ball in their head-to-head matchup in March. And Jackson has always been another favorite in the organization."

Ball has been the odds-on-favorite to end up with the Lakers, assuming the Boston Celtics pass on him with the top pick. The native of Chino Hills, California, played college basketball at UCLA. 

It's also no secret LaVar Ball wants his son to play for the Lakers. He told Ryan Ward of Lakers Nation that Lonzo won't work out for any team other than the Lakers leading up to the draft. 

"That’s all we working out for is the Lakers," he said. "Just the Lakers. There’s nobody else that we need to work out for."

Ford noted the Lakers "want to control the narrative" that they, not LaVar, are in command of the process. They want teams picking behind them to think Fox and Jackson are in the mix to entice a trade up.

As for what he thinks will happen, Ford gave Ball the best odds to end up with the Lakers at 40 percent, followed by Jackson at 35 percent and Fox at 25 percent.