Lonzo Ball Says He Doesn't Know Lakers' Plan for 2017 NBA Draft

Lonzo Ball said the Los Angeles Lakers have not informed him whether they intend to take him with the No. 2 overall selection in Thursday's NBA draft.

"You know, the Lakers have a plan," Ball said, per Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com. "So whatever that is, we will see whatever that is in the future."

Ball is widely expected to be the Lakers' pick at No. 2 after the Philadelphia 76ers take Markelle Fultz with the first pick. The team paved the way for Ball's arrival with the franchise by trading D'Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets on Tuesday, per Youngmisuk.

Russell and Timofey Mozgov were sent to Brooklyn in exchange for Brook Lopez and the No. 27 overall pick. The No. 2 overall pick in 2015, Russell was the Lakers primary point guard last season and was seen as a potential face of the franchise.

That title now likely rests in the hands of Ball, the UCLA standout whose father, LaVar, has made it seem like destiny that his son will wear purple and gold. Lonzo himself has been more subdued about the process but has become understandably excited at the prospect of playing for his hometown team.

"It will mean a lot to play for my hometown [team] and learn from the best point guard ever," Lonzo said of Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson, per Youngmisuk. "Yeah that's crazy to me [if it happens]. Magic Johnson is the best point guard ever. ... Words [couldn't] describe that."

Ball's teammates going into next season are yet to be determined. The Lakers could choose to go into the 2017-18 campaign with a young core again, with Ball joining Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and Brandon Ingram as part of a rebuilding effort. However, one of those players could also wind up finding themselves in Indiana as part of a package for Paul George.