NBA 2017 Rumors: What Could the LA Lakers Do if They Lose Top Draft Pick via the Lottery?
Los Angeles Lakers' first round pick conveys to the Philadelphia 76ers if it lands out of the top three
The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in a less than comfortable position heading into the upcoming NBA offseason, especially with their top draft pick in jeopardy of being taken away. However, the team's higher-ups insist that they have things in mind for this summer, whether the lottery favors them or not.
First off, it is worth remembering just how potentially meaningful the upcoming draft lottery is to the Lakers.
As many fans may already know, if the Lakers' pick falls out of the top three spots in the draft, then possession of it will go to the Philadelphia 76ers. But that's not all.
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According to a detailed breakdown of future draft picks provided by RealGM, the Lakers losing their top pick this year to the 76ers also means that they will have to hand over their first round pick in 2019 to the Orlando Magic.
Should the Lakers keep their pick for this year, they will then instead lose their first round pick to the 76ers in 2018, while also giving up second round picks to the Magic both for this upcoming draft and for the one that will take place in 2018.
The Lakers obviously have a lot riding on how this lottery plays out, but as general manager Rob Pelinka put it, the team will not be completely lost even if they lose their 2017 first round pick.
According to Pelinka, "we do have a plan, to still get to where our ultimate destination is without the draft pick," ESPN reported.
Unsurprisingly, the specifics of this plan were not shared by Pelinka, but given how costly losing the draft pick could be for the Lakers, the team may be better off just standing pat for the summer and signing cost-effective veterans should that end up happening.
Rumors throughout the year have linked the Lakers to Paul George of the Indiana Pacers, but not having that pick may make negotiating a trade more difficult.
The last few years have been pretty rough for fans of the Los Angeles Lakers, and if they end up losing their top pick in this draft then they should probably prepare for a mostly uneventful summer followed by what could be another underwhelming season.
