NBA Draft 2017: Lakers should consider De’Aaron Fox instead of Lonzo Ball

With March Madness winding down, it’s time to look ahead to the NBA Draft 2017.

The Lakers have taken a lot from their recent draft choices. Whether you want to point to D’Angelo Russell, Brandon Ingram, or someone else, the reality is that their young core is a unique group.

Now that they could be adding to that young core, it could be another point guard.

This season has let us see that Luke Walton is open to putting Russell at shooting guard. Not only that, but Russell is also okay with the move, expressing that he’s not just a point guard.

For a while, one of the big rumors has been that the Lakers will select Lonzo Ball from UCLA. The freshman helped the Bruins get a three seed in the NCAA tournament, but couldn’t get them through Kentucky.

Normally, a tournament loss wouldn’t have too much of a tremendous impact on a prospect’s draft stock. That in mind, however, this is far from a normal scenario.

Ball failed to put up point against Kentucky, but beyond that was his inability to outplay the point guard opposite him in De’Aaron Fox.

LaVar Ball had to defend his son against the idea of Fox being drafted ahead of him, according to a report form ESPN.

Per ESPN:

"“They came up short, but one game doesn’t define his season,” LaVar Ball said. “No one is going to take De’Aaron Fox over him because of one game. It’s about your body of work, and people know what he can do.”"

De’Aaron Fox, on the other hand, exploded for 39 points and went 13-20 from the field. He and the rest of Kentucky will square off with North Carolina in another potential classic with a Final Four berth at stake.

Next: Ducks End Up Representing PAC-12 In Final Four

But also a chance for Fox to potentially climb in the draft order.