Lakers Rumors: Which superstar adds the most wins for the Lakers next season
By Jason Reed
3. Lonzo Ball
2017-18 Record with Ball: 26-56 (±0 wins)
Lonzo Ball is not even in the NBA yet and he is already very tied up with the Los Angeles Lakers. The California native out of Chino Hills seems destined to play for the Los Angeles Lakers, especially coming out of UCLA. This is more than just a good fit, however, as Lonzo Ball knows how to play basketball and would be a huge asset for the young Lakers.
Ball has been the most talked about target for the Los Angeles Lakers heading into the 2017 NBA Draft. In order to snag Ball, the Lakers will need to land in the top three to secure their pick, and even that may not be enough. With the Phoneix Suns presumably ahead of the Lakers in the draft, with a need at point guard, Ball may not even reach the Lakers pick.
However, if he was selected he would be an instant catalyst. His father went as far as saying that Ball would have the same impact on the Lakers that Magic Johnson did. However, in this simulation, that is apparently not the case. The Lakers, with Ball, put up the exact same record as this year, failing to show any true improvements with Ball.
This draft pick-up would slide D’Angelo Russell over to shooting guard to make room for the more dynamic playmaker in Ball. Ball did play very well, winning the Rookie of the Year after posting 19.0 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game.
While these numbers were very impressive for a rookie, Ball may not be ready to make the kind of impact on the Lakers that his father is asserting.