Lakers draft rumors: LA could shock by taking Dennis Smith Jr.

Dennis Smith Jr. is at the center of the latest Lakers draft rumors.

If the Lakers don’t end up taking Lonzo Ball, De’Aaron Fox, or Josh Jackson, it’d be a big surprise. Not so much that they didn’t take Ball, but that they passed on another point guard and one of the best two way players available.

If that happened, though, maybe there’s a method to the madness. Dennis Smith Jr. played for NC State last season and now will be looking to make it to the next level through the draft.

While Fox and Ball have separated themselves as the likely candidates to go after Markelle Fultz, Smith Jr. could earn a spot in that conversation.

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What this hinges on is Lonzo Ball’s workout with Los Angeles in early June. The results of the private workout will be telling, as the team is going to likely use that in their final decision.

Other draft boards around the league have been high on Fox lately. Also, the Lakers may not want to deal with the drama that could come from having the Ball family stick around.

However, if the Lakers pick him, it won’t be that they need to find a way to make him fit, but rather use his strengths to make the team compete and contend.

Smith Jr. plays with a high level of energy at point guard. With Brandon Ingram being the official focus from the start of the season, having that explosive kind of player run the point could end up making everybody better.

That’s their true goal with this summer and the upcoming draft, anyway. If they draft Smith Jr., they wouldn’t regret it — but it would absolutely be a surprise.

Next: 5 Guys To Build Around Brandon Ingram

He averaged 18.1 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 6.2 assists in his lone year in college.

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