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NBA Mock Draft: Los Angeles Lakers Select Lonzo Ball From UCLA

SB Nation's NBA Network conducted a mock draft with bloggers from each team site making their team’s picks. To start out the 2017 NBA Mock Draft, Silver Screen and Roll continues by taking Lonzo Ball from UCLA

By Dakota Schmidt
NBA Prospect Lonzo Ball Los Angeles Lakers Workout - Media Availability Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

NBA Mock Draft Pick #2 - Lonzo Ball, Point Guard, UCLA

SBNation’s Los Angeles Lakers’ blog Silver Screen and Roll explains the pick:

The Lakers may already have a "franchise" point guard in D'Angelo Russell, but the potential pairing of Lonzo Ball and D'Angelo was simply too tantalizing to pass up. Even if it doesn't work, the Lakers are left with at least one young point guard to develop and one young point guard to use as a valuable trade asset, which is a pretty good worst-case scenario. There are questions about LaVar Ball, but ultimately that's more noise than anything. A professional sports franchise should be more than able to handle any LaVar situation that may arise, and Lonzo is the best prospect available. There was some serious consideration for Josh Jackson, but the Lakers did the Lakers-iest thing and are shooting for the moon.

Ridiculous Upside Analysis

With this selection of Lonzo Ball, the Lakers would instantly have one of the best young backcourts in the NBA with him and D’Angelo Russell. Although Russell and Ball are both technically point guards, neither player needs the ball in their hands to have success on the offensive end. For example, Ball is pretty solid when he’s working off-ball whether it’s through catch-and-shoot or as a cutter. However, he still shines when he has the ball in his hand as the young guard can dish out precise passes or hit the kind of perimeter jumper that would make Stephen Curry blush.

1. Boston Celtics - MARKELLE FULTZ, WASHINGTON

2. Los Angeles Lakers - LONZO BALL, UCLA

3. Philadelphia 76ers -

4. Phoenix Suns -

5. Sacramento Kings -

6. Orlando Magic -

7. Minnesota Timberwolves -

8. New York Knicks -

9. Dallas Mavericks -

10. Sacramento Kings -

11. Charlotte Hornets -

12. Detroit Pistons -

13. Denver Nuggets -

14. Miami Heat -

15. Portland Trail Blazers -

16. Chicago Bulls -

17. Milwaukee Bucks -

18. Indiana Pacers -

19. Atlanta Hawks -

20. Portland Trail Blazers -

21. Oklahoma City Thunder -

22. Brooklyn Nets -

23. Toronto Raptors -

24. Utah Jazz -

25. Orlando Magic -

26. Portland Trail Blazers -

27. Brooklyn Nets -

28. Los Angeles Lakers -

29. San Antonio Spurs -

30. Utah Jazz -

In This Stream

2017 NBA Blogger Mock Draft

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