The NBA Draft Lottery airs tonight on ESPN at 8:30 pm EST in Chicago, right before Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals. Tonight could be a very interesting night for the historic franchise. Things haven’t been looking too good for Jeanie Buss & Co. these past few months. However, after finally hiring a head coach, the front office is looking to get back on track. And they will need a little luck from the ping pong ball to do so.
Behind The Lottery
The Lakers are coming off a 37-45 record – 11th worse in the NBA. Their probability of maintaining the 11th overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft is 77.6%, while their chances at obtaining a top spot (2%) or even 2-4 (9.4%) are much lower.
Each team eligible for the NBA Lottery sends a representative to speak on their behalf and serve as a good luck charm during selection. Kyle Kuzma will be the one to represent the Lakers this time around. Kuzma was the Lakers 27th overall pick in 2017 and was viewed by many as a steal in the first round. It’s safe to assume that Kuzma will be returning to LA this season since the front office selected him to attend and represent the franchise.
What’s At Stake
The 11th selection in the draft isn’t a horrible spot to be in if you are the Lakers. We saw a lot of talent on display this past season in the NCAA. Experts are foreseeing a relatively top-heavy draft with the “best” players being taken by pick 13. The higher the selection, the more lucrative the pick will be. The Lakers can trade away their pick and a few contracts for a player that can bring immediate relief for LeBron James. Or they can attempt to trade up and bring in a fresh new face to this sunken organization. Either way, the front office needs to be aggressive, but smart in whichever route they decide to venture on.
***UPDATE: Luck would have it that the Lakers received the 4th overall pick in the NBA Lottery.***
Los Angeles Lakers. Photo Credit: Miguel Discart – Under Creative Commons License