Jamal Murray (Photo : NBAE via Getty Images)
The Los Angeles Lakers now has a great chance of selecting Ben Simmons in this year's draft, with the Philadelphia 76ers considering Jamal Murray at No. 1 first overall.
The Lakers may have boosted their chances to select Simmons in this year's draft, with the 76ers considering Murray for the No. 1 pick, according to Sixers Vice President of Player Personnel Marc Eversley.
"Jamal Murray, we certainly got a chance to see him a couple of weeks ago. He's certainly going to be one of those kids who's going to be in contention for the No. 1 pick. We like him a lot. He's going to bring a lot to wherever he goes in the NBA, certainly a talent," Eversley said, reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Murray, a 6-foot-4 combo guard from Kentucky, has all the tools to be one of the league's proficient scorer. In his lone season at Kentucky, the 19-year-old Canadian averaged 20 points per game while shooting 45.4 percent from the field and a respectable 40.8 percent from the three-point territory.
Murray can also defend well, holding opponents to 37 percent shooting against him and creating turnovers on 11 percent of the possessions he defended. While the NBA offers a different level of competition, Murray could still develop into one of the best two-way guards in the league.
With the 76ers in need of a talented point guard, there is a chance they could really consider Murray at No. 1 pick, making Simmons available for the picking for the Lakers at No. 2. However, most draft experts have Murray being selected at No. 5 and beyond.
The 76ers have been rumored to be gauging the trade market for both Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor. If Philadelphia still wishes to go with Simmons for the top pick, they could make a deal to the Boston Celtics involving either of the two young big men for the No. 3 pick, which the Sixers could use to draft Murray.
It is still undetermined whether the 76ers are willing to pass on such talent in Simmons, who many believe has the highest ceiling in the 2016 NBA draft class. But if Philly changed its mind in selecting the Australian phenom, the Lakers will be there ready to pounce.
