Brandon Ingram (Photo : Twitter)
The LA Lakers owe their 2017 draft pick to the Philadelphia 76ers (originally to the Phoenix Suns) if they don't get a top three pick.
Just a brief primer on the situation:
This was still a consequence of the Steve Nash trade, although it should have been 2015 (top 5 protected) but they finished at no.2. Thus, it was pushed to 2016 with the top three protection, and they ended up at no.2 again. 2017 is the last chance for the Lakers before the pick is finally sent to Philly in 2018 unprotected.
That would be the best case scenario for the Lakers. If they get the 2017 pick, they lose the first round pick obligation to the Orlando Magic, as explained by Real GM.
"If the L.A. Lakers convey a 1st round pick to Philadelphia in 2017, then the L.A. Lakers will convey their 2019 1st round pick to Orlando; if the L.A. Lakers do not convey a 1st round pick to Philadelphia in 2017, then the L.A. Lakers will instead convey their 2017 2nd round pick and 2018 2nd round pick to Orlando."
Again, this was all part of assembling the failed superteam of 2012 with Dwight and Nash.
Why should the Lakers trade to get the 2017 pick back? Firstly, the consensus on the 2017 class is that it is very deep. ESPN Insider Chad Ford said: "I think only Simmons and Ingram would've cracked the top 10 in 2017. That's impressive." Ford believes that any top 10 pick in 2017 would be better than Kris Dunn, Jamal Murray or Buddy Hield.
It is also a positive sign that even if the naysayers (read: ESPN) believe that the Lakers could be dead last in the Western Conference, there is a real possibility that they would not be one of the bottom three teams-hence, they would fall out of the top three and lost their first round pick.
If the Lakers don't get a first round pick, the only way they could improve is through free agency where they did not have much success in the last three years.
The proposal is to trade Ingram to give the pick back to the Lakers, but the Sixers should also give someone back as well. Ideally for the Lakers, it's Nerlens Noel and the pick for Ingram, but the Sixers are likely to refuse, even though Ingram would be a great fit for them over Noel.
The prospects of the 2017 Draft could be better than Ingram, specifically the top three. Josh Jackson, in particular, could be a game changer. But the top three is not the concern here (since that means the Lakers are in the top three and don't need to give up the pick).
The other talents like Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz and Jayson Tatum who could fall out of the top three could be better than Ingram.
These are still projections, though and we have not seen the young players in college where Ingram excelled (and pushed himself to become a no.2 overall pick). If Ingram plays into his potential, even a whiff of the "next Kevin Durant" projection, then the Lakers should not even consider this.
