One week from today, the 2016 NBA Draft will take place and the wait will finally be over.
Who will the Los Angeles Lakers select with the No. 2 pick? It may hinge solely on who the Philadelphia 76ers draft in front of them with the top overall selection. For awhile, all signs seemed to indicate that Ben Simmons would be heading to Philly. But ever since Brandon Ingram worked out with the Sixers — something Simmons will not do with either Philadelphia or Los Angeles — the scales appear to be balancing back out.
After once stating that he knew who he would take with the pick, 76ers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo has wavered on that stance as the draft has approached. Now, the Sixers are still “contemplating” who to take, he told NBA.com’s Scott Howard-Cooper, even going as far as to say they change their minds every day.
While this could be a great smokescreen by their front office, the debate between Simmons and Ingram is a valid one, given the difference in skill sets and roster fits that both provide.
The Lakers, meanwhile, can sit back and wait to see who is available. Will they end up with the seamless fit at small forward with Ingram, or Simmons, the top prospect in the eyes of many? Only time will tell if former high school teammates in Simmons and D’Angelo Russell will be reunited in purple and gold, but we are only a week away from finding out.
For the full feature from Scott Howard-Cooper, click here.
