One of the biggest stories of the NBA Draft Lottery last night was the fact that the Los Angeles Lakers got the fourth overall pick despite being projected to get the 11th pick. It was a huge development for the Lakers who have struggled to make the playoffs for the better part of the decade. Now that the team has a high pick, they have some tough decisions to make as far as what they want to do with it. In a conference call with ESPN after the lottery, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka explained how he's excited to explore the various different options moving forward.
“I think it’s an extraordinary shift for us,” Pelinka said. “I mean, top-five picks in the draft, if you go back in the history and study them, those picks can alter and impact franchises.”
Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images
He also went on to say that there is a possibility they use the pick as a piece for a potential trade, which could yield an established impact player.
“This is a powerful asset for us,” Pelinka explained. “We owe a commitment to our fans to have an outstanding season next year. What this does is it gives us the ability to either select an impact player at 4 or possibly use this as an extremely valuable asset in trade.”
If the Lakers do decide to trade the pick, they will most likely be looking towards New Orleans and their star player Anthony Davis.