May 18--REPORTING FROM NEW YORK -- The Lakers secured the second pick in the NBA draft at Tuesday's lottery, a good outcome for them on a night where they could have almost as easily slid down to third...or lost their pick.
The Lakers will likely end up with LSU's Ben Simmons or Duke's Brandon Ingram -- whichever forward is not taken with the top overall pick.
Simmons is a 6-foot-10 triple-double threat whose powerful drives to the basket are reminiscent of a young LeBron James. But he lacks outside touch, making only one of three three-pointers in his lone college season.
Ingram is a smooth shooter whose outside game is much more NBA-ready. He weighs only 190 pounds, however, wafer-thin for a 6-foot-9 player.
The Lakers had a 19.9% chance of taking the first pick and an 18.8% shot at the second pick after finishing with the NBA's second-worst record (17-65).
The Lakers also had a 44.2% chance of falling to fourth or fifth and losing their top-three protected pick. It would have gone to Philadelphia via Phoenix as part of the Steve Nash trade in 2012.
After the first pick was determined, the second pick was another four-digit combination that emerged from a hopper of 14 ping-pong balls. The combination was one of 199 that belonged to the Lakers, and there were 1,000 total combinations spread among the 14 lottery teams.
After the lottery Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak said: "Do we keep the pick? Do we trade the pick? That's something we haven't discussed."
A relieved Kupchak added: The lottery provided "drama that really, at this stage of my life, is unnecessary."
The Lakers will begin individual workouts of top-of-the-draft players either next week or more likely the following week.
The Lakers' first-round pick next season will again be top-three protected.
In addition, the Lakers have a second-round pick, 32nd overall, in next month's draft.
