Getty Lakers fans would love to pair LeBron James with Zion Williamson.
The Los Angeles Lakers are already eyeing next season which has many fans thinking of Zion Williamson in the NBA draft. Lakers fans are not alone as nearly every NBA fan base would love to add Williamson to their team. The challenge for the Lakers is they need a lottery miracle for this to happen.
According to Tankathon.com, the Lakers sit at the No. 10 spot in the current odds to land the No. 1 pick. Williamson is a heavy favorite to be the top pick, and the Lakers have just a 2.2 percent chance to win the lottery.
LeBron James has been on a minutes restriction now that the playoffs are a longshot. Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka were spotted in the crowd at a Murray State conference tournament game watching point guard Ja Morant. The Murray State point guard is expected to go no lower than No. 3 in the draft, well above where the Lakers are projected to pick.
The Lakers would pick 10th if the lottery held true to the current standings. L.A. is three games back from the Pelicans for the No. 9 position in the odds. Even if the Lakers were able to make headway and jump the Pelicans they would still have just a 4.5 percent chance to land Williamson.
LeBron James Loves Zion Williamson’s Game
James teaming up with Williamson is a longshot, but he has been outspoken about his affinity for Williamson’s game. Like James, Williamson was thrust into the spotlight at a young age. James even took in a Duke game from the stands earlier this college basketball season.
“What strikes me? His agility and his quickness,” James told ESPN. “For his size, how strong he is, to be able to move like the way he moves, he’s very impressive. I mean, everybody can see the athleticism. That’s obviously, that’s ridiculous. But the speed and the quickness that he moves [with] at that size is very impressive.”
James is also appreciative of how Williamson has handled the spotlight.
“I can relate in a sense of he’s been covered since he was in high school and everybody is trying to compare him to the next this or the next that,” James explained to ESPN. “But the best thing I’ve noticed is he seems like a good kid. He seems like he’s got his head on straight. And when they asked him about, you know, guys in our league and people who cover our league talking about, ‘If I was Zion Williamson, I would sit out for the rest of the year,’ he was like, ‘That’s [silly]. Why? I’m here to play basketball. I love to play basketball. I’m here at Duke, I’m having fun. These are my friends. I’m having a great time. Why would I sit out?'”
Heavy has the Lakers taking Oregon center Bol Bol in our latest mock draft. Unless the Lakers get a lottery miracle, L.A. would need to trade up in the draft to be able to select Williamson.
