The Lakers are talking about trading the No. 2 pick in the 2017 NBA draft. Here’s why they won’t

The Lakers are considering all options with the No. 2 overall pick in the draft, including a potential trade out of it.

According to reports from Tania Ganguli of the LA Times, the Lakers have both taken and made calls to suitors with discussions surrounding the pick, despite General Manager Rob Pelinka previously stating they were unlikely to make a trade involving it.

The Lakers have worked out Lonzo Ball, Josh Jackson, De’Aaron Fox, and Markelle Fultz so far ahead of the draft process. The time is winding down for them to make a decision on who they’ll take, but they’re keeping their options open.

If the right offer comes along, the Lakers should trade their pick. With Markelle Fultz widely expected to be taken No. 1 overall by the Boston Celtics, the Lakers are in full control of what happens from the second slot on down.

If the Lakers haven’t fallen in love with a prospect just yet, maybe they won’t. And if they don’t, and a team comes along with the right offer, they should pounce on it.

Each player they’re looking at has some significant flaw. Ball isn’t the best shot creator and scorer one-on-one. Both Jackson and Fox have issues shooting the ball despite their superior defensive ability. Jackson struggles to create for himself in the half court as well.

Should a team offer them a pick swap and an extra pick or the Kings offer them both picks they have in the draft for the No. 2 overall pick, the Lakers should think about it.

And obviously, if there is a superstar on the table like Paul George, the Lakers have to make the move without thinking twice about it. There isn’t a player as good as George in this draft, and reports over the last few months have indicated that he really wants to be a Laker.

The Lakers would have to throw in other players and picks to sweeten the deal, but if there is ever a superstar available, then you should always move to get him.

The Lakers need talent. They’re a young team still going through growing pains, but they don’t have a player that looks like he could pan out into being a superstar.

Brandon Ingram is still young and showed flashes of potential last year. He averaged 9.4 points and 4.0 rebounds per game, which isn’t anything to write home about. And he only started in 40 games this past season.

There isn’t really going to be a trade that blows the Lakers away. The Pacers have made it clear that George isn’t on the block at this point, and it’d take more than the pick just to get him. If he was available, it’d be a different story. But he isn’t going to be anytime soon.

Even if the Lakers were to find themselves a solid pick swap, they have control of the draft right now. They can take the highest player on their board, and moving the pick for another one plus a swap isn’t really a better option. Sure, you add another player of value to your team, but neither of them will be as good as what you could get with the pick straight up.

The Lakers may be fielding calls and even making calls on their pick, but they won’t move it. The only way that happens is if a superstar comes into play, and that isn’t going to happen.

The best thing the Lakers can do at this point is keep the pick and live with the decision they make whether it be Ball, Fox, Jackson or someone else. They’re a young team with lots of room to grow, and it makes more sense to add another young player to that mix.

Until then, they can prepare to nab stars in free agency in 2018.