The Lakers reportedly want another 1st-round pick, maybe even for D’Angelo Russell

The Los Angeles Lakers had a 53 percent chance to lose their top draft pick headed into the lottery and saved it with through fortunate pingpong bounces. Now they want another one, according to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, and are reportedly offering D’Angelo Russell as trade bait.

The Lakers have reached out to at least two teams in the late lottery, per Shelburne, wanting something in the “top 12.” The two prospects they’re targeting, per ESPN’s Chad Ford, are Duke’s Luke Kennard and Gonzaga’s Zach Collins. Los Angeles also has the 28th pick from Houston thanks to the Lou Williams trade last February.

Even if the Lakers can’t swing a deal yet, they may be able to lay groundwork for Thursday if a team in that top-12 range misses out on the prospects they were targeting.

If the Lakers draft Lonzo Ball — and it appears they are — then their backcourt is beginning to get a little crowded with him, Russell, and Jordan Clarkson. Sure, Ball can coexist with those two given his passing and his ability to play off ball, but it’s certainly more mouths to feed.

Whatever you think of what happened, Russell has had a weird relationship with the Lakers ever since the bizarre Nick Young Snapchat leak that he was caught up in. That could factor into his availability.

Just as likely, it seems like the Lakers are starting to clear out a path for Paul George, who has reportedly told the Pacers that he will leave in 2018 and prefers the Lakers. You don’t necessarily need Russell, a volume scorer, and another volume scorer who’s better than him. That’s a slight oversimplification, but the two players who Los Angeles reportedly want is telling — Kennard, an elite shooter who would mostly play off the ball, and Collins, a high-ceiling center who can also shoot and play sound defense.

Both of those players make sense as tertiary pieces on a team led by a superstar like George. Still, this seems like an underestimation of Russell’s value. He’s still a 21-year-old point guard who averaged nearly 16 points per game last year and the Lakers could be hanging onto.

The four teams that would likely fall in the top 10 are the Mavericks, Kings, Hornets and Pistons. Dallas needs a point guard, but it appears to be gunning for one in the draft — either Frank Ntilikina or Dennis Smith Jr. If both are taken by the No. 9 pick, perhaps the Mavericks would be willing to talk.

The other options are trickier. Detroit has $51 million tied up in Reggie Jackson until 2020, and Charlotte is likewise committed to Kemba Walker. Sacramento could really take anyone.

We’ll give the Lakers a 2/10 chance of pulling this off, all things considered. Los Angeles isn’t the only team who is having conversations like this — its front office is just leakier. The real question is Russell’s future with this team and what happens next if no deal goes through.