The LA Lakers have been in rebuild mode for the last few seasons, and those efforts have stepped up since Kobe Bryant retired in 2016.
Rookie coach Luke Walton was brought in from the Golden States Warriors to work with a young and promising team that includes Jordan Clarkson, Julius Randle, and second overall draft pick in 2015, D’Angelo Russell.
For the reboot to succeed, the Lakers need to keep infusing the team with new and young talents. And they have a good chance of doing that by retaining their first-round draft pick – provided that they lose enough games this year.
And that’s what some Lakers observers are calling on their team to do, including LA Times columnist Bill Plaschke and KPCC's own A Martinez.
Should the Lakers lose on purpose to maintain their draft edge?
Guest:
Bill Plaschke, Los Angeles Times sports columnist; he tweets @BillPlaschke