Magic Johnson, Rob Pelinka to represent Lakers during draft lottery drawing
Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson will be the public face of the team during next month’s draft lottery.
Johnson will appear on the lottery show that will be broadcast on May 16. The actual drawing for draft positioning will happen off camera before the show. Each team will have a representative observe the drawing. The Lakers will have general manager Rob Pelinka backstage, the team said.
This year’s lottery is particularly important for the Lakers. They finished the season 26-56, with the third-worst record in the NBA. That gives them about a 47% chance to win a draft pick in the top three during the lottery.
If the Lakers’ draft pick falls out of the top three, they will have to send the pick to Philadelphia and send their 2019 first-round pick to Orlando. Both moves are part of trades that brought Steve Nash and Dwight Howard to the Lakers in 2012. If the Lakers’ draft pick remains in the top three, they will keep it and instead send next year’s first-round pick to the 76ers. Orlando will then get a pair of second-round picks instead of a 2019 first-rounder.
All that’s certain for the Lakers in this year’s draft is that they will have the 28th overall pick. The Houston Rockets sent that pick to the Lakers along with Corey Brewer in exchange for Lou Williams.
Follow Tania Ganguli on Twitter @taniaganguli
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