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Lakers hosting lottery prospects for Wednesday pre-draft workout

Syracuse's Tyler Ennis reacts after missing a shot in the closing seconds of his team's 55-53 loss to Dayton in the third round of the NCAA tournament. He is one of several top NBA prospects whose teams failed to advance to the Sweet 16.
(Elsa Garrison / Getty Images)
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The Lakers will hold two pre-draft workout sessions Wednesday, auditioning some of the prospects expected to be lottery picks in the June 26 NBA draft.

While the list is subject to change, the morning session is scheduled to include Indiana’s Noah Vonleh, Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart, Syracuse’s Tyler Ennis, Kentucky’s James Young, Michigan’s Nik Stauskas and Pepperdine’s Brendan Lane.

Power forward/center Vonleh and point guard Smart could be available when the Lakers pick in the No. 7 spot.

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Ennis, a point guard; Stauskas (shooting guard) and Young (shooting guard/small forward) project to be lottery picks (top 14).

Lane, a 23-year-old power forward who played three seasons at UCLA, may be a second-round selection -- although the Milwaukee Bucks have the Lakers’ second-round pick (36th) through a number of trades (initially from the Lakers to the Phoenix Suns for Steve Nash).

The afternoon session is scheduled to include Arizona’s Aaron Gordon, UCLA’s Zach LaVine, Creighton’s Doug McDermott, Duke’s Rodney Hood, Michigan State’s Gary Harris and Louisiana Lafayette’s Elfrid Payton.

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Forwards Gordon and McDermott could go in the top 10. Combo guard LaVine is harder to peg in the draft; his raw athleticism could jump him into the lottery.

Small forward Hood and shooting guard Harris also project to be on the lottery bubble. Point guard Payton is an interesting prospect, but he would be a reach for the Lakers at seven.

The Lakers will have additional workouts before the draft, although they may not be able to get a look at the top-most prospects, Andrew Wiggins (Kansas), Joel Embiid (Kansas) and Jabari Parker (Duke).

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Australian guard Dante Exum may not be available at seven but the Lakers might have a shot at Kentucky power forward Julius Randle. Croatian forward Dario Saric is another potential wild card in the lottery.

Email Eric Pincus at eric.pincus@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.

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