NBA Rumors: Lakers Projected 2019 Pick Already Working With LeBron

The 2019 NBA Draft is less than two weeks away with the top three picks more or less settled. The New Orleans Pelicans, Memphis Grizzlies and New York Knicks are expected to prioritize Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, and RJ Barrett, meaning it will be interesting who the Los Angeles Lakers will end up with.

As of this writing, there are two names being floated as to who the purple and gold will pick. They are Darius Garland and Jarrett Culver, with the latter reportedly leaving a good impression on the Lakers. According to the Silver Screen and Roll, the 20-year-old former Texas Tech guard worked out at the UCLA Health Training Center in El Segundo earlier this month. Looking at his brand of play, Culver could be a good guard pickup who can also be counted upon to defend forwards because of his 6-foot-9.5-inch wingspan. So does this mean that Garland is out of the picture?

A recent post on Instagram showing Garland working out with LeBron James could hint at who the Lakers will be picking at the 2019 NBA Draft. However, seeing how the 20-year-old is also under the Klutch Sports Group, the video could be nothing more than two clients working together. But seeing how Garland has been visibly around the King, it could hint at something moving forward.

But before one can conclude that the Lakers are sure to pick up Garland, that could still depend on teams picking ahead of them at the 2019 NBA Draft. As covered in a previous post, the Knicks could flip the switch and consider taking in Garland ahead of the top three candidates. If the predicted course is to be believed, it could be Morant or Barrett that could be available by the time the Lakers announce who their choice for the fourth overall pick would be.

Also worth noting is that alleged promise made to Garland. There were rumors claiming that Garland had received a promise from the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns – believed to be the reason why the 20-year-old left the NBA Draft Combine early. But even if he were to be selected by the purple and gold, would he remain with the Lakers before the 2019-20 NBA season kicks off?

Remember that the Lakers are still in search of a second superstar this summer. Anthony Davis, someone who many NBA teams will be aiming for remains in play. The Lakers will need to unload several of their stars – meaning even their fourth overall pick could be packaged in the deal. Obviously, there are plenty of factors to consider and it all starts by the 2019 NBA Draft.