Lakers Draft News: Lonzo Ball working out for Lakers on June 7th

The Los Angeles Lakers have finalized a workout date with top prospect Lonzo Ball out of UCLA. Ball will meet and work out for the Lakers on June 7, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical.

Ball, widely projected as the No. 2 pick heading to the Lakers, is the first elite prospect the Lakers have lined a workout up with. There’s a chance they meet with other players in the mix with the second overall pick prior to next Friday, but there’s yet to be any noise on that front.

The Lakers are expected to host point guard De’Aaron Fox out of Kentucky for a workout some time in June, but that’s to be expected as they sort through the top of the draft. The team reportedly loves both Fox and swingman Josh Jackson out of Kansas, but Ball remains the likeliest selection.

The basketball operations team has been busy hosting workouts for lower tier prospects over the past two weeks, getting a feel for what they plan to do with the No. 28 pick while scouting some deep picks.

Here’s what Charania had to say about the upcoming workout, via The Vertical:

Ball, 19, has scheduled his visit with his hometown team to meet with the front office and coaches and participate in an individual workout. Ball had always planned to conduct only a private individual workout because of his success in his lone season at UCLA and never considered a one-on-one workout against another top prospect, league sources said.

The Lakers’ front office worked with Ball’s agent, Harrison Gaines, to finalize the workout details. The Lakers are the only pre-draft workout scheduled for Ball as of now, but he could add one or two meetings with teams near the top of the draft, league sources said.

As for what teams he might be working out with, Tania Ganguli of the Los Angeles Times notes that the Philadelphia 76ers and Phoenix Suns could be in the mix for Ball:

Lonzo and the Lakers have been linked together even before Magic Johnson left the NBA Draft lottery with the No. 2 pick secured. Ball has informed the Boston Celtics he will not work out for them, leveraging a situation to ensure Lonzo is still available after the top pick goes to Boston. Markelle Fultz remains the consensus No. 1 pick.

Ball has an opportunity to knock his workout out of the gym in his Lakers tryout. He’s been open about his affinity for wearing the purple and gold, an Inland Empire product that spent his lone college season hooping for UCLA.

It’s a match many feel is meant to be, and now we know when Lonzo gets his chance to prove he’s the Lakers pick when draft night comes along on June 22. June 7 is a huge day for both the Lakers and Lonzo.