Retroactive application of NBA Draft lottery rules would have altered Lakers' 2017 selection history
A hypothetical scenario posits that current restrictions on consecutive top-three picks would have invalidated the Lakers' second overall selection in 2017
An examination of the Los Angeles Lakers' draft history between 2015 and 2017 reveals a pattern of consecutive top-three selections that would have been prohibited under current NBA Draft lottery regulations. The franchise selected D'Angelo Russell in 2015, followed by Brandon Ingram in 2016, and Lonzo Ball in 2017, all utilizing the second overall pick.
Under the existing rule set, a team is restricted from selecting a player in the top three for three consecutive years. If this restriction had been in place a decade ago, the Lakers' second overall pick in 2017 would have been rendered invalid, forcing the organisation to pass on Lonzo Ball.
With the top three picks unavailable, the franchise would have been compelled to look further down the draft order. Analysis indicates that strong options such as De'Aaron Fox and Lauri Markkanen would have become accessible targets for the Lakers in that alternate timeline.
The actual 2017 draft class featured several notable selections outside the top three, including Donovan Mitchell, Bam Adebayo, and Luke Kennard. Kennard is currently with the Lakers and has played a significant role in the team's recent postseason campaign alongside Luka Doncic.
While the article notes that speculative scenarios cannot predict future roster trajectories or guarantee better outcomes, the hypothetical shift in selection order highlights how governance structures within the league can fundamentally alter team composition. The current rule prevents teams from dominating the early draft pool repeatedly, a mechanism that was not active during the 2015 to 2017 period.
Ultimately, while the specific players chosen in an alternate reality remain unknowable, the application of these rules would have ensured that the Lakers did not secure Lonzo Ball with the second overall pick. The scenario underscores the impact of recent regulatory changes on historical franchise decisions.
