The Los Angeles Lakers visited the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday, March 7, for a regular season matchup between two teams trending in different directions. The Mavericks got the win over the Lakers with a score of 122-111. The win gave the Mavericks their fifth win in their last six games; while the Lakers were given their eighth straight loss.

It’s been a real struggle for the Lakers as of late. Almost a full month has passed since their last win; which came against the Milwaukee Bucks on February 10.

Los Angeles has not won a game since hiring Lakers legend Magic Johnson as their President of Basketball Operations. The NBA trade deadline has passed so the Lakers roster is set for the rest of the season. Johnson and the Lakers’ front office can only look forward to the offseason to improve the team.

With an inexperienced young nucleus, the Lakers may not get many more victories this year. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have a chance to get rewarded.

Each loss betters the Lakers’ chances of landing the number one pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. The number one pick would give the Lakers the opportunity to snag college basketball’s golden boy, Lonzo Ball.

Ball, a freshman on UCLA’s basketball team, has been playing on a higher level than any other freshman in the nation. Teams have been drooling over the chances of landing the 6’6” phenom since he was in high school.

Having attended Chino Hills High School in southern California, as well as UCLA, Ball has played numerous games in front of Lakers’ scouts. Even with a young point guard already on their roster (D’Angelo Russell), the Lakers, like any other team with chances of landing the number one pick, are interested in landing Ball.

As the NBA season dwindles to an end, the contest to lose the most games and land UCLA’s Ball may be a real thing. Losing is hardly ever a good idea, but if it means landing one of the most promising talents in recent years, team’s may take their chances.