Did the Lakers just secretly work out DJ Burns?
While they haven’t announced any draft workouts yet, it appears the Lakers may have worked out NC State big man DJ Burns.
Without a coaching staff in place, it’s probably not a surprise that the Lakers have yet to announce any draft workouts. But not announcing them does not mean they are not necessarily happening.
Each year, we find out after the fact that players secretly worked out for teams. In the era of social media, those unannounced workouts are a little easier to find out about, as was the case with a potential recent one for the Lakers.
NC State big man DJ Burns posted a video on his Instagram on Thursday showing him working out at the Lakers practice facility.
Now, it should be noted that it’s unclear if this is a draft workout or something else. For example, Klutch Sports held their pro day, which included Bronny James, at the Lakers practice facility. There’s a chance this was some sort of agency workout that wasn’t publicly publicized.
No matter what it was, though, the Lakers definitely saw Burns go through some sort of a workout.
Burns was one of the breakout stars of the NCAA Tournament this March. Over the season, he averaged 12.9 points per game. However, after scoring 20 points to help NC State win the ACC Tournament and earn a spot in the Big Dance, Burns had huge games against Oakland (24 points) and Duke (29 points) to get the Wolfpack into the Final Four.
Part of what made Burns such a fan favorite was his size. He was generously listed at 6’9”, 260 pounds. He used his size and touch around the rim, along with his array of post moves, to tear teams apart in the tournament.
However, since the tournament, Burns has dropped weight. A lot of weight. According to Shams Charania recently, Burns has lost 45 pounds already in the predraft process.
"DJ Burns told me he has lost 45 pounds in the last six and a half weeks...He told me no Ozempic, he said he's been doing workouts 4 days a week, at 5am."@ShamsCharania on draft project DJ Burns. pic.twitter.com/NPOc9Bxuh8
— Run It Back (@RunItBackFDTV) May 22, 2024
The latest DraftExpress mock draft does not have Burns as a projected pick. The Ringer does not include Burns in their mock draft either.
It’s likely that Burns would be undrafted or a late pick at best. With the No. 55 pick, that could fall in the Lakers wheelhouse.
Either way, it’s an intriguing prospect for the Lakers to take a look at. In secret.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.