The Los Angeles Lakers had the ping pong balls bounce in their favor on Tuesday night retaining their top-three protected first-round pick after landing the second overall selection in the 2017 NBA Draft.

It has put the Lakers in a unique position for the third straight year holding the second overall pick. According to ESPN, general manager Rob Pelinka stated that he believes holding the second spot could be quite beneficial for Los Angeles given that there is no set consensus No.1 pick.

Speaking after the draft lottery Tuesday night, general manager Rob Pelinka noted there's no clear-cut No. 1.

“The harder call may be the first one,” he said. “Sometimes having the second pick is better than the first. We're sitting in a fantastic position.”

With that being the case, Pelinka believes that will allow the Lakers to potentially snag the player they desire. There have been reports that Los Angeles has much interest in selecting former UCLA guard Lonzo Ball if he is available at their pick. Meanwhile, Ball and his father, LaVar Ball, have made it more than clear that the 19-year-old wants to join the Lakers.

At the same time, Los Angeles is said to be open-minded to selecting other players such as former Washington guard Markelle Fultz and Kansas guard Josh Jackson. However, it would be hard pressed to believe that they would pass up the opportunity to take Ball in the No.2 spot.

Another benefit that comes from holding that pick is that the Lakers can entertain trade offers for the selection. There are many reports that state the organization is aiming to land Indiana Pacers All-Star forward Paul George, who is believed to be heavily desiring a move to his hometown team. If the Pacers are willing to move George, the pick could be used as an asset in any potential deal.

Ultimately, the Lakers are in the prime position to take another step in the right direction regardless of what route they take with the pick. It's an all-around win-win situation for them ahead of next season.