[Stardust]

First bolded - I don't think there's a chance that the seventh pick stays with the Lakers until draft day. LA typically builds with trades and free agency, and that draft pick is their ONLY piece to trade with other than some cheap role players that IMO they would be best served to keep.

Second bolded - I think they are waiting for free agency to open up and use the vacancy as a bargaining chip.

I know it sounds stupid...
but I've actually read where they are looking to tell FAs that they will have a say in who the head coach will be.

The Lakers traded away future draft picks and have not had a first round pick since 2009. That was the thinking of Dr. Jerry!

Dr. Jerry is dead, thus that line of thinking is dead as well! The Lakers no longer have the commodities to trade and this team is desperate for a rising star to build around. Thus, the only way this team does NOT draft 7th, will be due to them trading the first round pick for the next three years to the Cavaliers in order to take Wiggins (unless they are positive that the Cavs take Parker and then they trade three 1sts to Milwaukee).

Add the fact that the Lakers do not have a 2nd round pick, they have no choice but to draft someone that they feel they can build a team around. Jim Bus has already proven that he has no NBA Business intelligence, so putting together a deal that actually works won't happen, thus, the Lakers will be drafting with the 7th pick.