Lakers Podcast: Who Should L.A. Draft With 25th Overall Pick? Plus, Evaluating Offseason Priorities

Trevor Lane
3 Min Read
Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers have made a habit out of finding quality players late in the NBA Draft and will hope to do so again this year. Thanks to a deal at the trade deadline that sent Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Lakers hold the 25th pick in the draft. They also have the No. 47 selection (second round).

There will be a number of options available to the Lakers late in the first round of the draft, and across all positions. Meaning president of basketball operations Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka will have to find a way to narrow down their choices.

With so many to prospects choose from, this episode of the Lakers Nation Podcast features Trevor Lane and Hannah Kulik breaking down a few of the more prominent candidates.

First and foremost, the Lakers have to decide exactly what they are looking for in the draft. Are they searching for a young, raw player with plenty of upside? Or perhaps a more polished athlete who spent multiple years in college but may not have as high of a ceiling?

After all, the team did have great success drafting “older” college players last season when they snagged both Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart at the end of the first round.

Additionally, they will have to decide which position they would most like to fill. The Lakers could use a backup point guard to come in behind Lonzo Ball, a swingman to work with Hart and Brandon Ingram, and potentially a starting-caliber center, though finding one that late in the draft won’t be easy.

With a lot to decide, we break down a number of players, plus close out the show by taking some of your best questions from our mailbag. Don’t miss it!

To listen to the show simply click the player above.

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Trevor Lane is a longtime NBA and Los Angeles Lakers fan who had the good fortune to grow up during the glory days of the Showtime Lakers, when Magic Johnson, Kareem-Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, and the rest ruled the Great Western Forum. He has written about basketball, soccer, fantasy sports, MMA, and even pro wrestling over the course of his career, but the spectacle that is the Lakers is his true passion. He made the leap into podcasting for Lakers Nation and provides voice-over analysis for our YouTube channel. With a who's who of stars gracing the Lakers lineup over the years, including Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Pau Gasol, and many others, the Lakers always provide plenty to talk about. When he isn't writing or recording, Trevor can be found spending time with his wife and daughter or on the sidelines for one of the youth teams he coaches. Outside of the Lakers, Trevor is a supporter of the LA Galaxy, US Soccer, Dallas Cowboys, and Los Angeles Dodgers. Contact: trevor@mediumlargela.com
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