The Los Angeles Lakers did not have a first round pick in last season’s NBA Draft, but this year they come in with the No. 25 overall pick. And it’s not a certainty that they hold on to that pick. While there are players expected to be available that can help the team when they are on the clock, the Lakers are reportedly open to engaging in trade talks regarding their draft pick, as per ClutchPoints’ NBA insider Brett Siegel.
It’s no secret that the Lakers are in the market for frontcourt help this offseason, as well as athleticism, shooting and defense on the wings. Some of the names that the Lakers have been reportedly linked to in the upcoming NBA Draft are UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr., Duke’s Isaiah Evans, Iowa State’s Joshua Jefferson and Arizona’s Koa Peat.
The last first round pick the Lakers had was Dalton Knecht in 2024 with the No. 17 overall pick. Knecht started out his rookie season in a promising way, but tailed off as the year went on, especially after the failed trade with the Charlotte Hornets. He’s never been able to regain that momentum since.
Last season, the Lakers only had a second round pick at No. 55. They traded that pick to the Chicago Bulls for No. 45, and then turned around and traded that to the Minnesota Timberwolves for the No. 36 pick which was used to select forward Adou Thiero. Thiero played sparingly during his rookie season amid a couple of injury concerns, but showed flashes of strong promise.
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