sports
Lakers Hold 25th Pick in Tuesday NBA Draft
The team will use its first-round selection on a center or wing to address roster needs ahead of a summer with multiple free agents. Executives have scouted several prospects who fit those positions.
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The team plans to target a center who can serve as a lob threat or an athletic wing who can defend and shoot three-pointers. Kentucky center Jayden Quaintance, Texas forward Dailyn Swain, and Duke wing Isaiah Evans are among the players linked to the Lakers by NBA executives and mock drafts.
Quaintance, who turns 19 next month, played only four games last season after knee surgery and would require further rehabilitation.
The Lakers could have up to nine free agents this summer and are building around star Luka Doncic. President of basketball operations Rob Pelinka said last month that depth, athleticism, and youth remain priorities after the team was swept in the second round of the playoffs.
Pelinka cited Oklahoma City guard Ajay Mitchell, a second-round pick who averaged 15.1 points and 4.3 assists in 11 playoff games, as an example of adding value through later selections. The Lakers do not hold a second-round pick on Wednesday. The team has three tradable first-round picks in future years, though the 2031 and 2033 selections cannot be moved until after this draft.
Star LeBron James is an unrestricted free agent, and Austin Reaves is expected to opt out of his $14.8-million contract to pursue a longer deal.
