The Los Angeles Lakers will have the No. 4 overall pick in this June's draft following the 2019 NBA Draft lottery.
Their pick was expected to land between Nos. 8 and 12, but lady luck smiled on LA as the Lakers moved into the top-5.
After a disappointing season in which they finished with a 37-45 record, Los Angeles faced a handful of problems that began with Magic Johnson stepping down as the president of basketball operations. Three days later, Luke Walton was fired as the team's head coach. The Lakers began an embarrassing coaching search in which contract negotiations with Tyronn Lue fell apart.
Instead, the Lakers brought in Frank Vogel as they try to end their six-year playoff drought next season.
Now that most of the internal matters have been resolved, the Lakers can focus their attention on the offseason, which will begin with how they will utilize their pick in the draft.
Most mock drafts show that the Lakers will be selecting either Gonzaga's Rui Hachimura or North Carolina's Nassir Little. Both are athletic forwards who can definitely shoot the ball and spread the floor for LeBron James. Hachimura or Little will be part of the team's celebrated young core, which already includes Brandon Ingram, Kyle Kuzma, and Lonzo Ball.
It is unclear what the Lakers' plans are for the pick, but trading it will certainly be an option. They are expected to renegotiate with the New Orleans Pelicans, with the hopes of acquiring Anthony Davis. If the Pels will be interested, the No. 4 pick, as well as half of the team's young players, will definitely be included.
The Lakers are in a win-now situation, so developing a young prospect might not be their top priority, but if they choose to keep the pick, they will certainly find a player with a high ceiling in this year's draft class.
Follow Us
Subscribe