As the Los Angeles Lakers consider trading the no. 17 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, a handful of notable veterans have emerged as plausible targets, including Washington Wizards big Kristaps Porzingis.

The Lakers — seeking to contend next season while preparing for the future — can go in a few directions on Thursday. If they select a player at no. 17, Jett Howard, Jordan Hawkins, Kobe Bufkin, Dereck Lively II, Nick Smith Jr., and Noah Clowney are names to watch.

Alternatively, Los Angeles can trade down for later picks, thereby adding inexpensive depth — an understandable strategy considering the spending restrictions of the new CBA and the impressive developmental track record of their scouting department. They can also trade up, perhaps by taking on an unwanted contract.

The likeliest scenario, however, involves the Lakers trading their first-round pick plus the contracts of Malik Beasley ($16.5 million) and/or Mo Bamba ($10.3 million) for an established player (the Lakers can't trade their pick ahead of the draft, due to the Stepien Rule).

Here was the latest intel provided by plugged-in Lakers beat reporter Jovan Buha of The Athletic on the eve of the draft:

“Names around the league that have been linked to the Lakers in recent weeks include Indiana’s Myles Turner and Buddy Hield, Brooklyn’s Dorian Finney-Smith and Royce O’Neale, Toronto’s Gary Trent Jr. and Washington’s Kristaps Porziņģis, according to multiple league sources not authorized to speak publicly.”

Turner and Hield, of course, were connected to the Lakers for months as a return package for Russell Westbrook. The organizations nearly struck an accord before last year's training camp. Turner, 27, is set to earn $21 million in 2023-24. Hield, a former Rob Pelinka client, will make $18 million in the final year of his deal.

Finney-Smith's 2023-24 cap figure is $13.9 million, while O'Neale is on a non-guaranteed $9.5 million contract.

Gary Trent Jr., a Klutch client, opted into his $18.5 million player option for 2023-24 and reportedly wants to negotiate a long-term deal with the Toronto Raptors.

Porzingis, though, is the most intriguing name. The 7-3, 27-year-old is coming off a sturdy campaign in which he played 65 games and averaged 23.2 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks on .498/.385/.851 shooting splits. Like Turner (37.3% from 3, 2.3 blocks), Porzingis would offer spacing on offense and rim protection on defense, which would enable Davis to roam and wreak havoc.

For a trade to work, Porzingis would have to opt into his $36 million player option for 2023-24. The Lakers can get close enough with the money with Beasley, Bamba, Shaquille Harrison ($2.4 million), the no. 17 pick, and cash. Los Angeles is not interested in including Max Christie in trades, per Buha.

All the aforementioned dudes make sense in Los Angeles, for financial, age, and basketball reasons. The Lakers need shooting, wing defense, and frontcourt depth. Each player fits around LeBron and AD and can help the Lakers in the present and future.