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The Los Angeles Lakers have a huge offseason underway in both NBA free agency and the 2023 NBA Draft. With the NBA Draft taking place this Thursday, the Lakers need to do their due diligence this week in preparing for the No. 17 pick, especially if they want to include the selection in a trade. Rumors have spread that they are willing to deal the No. 17 pick, although it remains to be seen what teams would be interested. All indications are that the Lakers are going to try and go after a point guard in NBA free agency, starting with Kyrie Irving. If they lose out on the Irving sweepstakes, they can still go after guys like Fred VanVleet or Jordan Clarkson; James Harden might be an option as well, although it is a long shot that he would come to Los Angeles. With point guard the primary asset they are said to be looking at in free agency, the forward position should be the priority for the 2023 NBA Draft. This is why they need to select Kris Murray out of Iowa with the No. 17 pick.
The Lakers biggest struggles this season was their inability to shoot the three-pointer and their slow pace of play catching up to them at times. If they want to be an NBA Finals contender next season they will address both of these needs and entice LeBron James to return for another season. In general, they have to address these needs; if LeBron James opts for retirement, the Lakers will be in a world of trouble. It is imperative for any future success that they do what James' covets for a return, and that starts with landing an athletic forward with the No. 17 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Come Thursday, the Lakers need to look no further than Kris Murray.
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Size and Athleticism
Kris Murray will enter the NBA at 6'8, 220 pounds, a really good size for a rookie. He figures to put on muscle as he develops into his body, and his already 6'8 frame will help him transition easily into the association. This would be a huge asset for the Lakers given their inability to play an athletic style of basketball when they needed to last season. Murray has the build to gel well with the Lakers defensive identity, but he will complement guys like Jarred Vanderbilt who will be able to match up with more athletic teams. When the Lakers weren't efficient on offense, they struggled because of how slow they played; adding an athlete like Murray will give them the ability to matchup better and get easy buckets when they aren't necessarily shooting the ball well.
Not only will Murray be able to help the Lakers play a more athletic style of basketball, but he will also fit well into the aforementioned defensive identity. His size pairs well with bigger lineups that the Lakers could throw in like James, Anthony Davis, Vanderbilt, and Rui Hachimura – if Hachimura returns in NBA free agency – but would still give a group this big solid athleticism. In general, he is the perfect build to help the Lakers maintain their identity but also adapt to needing to play a faster, quicker tempo when needed.
Shooting
For his size, Kris Murray is coming into the NBA as a great three-point shooter. This comes as no surprise given his brother Keegan Murray just broke the all-time three-point record for most threes made by a rookie in his inaugural season. It is clear that it runs in the blood, and this is the shooting ability that the Lakers need. Getting this type of production from Murray is great because he is not just a shooter; the Lakers could use the No. 17 overall pick for one of the top shooters in the draft, but this would be going against the culture that they have already built. Murray comes in as the prototype they covet while also being able to improve their efficiency from beyond the arc.
The Lakers have plenty of decisions to make this offseason well passed the No. 17 selection in the 2023 NBA Draft. Guard play and three-point shooters figure to be the priority in NBA free agency and allow the Lakers to be more selective with who they go after in the NBA Draft. This is why the No. 17 pick should be a no-brainer if the forward from the University of Iowa is still available; with their first selection in the 2023 NBA Draft, the Lakers need to make Kris Murray the newest rookie on his way to Los Angeles.
