After acquiring a first round pick in the 2018 NBA Draft from the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Los Angeles Lakers will have a plethora of options come June 21.
Thanks to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 2018 offseason will be much more interesting.
Not only did their deal at the trade deadline open up enough cap space for Los Angeles to pursue LeBron James and Paul George, but it also sent them a first round pick as a pretty bow to top off the package. Now the Lakers are capable of making a splash during both the 2018 NBA Draft and 2018 NBA free agency.
Seeing as the draft comes first, I’ve decided to take a look at a few prospects who could be on their radar. The Cavaliers’ pick figures to fall in the 23-27 range. As we all know, though, the Lakers are more than capable of striking gold near the end of the first round. Names like Larry Nance Jr., Ivica Zubac, Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart come to mind.
The 2018 draft class’ overwhelming amount of talent helps too. There figures to be a ton of talent entering the league in June, which could open the door for a couple of gems to slip through the cracks. If the Lakers’ outstanding scouting staff can sniff them out, we could see another Kuzma in the making.
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Either way, it’s great to see Magic Johnson now has something to work with on draft day. With that mind, let’s take a look at three prospects who I believe will be in the Lakers’ crosshairs.