The Los Angeles Lakers own the Cleveland Cavaliers’ first round pick during the 2018 NBA Draft. How should they plan on using it when June 21 rolls around?
The 2018 NBA Draft may still be about four months away, but that doesn’t mean the Los Angeles Lakers aren’t already preparing. After securing the Cleveland Cavaliers‘ first round pick ahead of the trade deadline, Magic Johnson now has the power to add more talent to his roster.
As you can probably gather from the headline, I’ve already taken a look at a few of the Lakers’ potential targets with the Cavaliers’ pick. Considering it should fall in the 23-27 range (currently at No. 26), there should be plenty of potential playmakers still on the board. This time around, I wanted to highlight a few more prospects Los Angeles could have in its crosshairs.
There are a couple of things to consider here. The first is figuring out whether or not these players could actually be available when the Lakers are on the clock. I’m not going to say someone like Michael Porter Jr. is an option for Los Angeles, because there’s simply no way one of the class’ top talents is available that late in the draft, even with his injury issues.
We must also take into consideration the Lakers’ potential needs. An example: I’m not going to be looking for a starting point guard because, well, Lonzo Ball.
Related Story: 3 Options for Lakers with Cavaliers' pick
Now that we’ve got that all cleared up, let’s take a look at three more options for the Lakers with the Cavaliers’ pick during the 2018 NBA Draft. There’s still plenty of ground to cover before June 21 arrives, but taking a peak into the future is always a thought-provoking exercise.
3. Bruno Fernando, C, Maryland
When the 2018 NBA Draft finally tips off, the Lakers could be in dire need of new blood at center. Brook Lopez is a free agent this offseason, and may not be re-signed. Julius Randle, who often serves as the small-ball 5, could use restricted free agency as an escape route.
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Beyond that, the rest of the Lakers’ frontcourt depth is made up of young, raw talent like Ivica Zubac and Thomas Bryant. While adding another youngster to the mix certainly doesn’t solve that problem, it’ll give Luke Walton another high-upside big man to mold and develop over the next couple of seasons.
It just so happens Bruno Fernando possesses more upside than either Zubac or Bryant, at least in my opinion. Now that does come with the caveat that he’s extremely raw, and it will take significant time before he’s ready to see big minutes in the NBA. However, considering his elite athleticism for a 6’10”, 250-pound center, it’s hard not to drool over his potential.
The 19-year-old Angola native still has a long way to go, but all of the tools are there. He can rebound well, shows some rim protection chops and even has a budding jumper. Given some NBA coaching and experience, he could soon blossom as a legitimate starting-caliber 5.
There’s no guarantee that Fernando decides to take his talents to the league in 2018. However, if he can continue his quick ascent through the college basketball ranks, we could see him elevate his stock to the point of making the jump.
2. Jalen Hudson, SG, Florida
One of the biggest weaknesses of this current Lakers lineup is shooting. While that could change if the Lakers make the splash they’re hoping for during free agency, it wouldn’t hurt to get the process started during the 2018 NBA Draft.
There are a couple of fitting prospects to consider toward the end of the first round. However, there’s one in particular I think could make an early impact for the Lakers. You guessed it — I’m talking about Jalen Hudson, a shooting guard from Florida.
Put simply, the kid is lights out in the shooting department. At this moment, he’s shooting 44.8 percent from the field and 40.2 from downtown. While those numbers are against college competition with a college 3-point line, it’s difficult to deny that Hudson owns a silky-smooth stroke and a knack for finding the bottom of the net.
With Jordan Clarkson gone and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope unlikely to re-sign, the Lakers need more options at guard. While Hudson is more of your traditional 2-guard, he would be an immediate upgrade from a shooting standpoint. Seeing as Los Angeles is currently the second-worst 3-point shooting team in the league (via NBA.com), Hudson seems like a perfect fit.
It seems like Hudson is getting mocked more in the beginning of the second round. However, if he continues to sling it with this type of consistency, the Lakers could easily consider him in the late 20s.
1. Chimezie Metu, PF/C, USC
As previously mentioned, the Lakers could be in need of more frontcourt talent this offseason. Barring a big-name free agency addition or a couple of re-signings, I could easily see them spending the Cavaliers’ pick on a big man.
Fernando isn’t the only intriguing one who could still be available at this point in the draft. Another I’m interested in seeing at the next level is USC’s Chimezie Metu, who came into the current season with sky-high expectations.
The former four-star recruit has been outstanding for the Trojans this season. With that being said, he hasn’t been a superstar. Metu is currently averaging 15.9 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 52 percent from the field.
His skill-set reminds me a bit of Randle as an undersized, athletic big with improving scoring skills and excellent rebounding talents. We’ve seen significant improvement from him so far this season, but more is needed before he’s ready to be anything more than a rotational player. For now, though, I think we’ve seen enough to warrant a look at the end of the first round.
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What I also like about Metu is he has experience. As a junior, he’s got more polish than most of the other prospects slated to hear than names in the first round. Going for experience paid off when the Lakers drafted Kyle Kuzma back in June. Why not take a similar approach and select Metu?