2018 NBA Draft: Dream targets for Los Angeles Lakers at No. 25

Mitchell Robinson, C — USA

If you’ve been following along with the pre-draft discussion surrounding the Lakers, then you’ve heard the name Mitchell Robinson. Los Angeles may soon need a replacement big man, and Robinson fits the bill as a high-upside center who can help round out this lineup.

Now Robinson carries an interesting story with him into the 2018 NBA Draft. A former five-star recruit, he originally committed to Western Kentucky (a head-scratcher) before deciding to forego his freshman year. Instead, he decided to begin his prep for the league early on his own. You can probably understand how that could be concerning.

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Still, the natural tools are there. At 6’11”, 230 pounds, Robinson obviously boasts the size to excel as an NBA center. On top of that, his instincts as a shot-blocker and rebounder are as intriguing as they come. His offensive game needs work based on what we’ve seen from his high school days, but he flashed the ability to shine on that end of the floor as well.

At this moment, Robinson seems to be a bit all over the board. I’ve seen him mocked anywhere from No. 15 to after the Lakers. My guess is his potential could convince someone to announce his name somewhere in the late teens to early 20s. That’s why he finds himself on this list of “dream targets” for the Lake Show.

We won’t know what the Lakers’ plan for Brook Lopez is until after the draft. For the time being, I’m working under the assumption an influx of center talent is needed. If Robinson somehow falls to No. 25, he’ll absolutely be a consideration.