Los Angeles Lakers: Ideal NBA Draft, free agency moves to make

Step 1: Draft Mitchell Robinson at No. 25

I’ll admit I’m not 100 percent sold on the idea of Mitchell Robinson being a superstar. It’s not easy finding hidden gems like Kyle Kuzma this late in the first round. Not even the Lakers are capable of doing it on an annual basis, despite the club’s recent success in that department.

However, if Robinson is available, he’d be an excellent player to spend the No. 25 pick on.

You may have seen that I’m a tad wary of the former five-star recruit. Yes, he’s a ridiculous athlete for his size who provides an excellent presence as a rebounder and shot-blocker. Still, his offensive game is a major work in progress and his overall feel for the game is questionable. The fact that he didn’t play organized basketball in 2018 doesn’t help.

Related Story: Reasons Lakers must be wary of Mitchell Robinson

Despite my hesitations, I’m going to say that drafting Robinson would be ideal for the Lakers.

Why? Well, there are two pieces to this. The first is that Los Angeles needs a legitimate starting-caliber center. At this moment, I don’t think they have it on the roster unless Brook Lopez re-signs. While that’s not out of the question, grabbing a long-term solution seems ideal.

Second, Robinson wouldn’t be asked to do too much right away with the Lakers. They already have their band of burgeoning youngsters, and possibly a superstar coming in via free agency. That would allow the young center an opportunity to serve in a complementary role instead of asking him to carry the offense or be an All-NBA defender.

That’s the type of situation Robinson needs to grow in to reach his full potential. So yes, I’m marking this one as “ideal” despite my recent warnings about the kid.