Los Angeles Lakers: 7 players to target in the 2020 Draft

Prospects To Target: The “Reaches” & Big Men

Prospects: Might Be Off The Board

Of the 22 prospects in the below chart, who should the Lakers be targeting in the draft? Although any could conceivably fall to No. 28, it makes sense to exclude the six that had a mock draft average <=25.0: RJ Hampton, Jalen Smith, Josh Green, Jaden McDaniels, Isaiah Stewart and Tyrell Terry. It’s reasonable to project them all being off the board by No. 28.

Any of these players would be fine options if they did happen to fall, however. Both Jalen Smith and Isaiah Stewart could conceivably fill any holes on the interior moving forward. Smith profiles as a much better defender down the road. Josh Green could turn into a capable 3-and-D wing, playing a similar role to Caldwell-Pope, Danny Green and Bradley. At 6’3″, Terry could provide a needed 3-point shooting boost (40.8 percent from three last season). Lastly, Hampton and McDaniels both offer upside – Hampton as a playmaker, McDaniels as a versatile 6’10” forward.

Of these players, Green doesn’t have the highest upside, but he might be the one most likely to contribute in a playoff series next season. He has the athleticism and shooting ability (36.1 percent) to potentially contribute as a valuable 3-and-D player from the get-go. His solid off-ball movement below is a bit reminiscent of Danny Green.

Smith and Stewart could log minutes as backup bigs in 2020-21 but would likely only see time in the regular season. Terry’s shooting ability could be valuable, but he might not have the size/strength to hang yet defensively. McDaniels’ skillset will still be too raw Hampton, although very talented, likely wouldn’t be ready to handle playmaking responsibilities.

Although the mock drafts suggest none of these six will be available at No. 28, Green’s potential to contribute next season makes him the first add to the target list.  Excluding the other five, this leaves 16 prospects remaining.

Target List:

Josh Green

Prospects: Draft-And-Stash

Each of Leandro Bolmaro, Aleksej Pokusevski and Theo Maledon are potential draft-and-stash candidates and are therefore unlikely to contribute next season. The 6’7″ Bolmaro is a wing, the seven-foot Pokusevski is an interior player and Maledon is a point guard. Each could potentially help Los Angeles down the road, but given that the target list is focusing on contributors for next season, none of them make the cut.

Target List:

Josh Green

Prospects: Big Men

Of the 13 remaining players, six are big men: Tyler Bey, Zeke Nnaji, Xavier Tillman, Vernon Carey Jr., Killian Tillie and Daniel Oturu. Again, if the Davis-Howard-McGee trio returns, the Lakers don’t have much need for another big next season. But if one of Howard or McGee leaves or the team wants to develop a young big for the future, there are some solid options amongst this group. Carey Jr. is the one player with major concerns defensively, which is why he’s excluded from the target list. Of the remaining five, Bey, Tillman and Tillie are closer to finished products, while Oturu and Nnaji are a bit rawer.

Given their high basketball IQ’s and defensive abilities, Tillie and Tillman project as more finished products. Tillie has the edge in terms of shooting ability (and showcases some versatility below), but his injury history is a significant concern. In terms of Oturu and Nnaji, the 6’11” Nnaji gets the slight edge due to his superior athleticism and higher upside.

Both Tillie and Tillman could contribute as early as next season, earning them both a spot on the target list. Nnaji’s athleticism could potentially make an impact from the get-go, but he’d likely be too raw to see playing time in the postseason.

Target List: 

Josh Green

Killian Tillie

Xavier Tillman