NBA Draft 2020: Building a big board for the Los Angeles Lakers

If the Lakers want to repeat as NBA Champions they need to have a productive offseason. Nailing their first-round pick in the draft would certainly help. 

Lakers fans are still on top of the world after winning the NBA Title. Los Angeles’ front office doesn’t have that luxury. They are already hard at work making plans on how they can defend the title next season.

Free agency will present the Lakers with a number of interesting decisions about whether or not they’ll bring back key members of last year’s squad. No matter what happens with veterans like Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Dwight Howard, Los Angeles still needs to find a contributor with the No. 28 overall selection in this year’s draft.

Any rookie they select must be chosen with an eye on how they can fit alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis. Fortunately, the versatility and brilliance of those two superstars give the Lakers plenty of options. Keep a close eye on the following five prospects when Los Angeles steps up to the podium on draft night.

1. Malachi Flynn, Guard, San Diego State, Big Board Rank: 28

If Rondo does leave via free agency, point guard should immediately rocket to the top of the Lakers shopping list this offseason. Finding a veteran capable of soaking up those minutes would be advisable, but spending a first-rounder on a rookie to handle the position in the future would also be prudent.

Flynn would give the Lakers a good balance of polish and potential at the lead guard spot. He’s already a polished operator on the pick-and-roll which can really help the team’s second unit. Perhaps more importantly, his ability to be a high-level spot-up shooter gives him a chance to play alongside LeBron and Davis.

Flynn’s lack of size and athleticism will stop him from ever becoming a superstar, but his high floor makes him a great value selection towards the end of Round 1. The Lakers will be ecstatic if he falls all the way to them at No. 28.

2. Tre Jones, Guard, Duke, Big Board Rank: 29

Jones slots in just behind Flynn at the point guard position and on most team’s draft boards overall. He possesses a ton of polish for the position, but questions over his athleticism prevent him from being a highly-touted prospect.

There’s still a lot to like in his game. He’s got good size for the position at 6-foot-3 and he shot a shade over 36 percent from distance last season at Duke. At worst, that should give him a steady career as a backup point guard at the next level.

Jones might not be ready to help Los Angeles in the postseason as a rookie, but he can soak up valuable minutes during the regular season. The Lakers should be pleased if he slips to them at No. 28.

3. Payton Pritchard, Guard, Oregon, Big Board Rank: NR

Pritchard is one player who seems to be generating a lot of draft buzz at the moment. Bleacher Report even claims he might already have a first-round promise. It’s not out of the question that the Lakers could be the team that gave him that kind of assurance.

Think of him as a potentially better version of Alex Caruso. He can really shoot the ball from three which covers up a lot of his potential athletic deficiencies. Pritchard shot over 41 percent from behind the line at Oregon despite taking a number of difficult attempts. It’s conceivable his efficiency could take a massive step forward if he’s permitted to operate as a spot-up shooter in a well-spaced offense.

Pritchard doesn’t have star potential, but he can really help a contender that needs high-level shooting. The Lakers fit that definition perfectly.

4. Tyrell Terry, Guard, Stanford, Big Board Rank: 20

Terry is starting to generate momentum towards the end of the lottery which means he might not still be on the board when the Lakers go on the clock at No. 28. If he does slip to the end of round-one, Los Angeles will rush to end his fall.

Any questions about Terry’s game revolve around his lack of size. He’s only 160 pounds at the moment which will make him a target for opposing offenses on a nightly basis.

What Terry can do is shoot the ball at an elite level. His ability to run off screens and drill threes off the catch could give the Lakers’ offense an added dimension. Over the long haul, his ability to hit threes off the dribble could make him a valuable lead operator for the team’s second unit.

Terry might not be ready to play a big role immediately, but he would represent a terrific upside play for the Lakers in this year’s draft.

5. Grant Riller, Guard, College of Charleston, Big Board Rank: 17

Riller may not have played at a big school during his collegiate days, but he’s got big-time talent. His ability to create very efficient offense with the ball in his hands gives him a shot to become a quality starter at the next level.

The question the Lakers need to ask is whether or not his ability to be a lead creator on the second unit really holds a ton of value for them. They might be better served to select a player who has already proven he can be a quality spot-up shooter. Riller’s got the talent to be a good value at the end of round one, but he’s not a perfect fit for Los Angeles. Even so, they could be tempted to gamble on his talent if they get a chance to select him.