The Los Angeles Lakers are in the midst of a crowded Western Conference playoff race, an assignment that needs their undivided attention for the next few weeks. There's much that needs to happen for the Lakers to rise as high as the No. 2 seed, first and foremost getting LeBron James back to full health. If that happens, there's every reason to believe that L.A. can be a major factor in determining who gets to hold the Larry O'Brien Trophy at season's end.
Though Luka Dončić and the rest of the purple and gold will be occupied on the court, general manager Rob Pelinka and the rest of the front office will be watching the games with one eye while keeping the other firmly affixed to the future. Running any NBA team, let alone one as successful as the Lakers have been, requires forward thinking, and Pelinka is likely already plotting how he can use the upcoming offseason to get Luka and LeBron all the help they need to make another run at it next year.
Part of that task is scouting for the draft. The Lakers don't have their first-round pick — that was sent away to the Pelicans in the Anthony Davis trade back in 2019 and has since been given to the Hawks in the Dejounte Murray deal. L.A. does still have its second-round pick though, and while they won't be able to have a shot at the Cooper Flaggs and Dylan Harpers of the world, there are still many prospects that could make a difference.
The NBA has truly become a global game, but while there are prospects in Europe and beyond that could be intriguing options, our assignment today is to find a future Lakers among the collegiate players who are playing in the NCAA Tournament. There's about to be wall-to-wall basketball on in a high-intensity, single-elimination format, which is the perfect opportunity to see what these players are made of.
We've selected three today that Pelinka should keep an eye on. All three have a chance to be available when the Lakers make their selection (likely in the early 50s), and all three possess traits that could help this team. Let's begin.
1. Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner
Have you heard that Anthony Davis is no longer a Laker? It was kind of a big news item. AD is in Dallas now, possibly infected with a curse after what Mavs GM Nico Harrison did to his team's fans by trading away Luka, the most beloved Maverick since Dirk Nowitzki.
Pour one out for Davis, but don't forget that the Lakers need a big man to help at least try to fill his shoes. In fairness, Jaxson Hayes has been better than anyone could have possibly imagined since the deal went down, and he's a big reason why the Lakers have continued to climb the standings.
Hayes has been great, but he can't be expected to go it alone for the next few years. Behind him on the depth chart are Christian Koloko and Trey Jemison III, neither of whom inspires much confidence beyond the hope that they might grab some rebounds and block the occasional shot or two when they get in the game.
The Lakers have undergone a defensive renaissance this season that began before Davis was traded away, and shockingly has persisted even after the perennial All-Defensive Teamer left. To continue their defensive ascent, another rim protector is needed.
Pelinka tried to trade for Hornets center Mark Williams to replace Davis, but that deal was scuttled when Williams failed his team physical. Maybe the Lakers try to swing another trade for a big in the offseason, or maybe they sign one in free agency. The most cost-effective option though is to draft one in the second round, and Creighton center Ryan Kalkbrenner would be the perfect fit.
Kalkbrenner is the four-time reigning Big East Defensive Player of the Year. He's a phenomenal rim protector that can also switch onto smaller players, and he also brings a solid low post game, as well. He's led the Big East in field goal percentage each of the past four years, and though he's not a high flyer like Williams is, he could still be a dangerous lob threat for Luka, LeBron and Austin Reaves to target.
2. North Carolina forward Drake Powell
There are several Tar Heels that get more attention than freshman Drake Powell, but the 6-foot-6 small forward may end up being the best pro out of any of them. Powell was a five-star recruit coming out of high school, and though he's played a more complementary role than other heralded first-years like Flagg or Harper, he has a skillset that should look familiar to Lakers fans.
Squint a little bit and you can see a lot of Dorian Finney-Smith in Powell's game. He's a stout, aggressive defender that isn't afraid of contact and is excellent in one-on-one situations, and he's fully capable of knocking down a spot-up 3, especially from the corner.
Powell is shooting 37.4 percent from deep this season, a number that should only continue to grow as he gets more in-game reps. He's basically everything some Lakers fans have deluded themselves into believing that Bronny James could be, only there's a lot more reason to believe that Powell will actually get there.
Powell's Tar Heels just barely snuck their way into the tournament, but they look like they could be poised to make a run after utterly annihilating San Diego State on Tuesday night. This could give Powell a national stage to show his stuff, and the Lakers should be watching.
3. Kentucky shooting guard Koby Brea
Let's get the obvious out of the way first. Yes, it would be very cool to have another Kobe on the team, even if Koby Brea spells his name differently than the Black Mamba himself. That's no reason to draft a player though, but Brea's game is.
At 6-foot-7, Brea has good size for a shooting guard. He spent the past four years playing for Dayton before transferring to Lexington in Mark Pope's first year, and just as the Lakers' own Dalton Knecht proved that he was good enough for the big time after transferring from Northern Colorado to Tennessee, Brea has picked up where he left off with the Flyers.
The NBA is a 3-point-shooting league, and Brea is a certified sniper from outside the arc. He made three 3s per game last year on an absurd 49.8 percent clip from deep, and he's backed it up this year while playing in the most stacked conference in the country by shooting 43.9 percent.
When drafting players in the second round, NBA teams are often looking for one truly elite skill, and Brea has the most desirable one a player can have these days. Gabe Vincent has only one year left on his contract after this season, and Brea could be groomed to be his better-shooting successor.