Ranking 5 potential Lakers targets with No. 17 pick

The Los Angeles Lakers are expected to pick 17th in next month's NBA Draft. The New Orleans Pelicans have the option to claim Los Angeles' pick, but will probably defer that choice to the much stronger 2025 draft. It could benefit all the parties involved.

By keeping the pick, Los Angeles gets a more immediate asset to dangle in trade talks. We know the Lakers will be active in their pursuit of a third star to complement LeBron James and Anthony Davis. There are plentiful potentialities circling the rumors mill — Donovan Mitchell, Trae Young, Darius Garland, Brandon Ingram, Jimmy Butler — and the No. 17 pick could be used to facilitate any major deal.

That said, there are better than even odds that Los Angeles ends up keeping the pick. So often draft picks are tossed into trade rumors, only for nothing to materialize. With LeBron about to ink a lucrative deal in free agency, the Lakers will need to navigate the increased restrictions of the new collective bargaining agreement. One surefire way to add affordable talent is through the draft.

The question is, can Rob Pelinka and the front office land an impact talent at No. 17 in a weak class? The Lakers opted for Indiana guard Jalen Hood-Schifino with the 17th pick last season, a decision that felt strange in the moment and has not aged well. It's too early to close the book on JHS, of course, but he was never the best prospect or the best fit available.

Time is running out on the Lakers' current roster. A playable rookie would go a long way toward boosting the second unit for J.J. Redick (or whoever takes over as the next head coach... probably J.J. Redick).

Here are a few worthy names who could be realistically available at No. 17, ranked by overall quality within the Lakers' team context.

5. Tristan da Silva is the perfect Lakers role player

The Lakers shouldn't avoid experience in this spot. Tristan da Silva is 23 years old, so his developmental runway is short, but his skill set is ready-made to contribute as soon as next season. He has even earned comparisons to Kyle Kuzma, a former Lakers favorite who many have pegged as a viable trade target.

Why not get the discount version? Surrounded by future NBA talent at Colorado, da Silva was frequently the best player on the floor. He's 6-foot-10 in shoes with a fluid 3-point stoke and a high basketball I.Q. His rapid processing, advanced passing, and high-volume shooting all point to a winning impact at the next level.

He won't create his own offense, but da Silva can fluidly attack closeouts and even create out of the occasional pick-and-roll action. He fires laser passes from a high vantage point and operates in a selfless manner, always moving without the rock and repositioning himself to hit spot-up 3s or finish off backdoor cuts.

The defense is rock-solid too, with the size and mobility to adequately defend either forward spot. The Lakers' wing rotation figures to lose depth this offseason with Taurean Prince and Cam Reddish hitting free agency, so da Silva can slot in immediately and earn minutes. The Lakers won't have a ton of spare money to burn, so there's an unencumbered path to playing time.

Every NBA team is searching for big wings who can space the floor, guard a few positions, and think the game at a high level. There aren't many better landing spots for da Silva either.

4. Zach Edey would definitely solidify the Lakers' frontcourt

The ongoing chatter about maybe moving Anthony Davis back to the power forward spot should probably cease. It has never worked for the Lakers. He is optimized as the starting center and it's on the front office to add adequate rebounding, shooting, and toughness around him.

That said, a more reliable backup five is a priority for the Lakers this offseason. There are matchups where Davis at the four works, and is maybe even essential. In the non-Davis minutes, the Lakers need a more viable option than Jaxson Hayes. Enter Zach Edey, the two-time reigning National Player of the Year and one of this generation's truly great college stars.

I crack jokes about Edey as much as the next guy, but I have slowly talked myself into the 7-foot-5, 22-year-old center's NBA outlook. It's important to look for outlier traits, especially in a weak class. Edey would be the largest player in the NBA — a total wrecking ball in the paint with a 7-foot-11 wingspan that serves equal value on both ends of the court.

The NBA isn't exactly a hotbed for post scorers, but Edey is going to set monster screens, seal off the paint for easy finishes, and even catch the occasional lob. He can pass from the block, he has touch out to the free throw line, and he's going to inhale offensive rebounds. The Lakers won't run the offense through Edey, but he's perfectly capable of operating in a complementary role. His skill set actually favors it, despite his post-up heavy diet at Purdue.

There are valid concerns about mobility and endurance, but Edey has worked hard to boost his agility and he often played long, hard minutes for the Boilermakers. He won't need to play 30+ minutes as the singular defensive focus at the next level. He just needs to protect the rim in drop coverage and position himself for easy finishes at the rim. If he can translate his passing and touch into a more robust role, well, good for him. He is unironically a good target for the Lakers.

3. Devin Carter is ready to wreak havoc for the Lakers

A major offensive leap as a junior as Devin Carter firmly in the Lakers' range. In fact, Los Angeles may reside at the very tail end of Carter's range as NBA teams catch on to his intriguing athletic traits and hard-wired competitive spirit. The Providence product was the best individual performer in the Big East last season and he should contribute from day one at the next level.

Again, the Lakers are in the market for immediate contributors. With D'Angelo Russell and Spencer Dinwiddie set to enter free agency, the Lakers could have a sizable opening in the backcourt. Carter is 6-foot-3 in shoes, but he's equipped with a 6-foot-9 wingspan that is used to its full effect on defense.

In simple terms, Carter is the best defensive guard in the draft. He's a menace at the point of attack, but he also inhales rebounds (8.7 per game) and blocks shots. With sharp instincts and an insatiable appetite for stops, Carter is a constant roving presence, breaking into passing lanes, contesting shots, and looking to muck up the opposition's process.

The Lakers would benefit immensely from a bona fide stopper on the perimeter. Most rookie guards are below average on defense, but Carter is the exception. He has the fundamentals, the lateral agility, and the length to immediately transform the Lakers' perimeter defense.

He comes with more questions on the offensive end, but Carter shoots 3s at a healthy volume — some from well behind the NBA line — and he operates with his head on a swivel. He's not a traditional point guard, but Carter is always locating cracks in the defense, making decisive moves to the rim, and making quick reads. He displays tremendous creativity on finishes around the basket and his wonky 3-point mechanics are offset by feathery touch and unquenchable confidence.

2. Isaiah Collier shouldn't fall to the Lakers, but if he does...

The Lakers could keep it local by selecting USC point guard Isaiah Collier. The former five-star recruit, once projected No. 1 overall, is now 21st in the latest ESPN mock draft. Every summer, without fail, there is at least one obvious top-10 prospect that inexplicably falls to a contender. Collier is on that track in 2024 due to concerns about his 3-point shot and high turnover numbers.

That's not to say those concerns are unfounded — Collier's jumper presents a clear hitch and he turned the ball over way too much at USC — but the whole point of the draft is to analyze upside and project forward. For starters, Collier cut his turnovers almost in half in conference play after struggling out of the gate. He also happens to possess outlier athleticism and a prototypical point guard skill set.

Collier is built like a tank at 6-foot-3, constantly attacking the lane with the propulsive energy of a rogue missile. He seeks out contact and earns a steady stream of free throw opportunities as a result. Even against NBA athletes, Collier will be able to bump defenders off their spot and score with an appealing blend of physicality and finesse at the rim. Sometimes Collier relies too much on brute force, but he's shifty enough to operate evasively when needed.

He needs to shoot better, that much is true. It also complicates his fit in Los Angeles, where Collier would spend a fair amount of time off-ball next to LeBron. Still, the Lakers can't be afraid of upside. Especially where there's so much natural talent on the line. Collier should benefit from the LeBron partnership, too — not only as a playmaking understudy, but as a deadly slasher who can operate decisively off the catch.

If Collier commits, he will be an impact defender, too. His effort wavered a ton at USC, but he has all the physical tools necessary to pressure the point of attack, fight over screens, and even switch onto forwards due to his muscular frame. If he falls to No. 17, which he shouldn't, the Lakers should be very interested.

1. Jared McCain is the dream outcome for the Lakers' draft

Another top-10 prospect with a chance to fall into Los Angeles' lap, Jared McCain should be front of mind for Lakers fans right now. The Duke freshman quickly emerged as a cornerstone talent for the Blue Devils, splashing 41.4 percent of his 3s and operating in chameleonic fashion for Jon Scheyer's deep backcourt.

The Lakers need guard help. Ideally, that guard should be an elite spot-up shooter who is comfortable without the rock. McCain showed real on-ball upside at Duke, but he spent the majority of his time in a secondary role, catching and firing from long range and attacking closeouts.

McCain is arguably the best shooter in the draft when accounting for volume and variety. He's a deadly pull-up shooter, but he's also comfortable running off screens and hitting movement 3s out of two-man actions on the perimeter. He can work DHOs with Anthony Davis, sprint into spot-up 3s in the corner, or bring the ball up and keep defenses on a string as a constant scoring threat.

There are valid questions about McCain's viability as a point guard. He's 6-foot-3 with limited vertical pop or burst. He finishes below the rim and struggles to turn the corner, instead relying on strength and plodding, precise handles to carve out space. That won't necessarily matter too much if McCain is bombing 3s on a regular basis, but the Lakers can't necessarily invest in McCain as a future No. 1 option.

That said, McCain was very efficient around the paint at Duke despite his athletic limitations. He processes the floor quickly, plays an unselfish brand of basketball, and finds real joy in passing teammates open. At worst, he's a clear role player with one of the most blatant, translatable NBA skills in the draft. He would represent great value for L.A. in the No. 17 spot.