NBA Draft Headlines
League reports say that LA Lakers are looking to package a player and the #17 overall pick for win-now talent
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated22 Jun 2023
The LA Lakers’ 2023 postseason ended in poor fashion. After making the Conference Finals, they were swept by Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets. Tonight, the Lakers own the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Jovan Buha of The Athletic says the Lakers will likely trade the #17 pick tonight in exchange for win-now talent. The Lakers are in a position to compete for the title again next season and their front office wants to add another piece or two.
At the trade deadline last season, we saw the Lakers bring in a haul of players to upgrade the roster. The revamped rotation gave the Lakers the pieces they needed to be successful in the postseason. Despite being swept in the WCF, the Lakers still believe they have a roster that can compete for championships.
Jovan Buha also stated that the Lakers could even potentially move up in the draft if a player they want is still available. Reports say that the Lakers were “blown away” by Derreck Lively’s shooting. He’s a player to watch out for if the Lakers are serious about moving up.
What should the Lakers do with the No. 17 pick in today’s #NBADraft?
Check out the guys’ reaction and tune in all day on ESPN LA ▶️ https://t.co/cuGxKZXczw pic.twitter.com/VzxZvPJYds
— ESPN Los Angeles (@ESPNLosAngeles) June 22, 2023
Sources say the Lakers will likely trade the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft tonight
One area the Lakers would like to upgrade this offseason is their perimeter shooting. They could add someone like Budy Heild or Gary Trent Jr. who offer consistent outside shooting. The Lakers could go for “3-and-D” players like Dorian Finney-Smith or Royce O’Neale.
To acquire one of those players, Buha says the Lakers are going to have to package the #17 pick and a player. He stated that someone like Malik Beasley has value around the league. Mo Bamba was also floated out as a possible trade piece for the Lakers.
The Lakers don’t know how many more seasons of elite basketball they have left from LeBron James. They are all-in on being a championship contender next season. Rob Pelinka will be busy making calls tonight to try and find a trade partner who wants the 17th pick.
