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The NCAA Tournament begins this week, traditionally an important time for NBA executives to briefly turn their attention to potential draft picks while their clubs key in for either the postseason or offseason.
The Lakers are no different, with Rob Pelinka on the road scouting during conference tournaments. The team is in a unique position — it could have a first-round pick in the middle of the round or it could complete its deal with New Orleans and send that pick to the Pelicans.
That’s up to New Orleans.
But with the 2024 draft projecting as weaker than 2025, and with the chance the Lakers won’t have as good of injury luck at the top of their roster, New Orleans may defer another year.
The Lakers’ hopes of making a playoff run are doomed if Anthony Davis can’t play. Their loss to the Warriors shows how critical Davis is to their success.
Another factor: The Lakers might use the pick in a draft-night trade in another round of star chasing for the final stages of LeBron James’ career.
With international players like Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher and two top prospects from the G-League Ignite team projected to be drafted early, some top college players could be on the board whenever the Lakers pick.
We spoke to some scouts to compile a quick guide of players in the tournament the Lakers could have on their radar:
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Kentucky guards Reed Sheppard and Rob Dillingham
Kentucky guard Reed Sheppard (15) dribbles away from the defense during a game against Tennessee on March 9 in Knoxville, Tenn.
(Wade Payne / Associated Press)
Let’s start with these two.
Sheppard’s stock has really risen throughout the season and the best bet is that he’s off the board by the time the Lakers pick. But these processes are really fluid — no one thought Cam Whitmore would’ve been an option when the Lakers picked last year.
Sheppard has real two-way potential and a sweet shooting stroke. He’s been one of the best college players in the country this season. Dillingham, at times, has been flashier. But questions about his defense and the kind of scorer he is — reliable point or Jordan Clarkson-ish bench piece — have his potential draft range pretty wide.
3
Duke guard Jared McCain
There are some questions about his size, but he’s a real shot-making guard who has come on strong for Duke this season. He finished the year a tick under 40% from three and 86.8% from the line. Like so many scorers, though, he’ll need to show he can affect things when the ball isn’t going in the basket.
4
UConn center Donovan Clingan
The 7-footer was a key piece for the Huskies last year during their title run, showcasing his impact at the rim on both sides of the ball. This year, he worked back from a foot injury to play one of his best games in the Big East tournament finals when he had 22 points, 16 rebounds and two blocks.
5
UConn guard Stephon Castle
Castle, who has good size, may not a true point guard. He has been a do-it-all guy for UConn on both sides of the ball, displaying projectable skills of a winning player. He should be a top pick off the board before the end of the lottery.
6
Baylor wing Ja’Kobe Walter
Baylor guard Ja’Kobe Walter (4) brings the ball up court against Texas Tech on March 9 in Lubbock, Texas.
(Justin Rex / Associated Press)
Walter’s three-point stroke was really inconsistent once Baylor got into conference play, but there’s no question about Walter’s ability to create looks. He really struggled in a loss to Iowa State in the Big 12 tournament, part of a late-season stretch during which he’s been below 30% from the field. The talent, though, is easy to spot.
7
Tennessee wing Dalton Knecht
Knecht has been one of the best scorers in college basketball. He’s older than most prospects (23), but he’s become an all-around offensive player with his shooting as the headlining skill. He will be a major defensive question mark at the next level.
8
Baylor center Yves Missi
The Cameroonian center has been a very projectable player in his first college season, the kind of low-volume, rim-running big who is easy to slot in to a pro team. Defensively, he’s already been a top shot-blocker, and he’s shown the ability to handle perimeter switches.
9
Kansas wing Johnny Furphy
Kansas guard Johnny Furphy (10) dunks the ball during a game against BYU on Feb. 27 in Lawrence, Kan.
(Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
Furphy, who is from Australia, went on a dozen-game heater in the middle of the season during which he averaged 13.6 points on 54.3% / 39.6% / 78.4% shooting splits, putting him on NBA draft radars a little earlier than expected. The bottom has dropped out in the last five games, though, with Furphy shooting just 27% from the field. He’s got NBA size at 6-foot-9, but he needs to break out of his slump.
10
Duke center Kyle Filipowski
An efficient big with some ability to stretch the floor, Filipowski scored more than 20 points a dozen times this year. He’s a good passer for a 7-footer. He has some real fight to his game, but needs to be a better rim protector.
