The Los Angeles Lakers are apparently looking to pick up a second-round pick in next week’s 2022 NBA Draft.
Jake Fischer of Bleacher Report looked at speculation across the league and noted a couple of teams that may be willing to trade picks away.
“The Lakers are widely known to be pursuing a second-round draft selection,” wrote Fischer. “The [Atlanta] Hawks (No. 44) and Detroit Pistons (No. 46) have picks in the 40s that are considered available, sources said.”
The Lakers currently don’t own many draft picks in the immediate future due to past deals, including a 2019 blockbuster trade that brought Anthony Davis to L.A.
At present, the Lakers have no picks in the 2022 draft. The New Orleans Pelicans own the Lakers’ first-round pick as a result of the Davis deal, and L.A.’s second-round pick currently belongs to the San Antonio Spurs.
While the Lakers would undoubtedly love to pick up a first-round pick from another team, the likelihood of that happening seems low. That leaves them with the prospect of acquiring a second-round choice that may or may not pan out.
Players acquired near the middle of the second round are generally not seen as key building blocks for franchises. In this case, the limited options faced by the Lakers have them hoping that they can find a diamond in the rough.
If the Lakers do end up trading for a pick and drafting a player, new head coach Darvin Ham will look to get the most out of the youngster’s talent. Doing that would be beneficial toward getting the Lakers back into the postseason.
