As the Los Angeles Lakers continue to prepare for the 2026 NBA Draft, new names are coming in as players to keep an eye on for the squad.
According to a report, the Lakers this week hosted a predraft workout that featured several players, including guard Skyy Clark, a player some college hoops fans in L.A. may be familiar with.
“Source: The Lakers on Tuesday (6/2) hosted a predraft workout that included Skyy Clark (UCLA), Trey Kaufman-Renn (Purdue), Tamin Lipsey (Iowa State) and Peter Suder (Miami OH),” Cody Taylor of Rookie Wire wrote on X.
The Lakers have been very busy doing draft homework. According to Rookie Wire’s tracker, nearly two dozen players have either worked out for the Lakers or have workouts scheduled with the team.
L.A. has the No. 25 overall pick in the upcoming draft. It does not currently have a second-round selection. Late in the first round, the Lakers aren’t likely to be in the mix for any of the top prospects in the class, but there are many examples of players being drafted late in the first round and becoming major success stories at the NBA level.
Clark, the UCLA guard looking to go pro, averaged 11.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game for the Bruins this season. He flexed his shooting abilities by knocking down 46.9 percent of his shots from the field and 42.7 percent of his shots from beyond the arc.
The Lakers could certainly use some shooting help, but it’s unclear if Clark is the type of prospect they will truly consider at No. 25. Clark doesn’t appear in some mock drafts. With so many draft prospects linked to the Purple and Gold, it’s tough to know who has stood out to the team.
L.A. could also look to use its first-round pick as part of a trade if it would rather leverage the asset to get a win-now piece. It’s no secret that the Lakers have work to do this offseason as they try to build a contender around new franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic. A trade could help, though the team also has tons of decisions to make when it comes to free agency.
The draft will take place June 23 and 24 in New York, leaving the Lakers with a couple more weeks to continue getting ready.
