Lakers: Insider Identifies Which NBA Draft Picks LA Is Trying to Acquire
The Lakers are high on expectations and low on resources to help improve a roster to meet those expectations. After a few seasons of vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka shedding draft capital left and right, the Lakers find themselves without a single pick in next week's NBA Draft.
If the Lakers are going to get younger and avoid relying on multiple past-their-prime veterans to fill out their roster, they'll either need to acquire picks or hit the jackpot on multiple undrafted free agents. Guard Austin Reaves is an example of the latter, but productive undrafted rookies don't grow on trees.
According to Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer, the Lakers are in hot pursuit of grabbing a second-round pick or two. In a Tuesday article, Fischer noted which two picks the Lakers have their eye on.
"The Lakers are widely known to be pursuing a second-round draft selection. The Hawks (No. 44) and Detroit Pistons (No. 46) have picks in the 40s that are considered available, sources said."
Doesn't take much to connect the dots on that on.
Earlier this month, Eric Pincus, also of Bleacher Report, spelled out how much it will cost the Lakers to trade for draft picks.
"If the opportunity comes to buy a pick in the June 23 draft, the Lakers can offer up to $4.4 million in a trade before July. ...Teams can also agree to buy a pick in June but wait until July to execute the deal with a larger cash pool of $6.3 million. L.A. may not have the appetite to spend $10.7 million to buy two or more picks, but it has the means."
Based on owner Jeanie Buss' recent comments complaining about the Lakers being a luxury tax team and failing to miss the playoffs, it seems hard to believe she would be willing to blow $10.7M to grab both Atlanta's and Detroit's picks.
The NBA Draft is set for June 23rd.
