NBA rumors: Lakers' current trade plans for No. 17 pick

06/26/2024 10:41 AM

The Los Angeles Lakers, for as long as LeBron James and Anthony Davis are on the roster, have an impetus to build a contending team year-in, year-out. Reports have come out as well that James and Davis are urging the team to do whatever it takes to upgrade the roster, perhaps by acquiring a star player. Thus, the roster-building situation is only getting more tense in Lakerland, especially with the 2024 NBA Draft coming up.

At the very least, the Lakers have the 17th overall pick of this year’s draft to dangle in potential trades, along with the very tradeable contracts of Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and Jarred Vanderbilt, among others. They also have their 2029 and 2031 first-round picks to add as potential deal-sweeteners, and they could also offer some pick swaps. But it appears as though the Lakers will not be very aggressive on draft night.

As things stand, the Lakers are most likely going to keep pick 17 to draft a young player, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN via Lakers Nation. Of course, plans can change depending on how the selections in front of them unfold, but there doesn’t appear to be any trade at the moment that has convinced the Lakers to relinquish the chance at adding a player who could still help in the post-LeBron James era.

The clock is always ticking on the Lakers, but over the past two seasons, they haven’t exactly been too aggressive. They waited for the right time to pounce during the 2023 trade deadline, dealing away Russell Westbrook, a 2027 first-round pick, and a second-rounder for three players who helped them turn things around. Has the Lakers front office earned the benefit of the doubt?

Lakers to go all-out for Devin Carter?

The 2024 NBA Draft seems to be the sort where anything can happen; there is no consensus number one overall pick, and there isn’t much separating the prospects who are projected to go in the middle of the first round. For the Lakers, however, it seems as though they are lasered in on a certain player, with that being Devin Carter, the 6’3 guard out of Providence.

Carter may not be one of the youngest prospects in his class (he is already 22 years of age), but his tools make him a very impressive prospect who has all the makings of fashioning for himself a long career. He is an explosive leaper who set the record for the fastest 3/4 court sprint in NBA Draft Combine history, and he also had a 42-inch running vertical leap. His 6’8 wingspan also allows him to play smothering defense.

Last season, Devin Carter put up 19.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per night on 47/38/75 shooting splits; the development of his three-ball is the most eye-opening part of his game, as he improved from being a 29.9 percent shooter from deep during his sophomore season to 37.7 percent at almost seven attempts per game (6.8).

However, Devin Carter may not make it to the Lakers at pick 17. He has been very impressive throughout the draft process, and as a result, he appears to be a lock to be drafted in the lottery. The latest mock draft by ClutchPoints NBA insider Brett Siegel has Carter going to the Chicago Bulls at pick 11.

Nonetheless, Sam Vecenie of The Athletic discussed the possibility that the Lakers trade up with the Bulls so that they could get their man. But that scenario involves them giving up Jalen Hood-Schifino, who, despite being a non-factor in his rookie campaign, is only 21 years old and still has three years left on his rookie deal. Is getting Carter worth giving up on Hood-Schifino completely just one year into his career? That is the question the Lakers will have to answer come draft night.

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