Los Angeles Lakers: What to target with 28th pick in 2017 NBA Draft

The Los Angeles Lakers have some needs that they could fill with the 28th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

For many Los Angeles Lakers fans, it is a three-man race for who the team should pick second overall in the 2017 NBA Draft. Will it be UCLA point guard Lonzo Ball, Kentucky point guard De’Aaron Fox, or Kansas small forward Josh Jackson?

Lakers fans have split into three different camps and frequently debate which prospect is the right fit at number two. While fans are arguing over who the should go second, they often forget that the Lakers also possess the 28th pick.

With either Ball, Fox, or Jackson expected to go second overall, the Lakers have a much longer list of candidates to choose from at 28. Here I will discuss the Lakers’ options for the 28th pick.

Defensive Minded Wing

“Three and D” prospects are all the rage in today’s NBA and I think that kind of player would be a tremendous addition to the Lakers’ bench. The 2017 NBA draft is really stocked with big men and short on wing players.

With the obvious prospects likely gone by the time the Lakers pick at 28, the front office may have to reach for an effective wing. One player who really stands out defensively is Kansas State Senior Wesley Iwundu.

Standing at 6″7 with a monster 7″1 wingspan, Iwundu compares favorably to Oklahoma City Thunder forward Andre Roberson. Both players are elite defensive players who struggle to shoot from the perimeter. However, there is cause for optimism with regards to Iwundu’s shooting as he dramatically improved his three-point shooting from 20% as a junior to 37.6% in his senior year. Iwundu would be a sound selection by the Lakers at 28.

Front Court

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Many Lakers fans are clamoring for the front office to grab Ike Anigbogu or Bam Adebayo with pick 28. Unfortunately, those two will likely be gone by the time the Lakers pick.

I myself am not too keen on the Lakers drafting a front court prospect because they already have multiple talented front court players. Between Julius Randle, Larry Nance Jr., Tarik Black, and Ivica Zubac there just aren’t enough minutes to go around for the team to justify adding another front court player; that is before even including potential veterans such as Thomas Robinson and Timofey Mozgov.

I understand Black is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2018 but I believe the Lakers will look to retain him.

The Verdict:

It’s no secret that the Lakers would like to move the horrendous contracts of Mozgov and Luol Deng. One of the other benefits of the Lakers keeping their lottery pick this season was that they kept their 2019 first rounder as well.

Had the Lakers finished outside the top-three in the NBA Draft Lottery, this year’s pick would have gone to the Philadelphia 76ers and the 2019 first rounder would have gone to the Orlando Magic. If the Lakers could package either Mozgov or Deng with the 28th pick and 2019 first round pick, that would be an excellent move to clear cap space.

Next: Full First Round 2017 NBA Mock Draft

In my opinion, the Lakers should look to add a defensive-minded wing, especially if they select Lonzo Ball second overall. Many people question how a Lonzo Ball and D’Angelo Russell back court would fare defensively so adding a “three and D” prospect with the 28th pick would help ease some of those concerns.

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