The Los Angeles Lakers began their pre-draft workouts this week. We break down and provide some analysis for the first six players that had a workout.
The Los Angeles Lakers looked like they would be quiet in the 2018 NBA Draft. Thanks to the Steve Nash trade in 2012, the Lakers do not own their first-round pick this year. The pick will be relayed over to either the Boston Celtics or Philadelphia 76ers depending on where it lands.
However, much like they did last year, the Lakers were able to acquire a draft pick near the trade deadline. Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka acquired the Cleveland Cavaliers first round pick, along with Isaiah Thomas and Channing Frye. In exchange, Los Angeles sent Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. to Cleveland.
This was an excellent deal for Los Angeles. Not only did they land a selection that gets them back into the first round, they cleared cap space as well getting Clarkson’s contract off the books.
While the Cavaliers pick isn’t in the lottery, like the Lakers’ selection will be, Los Angeles has done well drafting later in the first round. The Lakers will be on the clock with the 25th pick in the draft.
While we are still about seven weeks away from the draft, and the NBA Playoffs are in full form, the Lakers are preparing for the draft. This week, they held their first draft workouts of the season.
Mike Bresnahan of Spectrum SportsNet shared that the Lakers worked out six players. Louisville’s Deng Adel and Anas Mahmoud, Utah’s Sedrick Barefield, Wyoming’s Hayden Dalton, Creighton’s Marcus Foster and Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ.
Draft workouts for the Lakers today:
— Mike Bresnahan (@Mike_Bresnahan) May 3, 2018
Sedrick Barefield (Utah), Hayden Dalton (Wyoming), Marcus Foster (Creighton), Louisville teammates Deng Adel and Anas Mahmoud, and last but certainly not least, Wisconsin’s Ethan Happ.
In addition to the No. 25 pick, the Lakers also have the No. 47 overall pick. The Lakers will once again be looking to add some youthful talent to the roster, something they successfully did in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Could one of the players the team worked out this week be a future Laker? We will have to wait and see! Until then, let’s take a closer work at the first round of draft prospect workouts that the Lakers held.