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Los Angeles Lakers: Melvin Frazier named sleeper pick in 2018 NBA Draft

By Kenneth Teape

CHAPEL HILL, NC - DECEMBER 03: Melvin Frazier #35 of the Tulane Green Wave against the North Carolina Tar Heels during their game at the Dean Smith Center on December 3, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 97-73. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - DECEMBER 03: Melvin Frazier #35 of the Tulane Green Wave against the North Carolina Tar Heels during their game at the Dean Smith Center on December 3, 2017 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 97-73. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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A sleeper pick in the 2018 NBA Draft to keep an eye on for the Los Angeles Lakers is Tulane small forward, Melvin Frazier.

The Los Angeles Lakers very important offseason begins later tonight with the 2018 NBA Draft. The Lakers have been busy preparing for the draft with multiple workouts. They wasted no time making moves, as the first salvo of the 2018 NBA Draft was fired by Los Angeles.

The Lakers reportedly agreed to a trade with the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday night. Los Angeles will reportedly acquire the No. 39 pick from the 76ers in exchange for a 2019 second-round pick via the Chicago Bulls.

That trade gives the Lakers three draft picks in the 2018 NBA Draft. They own the No. 25, No. 39 and No. 47 overall picks. There are a number of players that the Lakers will be considering with those picks.

According to recent reports, Anfernee Simons is on the Lakers radar with the No. 25 pick. Another player that Los Angeles is reportedly smitten with is Texas Tech shooting guard, Zhaire Smith. There is a chance that Smith could go in the lottery, so maybe that acquired pick will be used in a package to move up the draft board.

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With three selections, there are plenty of routes that Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka could go in. They could package them in trades to sweeten packages as they did last season. Or, they could add more young players to their core.

Whatever the Lakers do, you know there will be some surprises during the 2018 NBA Draft. For Los Angeles, one sleeper to keep an eye on is small forward, Melvin Frazier.

Over at Bleacher Report, a sleeper prospect for each team was selected. The sleeper selected for the Lakers was the Tulane prospect. Here is what they had to say about the selection.

"Melvin Frazier falls under the three-and-D umbrella, though it’s his defense that’s driving his value.Athletic, long and quick, he should be able to guard positions 2-4. Frazier averaged 2.5 steals per 40 minutes in back-to-back seasons, a promising sign regarding his defensive ability.With Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram being more offensive-minded, Frazier would give L.A. a potential defensive specialist who can also make shots and stretch the floor without needing touches or dribbles in the offense."

Frazier improved his 3-point shooting this past season at Tulane. He knocked down 38.5 percent of his 3-pointers after making only 27.2 the previous two seasons. If he continues on that trajectory, he will become a very good 3-and-D player at the next level.

As they point out in the blurb, Frazier is already a strong defender. He sometimes takes too many gambles, but the tools are there for him to become a lockdown defender. His size and athleticism also enable him to defend multiple positions. Versatility is key in today’s NBA, and Fraizer provides that.

Adding a defensive-minded wing to the mix wouldn’t be the worst thing for the Lakers. While their young core has defensive potential, their bread and butter are on offense. Frazier would give Los Angeles some balance on the wing as a defender that can knock down jump shots.

Next: Complete 2018 First Round Mock Draft

Frazier is a great pick as a sleeper selection for the Lakers. He hasn’t been connected to them as other prospects have, but his skill set would fit in well with the current makeup of the roster.

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