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Los Angeles Lakers: 3 Players they should have picked over Moritz Wagner

By Nick Ziegler

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: Moritz Wagner reacts after being drafted 25th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 21, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 21: Moritz Wagner reacts after being drafted 25th overall by the Los Angeles Lakers during the 2018 NBA Draft at the Barclays Center on June 21, 2018 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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Los Angeles Lakers
BROOKLYN, NY – JUNE 21: Moritz Wagner speaks to the media after being selected by the Los Angeles Lakers at the 2018 NBA Draft on June 21, 2018 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Kostas Lymperopoulos/NBAE via Getty Images) /

With the 25th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Moritz Wagner. Here are three players that they have chosen over him.

The Los Angeles Lakers have been very successful with their drafting in recent years. In 2017, the Lakers were able to strike gold at the end of the first round, as they selected Kyle Kuzma and Josh Hart.

Both Hart and Kuzma were players that had good college careers, and were clearly ready to play right away in the NBA. While many teams like taking players based on what they might be, the Lakers have been selecting players that are ready to perform rather than trying to hit it big with a prospect.

With their only pick in the first round this year, the Lakers selected Michigan center, Moritz Wagner. After testing the waters of the NBA last season, Wagner went back to school to improve, and he certainly did.

Michigan went on to play in the National Championship Game against Villanova, and while they lost that game, it was a very successful season. In his junior season, Wagner was able to set new career-highs with 14.6 points and 7.1 rebounds per game. As a stretch forward/center, Wagner should translate nicely to the NBA. However, the Lakers might have reached on him a bit at 25.

While there are certainly things to like about drafting Wagner, reaching for a prospect is never good. Here are three players that the Lakers should have chosen over Wagner with the 25th pick.

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