1. Saddiq Bey, Villanova
If we had to pinpoint one potential prospect that the Los Angeles Lakers should hope to fall to the late first round then there is no better option than Villanova’s Saddiq Bey. Bey is likely going to go in the mid-to-late first round, with ESPN ranking him 20th and Tankathon ranking him 18th.
Bey is the prototypical wing to play on a LeBron James-led team. He is someone who has made a living in his collegiate career with his length and ability to be a great off-ball scorer with off-ball movement off of screens.
Bey is one of the best off-ball scorers in the draft and even in a lesser role in Los Angeles, would be a much better fit style-wise than Kuzma currently is with the Lakers.
Bey shot 45.1 percent from beyond the arc in his sophomore season, averaging 2.5 three-pointers per game as part of his 16.1 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.
He could play as the team’s off-ball small forward with LeBron essentially running the point and Davis running the four but could even get big in the second unit as a stretch four. He is six-eight and long and will be more than capable of handling the modern NBA.
Again, it would either take him slipping down the draft or the Lakers somehow moving up in the order, but if he does somehow find his way to the late first, the Lakers should not hesitate to draft him.