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Los Angeles Lakers mock draft: LA trades down, adds promising stretch 5

By Jason Reed

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 13: Luka Garza #55 of the Iowa Hawkeyes takes a shot in the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the first half of the Big Ten men's basketball tournament semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 13, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 13: Luka Garza #55 of the Iowa Hawkeyes takes a shot in the game against the Illinois Fighting Illini during the first half of the Big Ten men's basketball tournament semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 13, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP) – Los Angeles Lakers
(Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN / AFP) – Los Angeles Lakers /

The Los Angeles Lakers are currently looking to get through the last few weeks of the grind of the 2020-21 season and then it will be full-steam ahead for the NBA Playoffs. However, for the first time this year, it is also fitting for us here at Lake Show Life to look ahead at the 2021 NBA Draft.

The 2021 NBA Draft is just over three months away and the Lakers are going to have a first-round selection in the draft. The New Orleans Pelicans have the draft rights to the Lakers’ first-round pick but the pick is protected from 8-30.

The Lakers are not going to fall into the top seven picks. That selection is absolutely safe and New Orleans will then get the Lakers’ pick next year.

With the team trading its first-round pick for Dennis Schroder last year, not having a pick next year and potentially losing quite a few players in the offseason, the purple and gold are probably better off keeping a pick in this year’s draft.

But the Los Angeles Lakers should still trade their first-round pick.

In our first 2021 NBA mock draft of the year, we are trading back in the draft. The Lakers are exceptional at taking second-round prospects and developing them and the team should look to move back and get a two-for-one deal with two second-round picks.

For the sake of today’s mock draft, we have the Lakers sending their first-round pick to the Toronto Raptors in exchange for the Memphis Grizzlies’ second-round pick and Golden State Warriors’ second-round pick; both are controlled by the Toronto Raptors.

Right now, those selections are the 44th and 46th in the draft. That will obviously change.

Using Trade NBA’s Mock Draft Simulator, here are the two prospects we are taking in our first 2021 Los Angeles Lakers mock draft.

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