Los Angeles Lakers: 3 early candidates for the 22nd overall pick
By Jason Reed
2. Neemias Queta, C, Utah State
If I had to bet on what position the Los Angeles Lakers would be taking in the first round of the 2021 NBA Draft I would bet on the center position. While you can certainly make the case for a three and D two-guard if they really like Duarte, the center position and its future is the biggest need.
Granted, this position is arguably the least important in all of basketball, especially when you have Anthony Davis to potentially play the five. The problem there is that for some reason AD does not want to fully commit to playing the five despite his game being literally perfect for it in today’s NBA.
Andre Drummond is a free agent and likely won’t return, Marc Gasol is going to be one year older and is not even getting minutes in the playoffs thus far and Devontae Cacok is not the long-term answer at center. It is time to get youth at the position.
They get that with Neemias Queta, who is ranked as high as the 20s in some big boards and as low as a late second-rounder in others. Personally, I think Queta will be a late-first, early-second round pick and the Lakers might be reaching a tad but it is the need that they are drafting.
The Utah State junior was one of the best defensive players in the entire country last season and is a two-time Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year. He is the definition of a rim protector, blocking 3.3 shots per game last season.
Queta was good for 15 and 10 in college and in the NBA, his ceiling is likely around the same. He would probably get something around 20 minutes per game as a rookie and if he could give the Lakers six points, six rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game then it would be a win.