2. Josh Giddey
Reason for potentially falling: International hesitancy
Josh Giddey is a prospect that is fairly consistent across multiple big boards. Several different outlets have Giddey in the mid-teens, which is fair. ESPN ranks him as the 13th-best prospect in the 2021 NBA Draft and Tankathon ranks him 15th.
That makes him a fringe lottery guy and while he might rank there in the pre-draft big boards it does not guarantee that he will be picked in the lottery. If teams are choosing between college players with more recent film and Giddey, whose competition-level is harder to gauge, most teams will pick the college prospect.
Australia is getting more buzz as a legitimate place for these prospects to play and the success of international picks such as Luka Doncic and La’Melo Ball (that is crazy that he is an international pick) definitely bridges some gaps. However, at the end of the day, some of those gaps are still there.
There is also a playstyle aspect with Giddey that might make some teams hesitate. He is not the best three-point shooter and his defense will likely be a struggle as he transitions in to the NBA. He is extremely gifted as a playmaker and facilitator and that alone is what makes him a potential lottery pick.
While the Lakers are a defensive-minded team that needs more shooters I would not be surprised at all if they jumped on Giddey is he was still on the board. The Lakers really need someone else to help initiate the offense with LeBron James and Giddey could be a step in the right direction.
The playmaking guard can help in that dynamic and also gives the Lakers good size and a great rebounding presence for a point guard, both of which would fit nicely in LA.