Lakers mock draft: Who the experts have going to the Lakers at 22

The 2021 NBA Draft is less than a month away and the Los Angeles Lakers have the 22nd overall pick in the draft. While the pick can still be traded, there are some solid options available for the Lakers at 22.

The Lakers have a great recent history of taking late picks in the draft and turning them into legitimate rotation players. Not only do the Lakers have a great eye for the talent they are scouting, but they have great player development as well.

With that in mind, it is safe to assume that whoever the Lakers pick at 22 will at least be a solid rotation player in the league. That is a big victory when you are picking that late in the draft as there are more picks that end up out of the league in five years.

Who the Lakers can pick depends on the 21 picks before them and with the draft around the corner it has been mock draft season in the NBA world. Instead of adding another mock draft (which we have in the pipeline), today we wanted to take a look around to see who the experts have going to the Lakers at 22.

Quite frankly, it is a mixed bag.

Who the experts have the Los Angeles Lakers taking at pick 22:

We looked at five recent NBA mock drafts and of the five there is only one player who was taken in two separate mock drafts.

Usman Garuba, PF/C, Spain

Both NBADraft.Net and Matt Norlander of CBS Sports predict that the Los Angeles Lakers will take international prospect Usman Garuba with the 22nd pick in the draft. Garuba is six-eight and projects to be a four but can fill out and provide small-ball five minutes.

He has a seven-two wingspan so he has the frame to transition into being a center in the future, especially in today’s NBA. The Lakers do not have a long-term plan at center and Garuba would provide that.

Garuba is as raw as it comes, though. This pick would entirely be based on potential and his athletic traits. The hope would be that he can develop more as an offensive presence while also providing rim protection at the NBA level.

Garuba can be a solid rum-runner with the ability to stretch the floor a bit if all goes as planned. However, he is so raw that it could easily flame out as well.

Cameron Thomas, SG, LSU

Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has Cameron Thomas going to the Lakers in his latest NBA mock draft. Thomas is a freshman two-guard out of LSU that has a lot of potential to be a great scorer at the NBA level.

Thomas showcased the ability to score at all three levels with LSU and while he can work on his jump shot, that will come with time and will improve with NBA coaching. He was not the most efficient scorer at the college level but has the skills and ability to get to the rim as well as create his own shot.

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Shot selection and basketball IQ could make Thomas one of the better picks in this draft. He needs to land in the right spot that can coach him up and the Lakers may be the best-case scenario for him.

Sharife Cooper, PG, Auburn

Zach Harper of The Athletic (subscription required) has the Los Angeles Lakers taking Sharife Cooper in his latest mock draft. Harper also had Cooper going to the Lakers in his previous mock draft, which makes the pick more compelling.

The Lakers need a secondary playmaker and Cooper would be just that. He would have a small role in his rookie season but he is one of the better playmakers and facilitators coming out of the draft. He would provide the Lakers with that true point guard they don’t have, which will be important as LeBron James gets older.

He is a bit undersized and will have to get better as a perimeter shooter to survive in this league but the potential is there.

Tre Mann

The final player landing on the Los Angeles Lakers is Tre Mann, who Corey Rausch of Hoops Habit has going to LA in his latest mock draft.

There is a lot of potential with Mann, who shook off being an undersized point guard after growing to be six-three in college. Mann needs to improve defensively but he has the skills to excel in today’s NBA when, let’s be honest, as lon as you are not a terrible defender you will be fine.

Mann is one of the best three-point shooters at the point guard position in the draft while also being a solid playmaker as well. He may not be as good of a facilitator as Cooper, but he is a better scorer and shot-creator and that will open up looks for his teammates.