3 first-rounders who could fall to the Lakers at 35 in the NBA Draft

3. Patrick Baldwin Jr, Milwaukee

This would be a risky pick for the Los Angeles Lakers. While it might not yield the results the Lakers want, with limited chances to improve this offseason the Lakers could take the riskiest route that has the highest pay-off.

It is just a second-round pick after all and the Lakers have historically been really good at developing late picks in the draft. If there is any team that can take Patrick Baldwin Jr. and help him reach his ceiling it is the Lakers.

That ceiling is extremely exciting.

Baldwin has everything you would want in an NBA player. He has size, length, athleticism, and has all the tools to be a legitimate threat on both sides of the basketball. All of that led to him being the fifth-ranked high school prospect on ESPN’s top 100 in 2021. Baldwin got hurt his senior year of high school as well, so he could have easily been a top-three prospect.

The injures just have not been able to escape Baldwin as he also got hurt in his freshman season with Milwaukee. Baldwin only played 11 games and the numbers were not impressive as he shot 34.4% from the field and 26.6% from three.

All of this has led to Baldwin plummeting down the NBA Draft big boards with many even ranking him as a second-round pick. However, it is undeniable that he has first-round upside and if it all works out, he could be the best pick from the 30s in this year’s draft.

But do the Lakers have the gusto to take him if he is there at pick 35? For that, we will have to wait and see.