Hindsight is always 20/20, especially with an event like the NBA Draft. It is easy to revisit something like that and have a clearer picture on what things actually should have looked like once there is a sample size of how these young prospects perform in the league.
At the time of the 2024 NBA Draft, when the Los Angeles Lakers stepped up and selected Dalton Kencht with the 17th overall pick, many were quick to call it the steal of the night. In all fairness to the former Tennessee star, his rookie season in the 2024-25 campaign was solid.
However, an outlet like Bleacher Report was quick to remind the Lakers and their fans that there were several better players still on the board when Dan Favale conducted a re-draft of the class upon the conclusion of the 2024-25 regular season.
With Knecht slipping to 25th in the thought experiment, there was an opportunity to reflect on some of the players who the Lakers will grow to regret passing up in favor of Knecht.
Ajay Mitchell
Ajay Mitchell was the player who Favale had the Lakers selecting in the re-draft. It was a good mention for a player Los Angeles would have strongly benefitted from having on the roster.
Mitchell is an understandable draft miss for the Lakers, seeing as he was selected in the second round at 38th overall. Instead, another Western Conference contender, the Oklahoma City Thunder benefitted from his presence.
The Thunder rookie managed to carve out opportunities for himself in the stacked rotation of Oklahoma City during the regular season. Favale rightly described that as 'bonkers stuff.'
Mitchell is a stout defender, capable of bringing consistent energy to that side of the court. JJ Redick would have loved his reliability in that department, especially when considering that the 22-year-old also shot 38.3 percent from 3-point this season. Mitchell could have filled a glaring hole on the Lakers.
Jaylen Wells
Jaylen Wells went even higher in Favale's 2024 re-draft. The Memphis Grizzlies rookie was selected ninth overall.
Much like Mitchell, Wells is also an understandable draft miss for the Lakers, considering the Grizzlies snagged him with the 39th overall pick. Funny enough, that comes right after Mitchell.
Wells proved himself to be a sensational defender for Memphis in his rookie season. The Grizzlies wing was quickly able to secure a spot in the starting lineup for the team as a result. Wells was even knocking down 35.2 percent from beyond the arc by the end of the regular season.
There was ample reason why the talented 3-and-d player was selected as a Rookie of the Year finalist. That is a distinction that should make it painfully obvious just how good Wells was in 2024-25.
Yves Missi
This is the one which will actually hurt for the Lakers and their fans. Mitchell and Wells both emerged as second-round steals. Yves Missi was selected only a few picks after Knecht, going 21st overall to the New Orleans Pelicans.
Considering the never-ending discussion of just how bad the Lakers' center rotation was before and after the Luka Doncic trade, the presence of Missi would have been invaluable.
The Pelicans rookie had fantastic Per 36 numbers. Missi posted 12.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks per game on those adjusted statistics. Envisioning the type of boost the raw but talented center could have provided for the Lakers is just downright painful.