The Los Angeles Lakers went into the night without a first-round pick. They were lucky enough to watch the perfect prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft fall into the second-round and ripe for the taking. That is, with the right maneuvering from Rob Pelinka.
Maxime Raynaud was not selected among the first 30 picks of this year's NBA Draft. No team has laid claim to the spoils of selecting the tremendously skilled big man. Raynaud should have an easy fit in Los Angeles.
There will still be avenues to explore with regard to solving the frontcourt need in Hollywood. One of the better options will be to explore trading up in the second round for a talent who should have gone in the first.
Raynaud's skill set too good to see go for Lakers
For those arguing that the Lakers do not have much ammunition for a trade-up, I hear you. However, the Lakers were also short on resources to acquire Luka Doncic, and they still did that.
Obviously, things are not so black and white, and simplifying the argument to the one above ignores a lot of details and nuance. However, sliding up from the 55th overall spot does not carry the weight of an undoable task.
In the 2024-25 college season, Raynaud averaged 20.2 points, 10.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks, and 0.9 steals per game, while shooting 46.7 percent from the field and 34.7 percent from beyond the arc. The Stanford Cardinal center is ready to contribute at an NBA level.
Raynaud has a unique skill set that could allow for some extra dimensions and creativity to be added to the Lakers offense. The wide array in his 3-point shooting arsenal would create the type of spacing that could add some real intrigue.
The French center had plenty of creativity with regard to his abilities with the ball too, able to find openings for himself and others offensively in his final year at Stanford. The four seasons spent in college allowed for some real polish to be added throughout.
For those that would be turned off by his 22-year-old draft age, think again. That negative for some just means Raynaud would be more equipped to play immediately with the Lakers.
Good size will allow for the young center to positively impact two other areas of need at the center position for the Lakers: rim protection and rebounding. Raynaud ticks box after box for Los Angeles.
The Lakers certainly have plenty of opportunities after night 1 of the NBA Draft. This path would represent one of their best.