As things currently stand, the Los Angeles Lakers are out of picks for the 2026 NBA Draft. They may want to change that after how the first round unfolded.
The Lakers were gifted an easy choice with their first-round pick. The longer Cameron Carr continued to slide, the more he stood out above all the other prospects on the board for Los Angeles. Moving up one spot and picking him up at 24th overall was a great move by Rob Pelinka and company.
Upon the conclusion of the first round, one name that had been consistently mocked as a draft fit for the Lakers was still standing. Henri Veesaar slid out of the top-30 picks and is still readily available for an NBA home once the second round starts.
The Lakers addressed a need for athleticism, shooting, and defensive upside by selecting Carr at 24. The Baylor wing should be someone who can be involved in JJ Redick's rotation from day one. If they want a similar boost to the frontcourt in the immediate future, Veesaar looks awfully tempting.
Trading back into the NBA Draft for Henri Veesaar would give the Lakers another immediate contributor
The Lakers are in win-now mode. Selecting Carr to aid those goals from day one was a great move. Veesaar is someone who can also push for minutes on the floor right away.
After four years at the NCAA level, the Estonian center has a lot of polish to his game. Veesaar's skill set is missing the overwhelming athleticism and leaping ability that Luka Doncic has enjoyed having in some of his other centers. However, Veesaar's pick-and-pop ability should offer shades of Maxi Kleber's better years in the NBA. The size and touch to finish on the interior is there, too.
Veesaar had an impressive final season in the NCAA with North Carolina, averaging 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game while shooting 60.8 percent from the field and 42.6 from beyond the arc. Getting any bit of that productivity for the Lakers bench would be a big boost.
It would also offer versatility in how to deploy the frontcourt. If the Lakers are searching for a starter and intend to bring back Jaxson Hayes, Veesaar gives them someone who can push the latter for backup duties on a nightly basis with a skill set that changes the pace.
Trading into the second round could hopefully be as simple as finding a team willing to bet on Dalton Knecht. If that team exists early enough for Veesaar to still be on the board, the Lakers could certainly try their hand at adding another player who could help them from the get-go.
Add us as a preferred source on Google