The Los Angeles Lakers have just the 25th overall draft pick in 2026 and their 2028 first-rounder to use to build around Luka Doncic before 2030. They can trade three first-round picks in a deal on draft night, but the Thunder are showing everyone the importance of acquiring young talent on the cheap. Every dollar counts in the second apron era, and the Lakers have just five draft picks through 2032.
Luka is one of the best players on the planet. He is a perennial first-team All-NBA player, but the Lakers clearly don’t have enough talent around him. Luka is injured, but the Thunder are playing half of LA’s roster off the court. The Lakers are trying to retool around number 77, but finding the depth to match Oklahoma City and the Spurs is nearly impossible without contributors on rookie-scale contracts.
Rob Pelinka’s track record in the draft makes this problem even worse. He missed on Dalton Knecht and Jalen Hood-Schifino. The Lakers haven’t made another first-round pick since 2018. Having zero production on those cheap rookie deals is a problem that keeps hampering Los Angeles.
Lakers are light on draft capital to build around Luka Doncic
Things aren’t getting any easier. Finding a difference-maker with the 25th pick is difficult. Pelinka may try to trade it, but that won’t solve the long-term issue. The Lakers have cap space this summer, but using it to add impact players only makes the roster more expensive in the future. Without the rookie scale deals to balance it out, Los Angeles will be flirting with the dreaded second apron.
The Lakers' roster is complicated right now. Doncic is clearly the alpha every contender needs. Head coach JJ Redick is proving to be a playoff riser. The rest of the pieces are question marks. Austin Reaves playoff struggles have everyone wondering if he is the LA’s second star. LeBron James is 41 and is no guarantee to return. The Lakers have four other soon-to-be free agents, and that doesn’t include the player options for Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton.
Luka will be on a max contract for years to come. Keeping Reaves means giving him $30-40 million per year. LeBron is nearing the end of his legendary career, but he will still want to be paid handsomely. The purple and gold want other impact players who help them compete for championships. Their options will be limited if they can’t find bargain contracts to balance out their books.
The Lakers only have three first-round picks in the next five years, and none of them project to be premium selections. Pelinka has never hit on one, so that makes things even worse.
The second apron is hurting the Los Angeles Lakers. They know they need more talent around Luka Doncic, but they don’t have a way to add it without overspending. LA needs difference-makers on rookie contracts. Sadly, they don’t have the draft picks or the talent on their roster. It is a problem that Rob Pelinka, Jeanie Buss, and Mark Walter should be trying to solve immediately.
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