The Los Angeles Lakers will attempt to build for the future at the 2024 NBA Draft. Simultaneous to those efforts is the unenvious task of finding players who can complement superstars Anthony Davis and LeBron James in the short term.
If you're worried that the No. 17 pick is too late to accomplish such a goal, recent history suggests the Lakers are actually in an ideal position to strike gold.
Top-14 picks are a hot commodity in the NBA, but it's important to remember that the value is generally linked to the lottery itself. Even the Golden State Warriors, which had 0.7 percent odds, were holding out hope that they could secure the No. 1 pick.
The gap in talent from the 14th pick to the 17th, however, is far less significant than it's often made out to be—and the Lakers are likely well aware of that fact.
The No. 17 overall selection has yielded teams a number of high-level players in the past. Retired players who came off the board at the Lakers' current spot include Doug Christie, Danny Granger, Roy Hibbert, Shawn Kemp, Aaron McKie, Iman Shumpert, and Josh Smith.
In terms of the players who are still in the NBA, the Lakers should sense a theme of consistent production and value from the No. 17 overall selection.