Lakers mock draft: 1 dream, 1 realistic target for each round of 2024 NBA Draft

Round 1, Dream Pick: Devin Carter, Providence Friars

Talk of adding a high-level big man is compelling, but it can't be overstated how important it is for the Los Angeles Lakers to prioritize perimeter defense. It's also worth noting that the Lakers are reportedly interested in trading up at the 2024 NBA Draft.

Whether or not the Lakers trade up, the dream outcome would be to land Providence guard Devin Carter in the first round of the 2024 NBA Draft.

Carter is the dream selection for the Lakers based on Redick's outlined vision for 2024-25 and beyond. He has the tools to be an elite on-ball defender, which supports the desire to land a point-of-attack defender who can aggressively pick up a team's best scorer.

Carter has also improved tremendously on the offensive end of the floor, shooting a career-best 37.7 percent on 223 three-point field goal attempts in 2023-24.

Carter isn't a traditional point guard, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's a bad fit. He has a near 6'9" wingspan that's complemented by elite end-to-end speed, explosiveness, and agility—see: Top-10 marks in the lane agility drill, shuttle run, three-quarter sprint, and max vertical leap.

If Carter can become the 3-and-D specialist that he projects to be, playing alongside playmakers such as Austin Reaves and LeBron James would be the perfect situation for him.