Lakers May Make Bold Move in NBA Draft

The Los Angeles Lakers used their first-round picks to get Anthony Davis from the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans will get the No.8 overall. They won’t pick a player in the second round of the draft as the San Antonio Spurs will get the second-rounder. Here’s the catch. The Lakers may still make a move in the upcoming NBA Draft. They can pay for the rights of any player. That’s exactly what they did with THT.

“They can see the writing on the wall, they need young players,” one league source told Heavy.com. “They’re often one of the teams looking to buy a second-round pick when they have a guy they like, as they did with Talen Horton-Tucker. It’s a safe bet that they will look to buy a second-rounder this year, send out cash and a future pick, as they’re looking to get younger however possible.”

This was a really bold move for the Lakers. Horton-Tucker struggled with inconsistency, but he is a really talented player.

Lakers to make a move in the NBA Draft after all

So, Rob Pelinka is probably looking for options right now. He may call the Pelicans for a potential deal. They have three second-round picks and 14 players under contract. What does that mean? New Orleans won’t really sign four rookies at this point.

The Minnesota Timberwolves have one first-round pick and three second-rounders. The team has some holes on the roster and may not trade away their picks. New Orleans made the playoffs this year and they will probably rely on the same system without making any major changes. In other words, they may ship their picks somewhere else.

Pelinka has been working out players and he can always get undrafted players. That’s how they got Austin Reaves last season. Reaves did a really good job and the Lakers front office honored him with a deal.

Los Angeles has been linked to several players, including Jemaree Bouyea, a senior from San Francisco, Tyrese Martin from UConn, Keon Ellis from Alabama, Trevion Williams from Purdue, and Quenton Jackson from Texas and A&M. As you may have noticed, they are definitely looking for a senior who can contribute alongside LeBron James and Anthony Davis.