The Los Angeles Lakers still have many upcoming decisions to make, including choosing a coach. JJ Redick is interviewing with the Lakers this weekend for the first chair spot and is likely the leading candidate.
The Lakers have 12 players under contract for the upcoming season, with salaries totaling $178.7 million. However, D’Angelo Russell ($18.6 million) is expected to opt out of his player option, while LeBron James ($51.4 million) could do the same. Whether James opts out or not, he is expected to be with the Lakers for the remainder of his career. Jaxon Hayes ($2.4 million) and Cam Reddish ($2.4 million) also have player options. Russell, James, Hayes, and Reddish have until June 29 to make an official decision.
Taurean Prince and Spencer Dinwiddie are unrestricted free agents. Meanwhile, Max Christie is a restricted free agent with a $2.3 million qualifying offer.
Los Angeles Lakers Reportedly Targeting 5 Backcourt Players With No. 17 Pick, Including A Former No. 1 Rated Prospect
While the Lakers need to find a head coach, general manager Rob Pelinka’s focus is likely on the upcoming 2024 NBA draft. The Lakers hold the No. 17 and 55 pick in the draft.
Los Angeles is also reportedly looking to trade for a third star, with Donovan Mitchell, Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, and Zach LaVine at the forefront of the Lakers’ list. Alex Caruso and Dorian Finney-Smith have also been linked to the Lakers.
The Lakers have plenty of options with the No. 17 pick, including trading it. But if the Lakers keep the pick, several players would be a good fit for them, according to Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times. The 2024 NBA Draft takes place on June 26 and 27.
Who The Lakers Could Be Targeting
Woike listed guards Devin Carter, Isaiah Collier, and Jared McCain, along with wings Tristan da Silva and Ja’Kobe Walter, as possible options at No. 17. According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, Carter, McCain, Collier, and Walter have received 2024 NBA Draft Green Room invites.
Here is the thing: The Lakers have invested heavily in the backcourt in recent drafts. However, the Lakers need to add depth with Russell, Christie, and Dinwiddie being potential free agents. The same can be said about their wing situation, with Prince and Reddish being potential free agents.
The Lakers have had mixed results with rookie guards/wings over the past few years. The Lakers came up roses with Austin Reaves, who went undrafted in 2021. Christie, a second-round draft pick in 2022, saw moderate improvement in his performance in year two though he was a rotational player this past time. Jalen Hood Schifino, the No. 17 pick in 2023, only saw 109 minutes over 21 appearances.
Devin Carter
Carter is a 6-2 point guard with a 6-8.5 wingspan. Carter was named 2023-24 Big East Player of the Year, averaging 19.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.8 steals across 35.3 minutes per game. He shot hot 47.3% from the field and 37.7% from beyond the arc this past season.
Here’s the NBA.com scouting report on Carter:
“Known for his defensive ability, Carter experienced an offensive breakout in 2023-24 that translated into an uptick in his Draft stock, and over the last 12 months has become widely considered as one of the best two-way guards in the nation over. He’s a dangerous player in ball-screen and spot-up situations, meaning he can play on and off the ball. However, his decision making will ultimately determine whether he makes a career as a point guard or shooting guard. His lateral quickness is an asset on both ends of the court, allowing him to get off screens with relative ease while also being helpful to defend in the perimeter. Even though his scoring ability is proven at the NBA level, he lacks a consistent mid-range game. Most of his offensive arsenal lies between attacking the rim and shooting threes. He looks the part of a two-way asset and a three-and-D player, with the potential to become even more if his offensive game continues to develop as it has over the last two years.”
However, Carter may not be available at No. 17. Doric Sam of Bleacher Report said the Providence product has received a promise from a lottery team. PHLY Sports Kyle Neubeck said Carter would be a good fit for Philadelphia, which owns the 16th pick.
Isaiah Collier
The 6-3 Collier was the top consensus college basket recruit in 2023 and started out as the No. 1 player in most NBA mock drafts. But Collier had an up-and-down freshman campaign at USC, averaging 16.3 points, 4.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.5 steals on 49/34/67 shooting splits.
Here is Collier’s NBA.com draft scouting report:
“At 6-foot-3, Collier has good size for an NBA point guard, and adding weight to his 205-pound frame won’t be necessary. In high school and college, Collier consistently bullied his way to the rim. It’s fair to wonder if that will translate to the NBA, though Collier is also a solid ball-handler with a quick first step. He’s also a willing passer with plus vision. Shooting remains a question mark, however, as Collier’s numbers have been all over the map since midway through his high school career. Given his less-than-ideal mechanics and at times difficult shot selection, Collier hovering around 30-to-35 percent as a rookie would be a success.”
Jared McCain
McCain, a 6-2 combo guard, had a solid freshman campaign at Duke. He averaged 14.3 points on 46.2% shooting, 5.0 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.1 steals in 36 starts.
Here is NBA.com’s scouting report on McCain:
“McCain’s pedigree carried over to two 30-point performances in the NCAA Tournament, as well as seven games with at least four made 3s this season — flashes of serious next-level scoring ability. Scoring is the appeal, as McCain is a two-way competitor but shouldn’t be considered as a sure-fire asset on the defensive end in the NBA. Offensively, he ranked in the 81st percentile for off-the-dribble shooting efficiency, while also knocking down 42.1% of 160 catch-and-shoot 3s on the year. McCain can put the ball on the deck as well, converting 62.5% of his shots at the rim while ranking in the 37th percentile for frequency among guards nationwide. Being an attentive defender and possessing a sturdy frame work in his favor as well, but McCain’s size nonetheless shifts pressure to his offense translating.”
Tristan da Silva
da Silva spent four seasons at Colorado and produced solid seasons in each of the last two years. The 6-8 forward from Munich, Germany, averaged 16.0 points, 5.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.7 steals plus blocks on 49.3/39.5/83.5% shooting.
“Tristan da Silva has the kind of size and shooting that teams usually want out of a veteran college player, said Woike. “He seems like a potential “plug-in and play” prospect.”
Here is more on da Silva from NBA.com:
“da Silva solidified his status as a bona fide, multi-level scoring weapon in 2023-24, finishing in the 76th percentile by converting 63.5% of his shots at the rim, ranking in the 82nd percentile by knocking down 46.7% of his shots in the midrange, and canning 48.4% of his unguarded catch-and-shoot 3-point attempts. That being said, da Silva shooting just 35.8% on his guarded catch-and-shoot attempts and 21.1% on a limited volume of dribble-jumpers is distinctly less compelling. His 60.6 true-shooting percentage still ranked 152nd nationwide this season, which is extremely impressive given his balanced shot diet.”
Ja’Kobe Walter
Walter is a 6-5 wing who earned Big 12 Freshman of the Year honors this past season. Walter averaged 14.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 1.1 steals with shooting splits of 42.3%/34.1%/79.1%.
“Baylor’s Ja’Kobe Walter has the kind of length and shooting touch you’d want out of a 3-and-D player, said Woike.
Here’s more about Walter from NBA.com:
“First and foremost, Walter is a three-point shooter. Of his 10.9 shot attempts per game, 6.3 of them came from distance. He drained 2.1 per game at 34.1 percent. While that’s not an elite number, he took plenty of difficult movement triples. He’s capable of pump faking and driving off his three-point threat, but he’s not a top-shelf athlete and needs to work on his finishing around the basket. He’ll often pump fake to push in and shoot a mid-ranger. Taking a step forward as a ballhandler and passer would do wonders for his potential. Defensively, Walter struggles from a lack of footspeed and may be better off guarding bigger players given his 6-foot-10 wingspan on a 6-foot-5 frame.”
