{"id":200508,"date":"2026-06-14T15:59:18","date_gmt":"2026-06-14T19:59:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=200508"},"modified":"2026-06-14T17:57:37","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T21:57:37","slug":"lakers-bilal-coulibaly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/06\/14\/lakers-bilal-coulibaly\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers Urged To ‘Take a Flier On’ Wizards’ Defensive Ace"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Los Angeles Lakers\u2019<\/a> search for athletic two-way wings has continued into the 2026 offseason, with a host of free agent, draft and trade targets<\/a> constantly linked to the franchise. One relatively new name who falls into that third category could be an interesting pickup, carrying a wealth of potential despite concerns over his offense.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lakers Urged To ‘Take a Flier On’ Wizards’ Defensive Ace<\/h2>\n

Iztok Franko: Lakers Should Look at Bilal Coulibaly<\/h3>\n

In a June 9 appearance on <\/span>\u201cBuha\u2019s Block,\u201d<\/span><\/a> NBA writer Iztok Franko brought up several potential trade targets for the Lakers, players who have shown promise despite suiting up for the league\u2019s bottom-feeders. Franko first mentioned <\/span>Herb Jones<\/span><\/a> and <\/span>Nic Claxton<\/span><\/a>\u2014two names heavily tied to LA in recent years\u2014before throwing in a more underrated option: <\/span>Bilal Coulibaly<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cA young guy who I maybe take a flier on and is also on a terrible team in Washington \u2026 is Bilal Coulibaly. He has potential to be [a] great defender. I see a lot of <\/span>Derrick Jones Jr.<\/span><\/a> in him, but even a bigger ceiling. And I don\u2019t know what the situation will be in Washington if they draft a great wing to build around, and now they have <\/span>Trae Young<\/span><\/a>, they have other players in the same position [as Coulibaly]. Maybe he\u2019s the guy who\u2019d be the odd man out.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Coulibaly<\/span><\/a> will earn $9.2 million next season as part of his rookie scale deal, and the Lakers have adequate draft capital and salary fillers (<\/span>Jarred Vanderbilt<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Dalton Knecht<\/span><\/a>) to pursue him if he becomes available.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Coulibaly\u2019s Polarizing Play<\/h3>\n

The seventh overall pick in 2023, Coulibaly has emerged as a solid stopper in Washington, averaging 1.3 steals and a block per game this season and posting similar numbers throughout his three-year career. A 6\u20197\u201d guard\/wing, Coulibaly has stood out as an agile and versatile defender, pressuring opponents on the perimeter while timing his stocks to a tee.<\/span><\/p>\n