UConn, Kentucky big men among players Lakers must target with No. 25 pick in draft
When it comes to making offseason NBA roster improvements, the paths are clear even when the eventual outcomes aren’t.There are unrestricted free agents. There are restricted free agents. There are trades.And then there’s the draft — the most volatile path when factoring in that NBA franchises are taking shots on players who are typically teenagers or in their early 20s.But the Western Conference finals between the Spurs and Thunder showed how consequential the draft can be for setting up short-term and potential long-term success.Especially in the modern NBA in which teams’ spending and roster machinations can be limited depending on whether they’re over the first or second apron. And after their last two first-round picks haven’t produced in the ways they’ve hoped (2023 pick Jalen Hood-Schifino, no longer in the NBA; 2024 pick Dalton Knecht, fell out of the rotation last season), the Lakers can’t afford to whiff with the No.
25 pick in the NBA draft in less than two weeks. Who should the Lakers target with their first-round pick?2025-26 stats: 5 points, 5 rebounds, 16.8 minutesMeasurements: 6-foot-9 (without shoes), 253 pounds, 7-foot-5 ¼ wingspan, 9-foot-1 standing reach The skinny: Quaintance started his collegiate career at Arizona State, where he quickly became one of men’s college basketball’s most versatile defenders.But he suffered a torn ACL in his right knee in February 2025 during his freshman year with the Sun Devils, cutting his first collegiate season short.
Quaintance only played 67 minutes across four games with Kentucky after making his season debut in the Dec.20 win over St.
John’s because of swelling in his right knee.His medicals and health will be a significant factor in where he winds up being drafted, but Quaintance’s shot blocking, defensive switchability, athleticism and finishing could make him an impactful player as a rookie. 2025-26 stats: 14.7 points, 9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2 blocks, 27.3 minutesMe...