UConns Tarris Reed Jr. would add depth, reliability to Lakers big man rotation
The 2026 NBA Draft is on the horizon, bringing one of the most significant dates on the league’s calendar. Childhood dreams of making it to the NBA will be achieved. Teams will turn draft assets into tangible players who they hope will contribute to winning in the short- and long-term future.And in the background, teams will continue to explore the options that’ll help them achieve their goals for 2026-27. For the Lakers, who have a first-round pick in the draft (No.25), the opportunity the draft presents as it pertains to roster building can’t be whiffed on. In their pursuit of assembling a roster that’ll be competitive against the 2026 Western Conference champion Spurs and 2025 NBA champion Thunder, the Lakers have two main options for their first-round pick: trade it for a player who’s ready to compete for a title now alongside Luka Doncic or select a prospect whom they plan to develop and hope will help now and in the future. If the Lakers choose the latter, there isn’t a shortage of options.Toward the top of that list should be UConn big man Tarris Reed Jr., who could contribute to winning from Day 1. 2025-26 stats (UConn): 14.7 points (60.7% shooting), 9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2 blocks, 27.3 minutes in 35 games2024-25 stats (UConn): 9.6 points (67% shooting), 7.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, 19.9 minutes in 35 games2023-24 stats (Michigan): 9 points (51.9% shooting), 7.2 rebounds, 1.1 blocks, 26.6 minutes in 32 games2022-23 stats (Michigan): 3.4 points (51.7% shooting), 3.9 rebounds, 12.6 minutes in 34 gamesMeasurements: 6-foot-9 ¾ (without shoes), 263 pounds, 7-foot-4 ¼ wingspan, 9-foot-2 standing reach Reed is one of the most physically imposing prospects in this year’s draft. He weighed in as the second-heaviest player at the combine last month, and he used the combination of his strength, length and coordination to be one of the more dominant players in the paint in men’s college basketball. Reed was an uber-efficient scorer inside o...