Houstons Chris Cenac Jr.s potential may be too enticing for Lakers to pass on
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 Houston big man Chris Cenac Jr., whose potential and upside may be too enticing for the Lakers to pass on.California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedInCalifornia Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, XCalifornia Post Opinion California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!California Post App: Download here!Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!2025-26 stats: 9.5 points (48.5% shooting — 55.1% on 2s, 33.3% on 3s), 7.9 rebounds, 24.8 minutesMeasurements: 6-foot-10 ¼ (without shoes), 239 pounds, 7-foot-5 wingspan, 9-foot-0 ½ standing reach Cenac’s mix of size, fluidity and athleticism make him one of the more intriguing long-term prospects who could be available when the Lakers are on the clock with their first-round pick. He runs the floor and changes ends like a much smaller player.
He’s a constant threat in transition and at the rim — as...