Lakers must prove Luka Doncic is priority by drafting a center

Luka Dončić will be closely watching how this unfolds. Ever since he was traded to the Lakers in February 2025, they’ve vowed to build a contender around him. Well, summer 2026 has arrived and the sand is now streaming through the hourglass. The Lakers could have up to nine free agents.And they have the No.

25 pick in the NBA draft. Their biggest hole? Down low. With their first chance to build out the roster in Tuesday’s draft, the Lakers should prioritize targeting a center, such as Kentucky’s J or UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr. Doncic needs a reliable presence in the paint.He needs a rim protector.

He needs someone who can catch lobs.He needs a stalwart defender. Deandre Ayton, who has an $8.1 million player option for next season, has proven inconsistent.

Same with Jaxson Hayes, who will become an unrestricted free agent. The Lakers need an elite big and a developmental center, the latter of which they could find Tuesday.The 6-foot-9 Quaintance was initially projected to go much higher in the draft.

But after suffering a torn ACL in his right knee in February 2025, there’s a chance he could slip into the Lakers’ grasp. When healthy, the 18-year-old has proven to be a skilled shotblocker who’s athletic and defensive-minded. Then there’s the 6-foot-10 Reed, who averaged 14.7 points on 60.7% shooting, nine rebounds and 2.2 blocks over 35 games for the Huskies as a senior last season.The 22-year-old is physical and could make an impact as a reserve center. Houston’s Chris Cenac is another option.

The 19-year-old is 6-foot-10, athletic and has a 7-foot-5 wingspan. This much is for sure: Against a gauntlet of Western Conference teams with strong frontcourts, such as Denver (Nikola Jokic) and San Antonio (Victor Wembanyama), the Lakers’ roster needs some major bolstering in the paint. In recent years, the Lakers haven’t fared well in the first round of the draft. They picked Dalton Knecht at No.17 in 2024, but he never be...