Los Angeles Lakers need to build through NBA Draft

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 25: Malik Monk #11, Carmelo Anthony #7, Russell Westbrook #0 and Austin Reaves #15 of the Los Angeles Lakers react to a play during the third quarter against the Los Angeles Clippers at Crypto.com Arena on February 25, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)

It’s clear that the Russell Westbrook experience hasn’t played out in the way that LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers had hoped. This season has been a disaster for them, and it’s looking like he won’t be on the team next season.

But that leaves LeBron James and Anthony Davis left to pick up the pieces because it’s likely that the Lakers won’t get anything of significance in return for Westbrook in a trade.

Los Angeles Lakers need to build through NBA Draft

There are some deals they could get done by packaging their soon=to-be lottery pick at the NBA Draft this summer, but they’ll still lack depth, youth, and a third star.

It’s truly the worst of both worlds. Sorry, Hannah Montana.

So what should Rob Pelinka do from here? The method of getting a ton of older veterans together around James didn’t work, so it’s time to pivot.

Los Angeles Lakers need to build through NBA Draft

With the way the league is trending, taking chances on young players seems to be the best pathway to improvement. Look at the Cleveland Cavaliers and Jarrett Allen, the Miami Heat and their plethora of depth pieces, the Philadelphia 76ers and Tyrese Maxey.

Now obviously, all of those situations are slightly different, but the latter two both involve utilizing the NBA Draft and scouting. That’s where the Lakers need to put their focus.

As backward as it sounds, building through the draft is the way to improve the team around James. Just look at Austin Reaves. He’s probably one of their best bench pieces and he was an undrafted free agent.

Players like Max Strus, Caleb Martin, Kenrich Williams, and Gary Payton II would instantly be one of the best players on Los Angeles’ roster. All of them went undrafted. But the Lakers could get a step ahead by finding these players either in the draft or right after it, as they did with Reaves.

So it’s up to the Lakers’ scouting department to figure things out. Find the players in this year’s draft class, which should be a good one, that can come in and contribute right away.

Los Angeles traded all their depth away in order to get Westbrook, and now that they’re going to have to trade him, getting more depth through the draft is the way to go.

They’ve already started this plan with players like Raves, Stanley Johnson, and Wenyen Gabriel, but this year’s NBA Draft will be their chance to continue it.