Lakers 2026 NBA Draft Prediction Leaves Biggest Need Unaddressed

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Lakers 2026 NBA Draft Prediction Leaves Biggest Need Unaddressed

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Jayesh Pagar | Last updated May 16, 2026 5:55 AM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers got swept out of the second round by the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the offseason is now officially underway. The 2026 NBA Draft is one of the few tools Los Angeles has this summer, and the combine just wrapped up with some useful clarity on what is available at pick 25.

According to a Bleacher Report mock draft by Jonathan Wasserman, the Lakers are projected to select Texas wing Dailyn Swain at pick 25. Swain averaged 17.3 points and 7.5 rebounds at Texas this past season after transferring from Xavier, and helped the Longhorns reach the Sweet 16 as an 11 seed.

His combine week was mixed. He measured 6'6.5" without shoes with a 6'10" wingspan, which checked the physical boxes scouts wanted to see. The athletic testing was less convincing, with middle-of-the-pack results in speed and agility drills and a 36.5-inch vertical. His shooting drills, though, were a pleasant surprise and helped offset some of those concerns.

What the Los Angeles Lakers Actually Need at Pick 25

The projection makes sense on paper, but the wing spot is not where this team is hurting most. Swain is a slasher who can contribute defensively and move without the ball, but that profile is already reasonably covered in the current Lakers rotation.

What Los Angeles genuinely needs is a rim protector. The Thunder swept them partly because the Lakers had no reliable defensive anchor in the paint.

Deandre Ayton was heavily criticized throughout the playoffs for his lack of physicality and defensive effort, and his long-term future with the team remains uncertain. Think of what Chet Holmgren does for Oklahoma City or what Mitchell Robinson does for the New York Knicks. That is the kind of low-usage, high-impact big the Lakers are missing.

North Carolina center Henri Veesaar is the name that fits that need at pick 25. He averaged 17.0 points and 8.7 rebounds at UNC this past season, shooting 60.8 percent from the floor and 42.6 percent from three. At the combine, he measured 6'11.25" barefoot with a 7'2" wingspan and a 9'3" standing reach.

He also shot 48 percent in the three-point star drill, which matters a lot for a team built around Doncic. A 7-footer who can space the floor, catch lobs, protect weakside, and stay out of the way offensively addresses a real need. His physicality is still developing, but the tools are there. Multiple mock drafts have already flagged the Lakers as one of his most likely landing spots at pick 25.

The 2026 NBA Draft takes place June 23-24 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. With bigger questions looming around LeBron James and Austin Reaves' player option, getting pick 25 right could matter more than it looks from the outside.

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