'Some' Within Lakers Wanted Jaime Jaquez Jr. In 2023 NBA Draft

It's hard to pinpoint where everything went wrong for the Lakers this season, but the lack of production from their first-round pick, Jalen Hood-Schifino, has certainly not helped to stop the bleeding. Jalen has played in just seven games all season meanwhile, Jaime Jaquez Jr., who was picked just one spot below, is lighting the league on fire with his recent play. It's gotten to a point where Lakers officials can no longer hide their disappointment.  

“I know there were some people in that organization who wanted Jaime Jaquez to stay in California and be a Laker,” a Western Conference executive told Heavy Sports. “He was the perfect role player for what they needed, he is a tough kid, he is a grinder. You could watch him last year and just tell him he was ready to chip in for a good NBA team. The Lakers like to use their picks to take big swings and not the safe bet, and that is how they were looking at Jalen [Hood-Schifino]. But they needed guys who could play now. And look at what Jaquez is doing. They blew it, for sure.”

LeBron James and Anthony Davis have tried in vain to carry their lackluster team but this ensemble of players just isn't enough to make a realistic playoff push -- and the Lakers have nobody but themselves to blame.

Jaime Jaquez Jr. Is All-Rookie Candidate

Jaime Jaquez Jr. would have been the perfect Laker and he was still available when the Lakers made their pick. Ultimately, we know which direction they went and it's a move that they have already come to regret. This season, Jaime is averaging 13.7 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game on 50.4% shooting for the Heat. He's been a huge spark off the bench for them, helping to keep the offense stable when Jimmy or Bam sits.

It's hard to figure out where the ceiling is for Jaquez Jr., but he's a guy who was ready to contribute right out of the gate and we are all seeing what kind of an impact it's had for the Heat this season. In hindsight, it's easy to go back and say the Lakers should have picked him but their problems cannot be fixed by one single player, much less a rookie with less than a full season under his belt.

Lakers Treading Water

The Lakers must have a lot of regrets about how the summer played out. Instead of trying their hand at Kyrie Irving or Damian Lillard, they doubled down on mid-level guys like D'Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura. The result has been an inconsistent team across the board, and not one that is nearly strong enough to go toe-to-toe with the elites.

At 17-17, the Purple and Gold haven't been horrible but it's clear they need to make some moves to get to a place where they want to be. After missing their chance to pick up some help in the draft, the Lakers have no choice but to rid it out and roll with their current cast. If the situation doesn't change before February's deadline, however, it will be impossible to predict what happens next.