After ending last season with minimal frontcourt depth, the 2024 NBA Draft will offer a host of big men for the Lakers to potentially draft.
Rookie big men aren’t typically expected to contribute on contributing teams deep in playoff runs, but the Mavericks and Dereck Lively proved that isn’t always the case this season. The Lakers could take some inspiration from that as they look at who to draft with the No. 17 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Wednesday’s draft will offer many options, and the Lakers will have to determine which position to prioritize.
If they choose to draft a big, here’s a look at five prospects they could consider.
One of the most well-known names in the draft, Edey spent the last two seasons dominating college basketball. At 7’3” with a 7’10” wingspan, great conditioning and a refined post game, there are reasons to believe his game would, and should, translate to the next level.
It’s the other end of the court that is concerning as his defense is a question mark. His lack of foot speed could be exposed in pick-and-roll scenarios. And as deep as repertoire of moves in the post is, he’ll have to prove he can score in other ways as well.
Edey and Kel’el Ware could hardly be more polar opposite big men prospects and if the Lakers select one over the other, it could be one of the first signals of JJ Redick era of Lakers basketball.
Ware is a far more wiry and athletic big man. He can play on the perimeter and still be a vertical threat around the basket, too. He was also a good rim protector at Indiana last season.
However, consistency and motor were two criticisms of him in his college career. In his freshman year at Oregon, Ware, a former No. 1 overall recruit, faded into the background and was never impactful. That changed when he came to Indiana, but it’s still enough of a concern to raise questions about selecting him just outside the lottery.
If acquiring one Duke alum wasn’t enough this offseason, a second one could be available in the draft as well. Filipowski is a modern big man whose game is based on the perimeter.
He can be both a playmaker and a scorer from the outside. If the Lakers are going to stick to their five-out offensive approach, Filipowski would fit like a glove.
However, if the Lakers want to go with the two-big approach, Filipowski wouldn’t fit in the same way a JaVale McGee or Dwight Howard did. It wouldn’t alleviate some of the interior banging Anthony Davis would go through, which you would hope a center alongside him could do.
If the Lakers want to get more athletic, Missi is the guy. A rim-running, shot-blocking big man with tons of potential, Missi has all the physical tools you’d want from a center in the modern NBA.
He’s a big man with a lot of energy, which he translated into multiple areas on the court. He can jump high, roll hard, and make an impact defensively, either with his rebounding or by contesting shots.
The questions lie in turning that athleticism and potential into talent. His skillset is limited right now and while he can help in certain ways, he’ll need to develop a lot more to not be more than the typical high-energy reserve big man.
After flirting with declaring for the draft last season, Holmes returned to college and showed a new skill in his 3-point shooting. After shooting just 31% on 19 attempts as a sophomore, Holmes shot 39% on 83 attempts as a junior.
Pair that with his ability to set screens, roll hard and his feel for the game and he’s an enticing prospect. The question is going to be translating that to the NBA. After three years at Dayton, it’s a big jump to the professional ranks.
There are going to be obvious questions about his 3-point shooting and whether the jump in percentage is legitimate. There are also defensive questions, plus the fact that he’s 6’10” and a bit of a tweener.
There are a number of ways the Lakers can go if they want a big man. In many ways, if they choose one and who they choose could really give some hints as to how Redick will play next season.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude.
