The Los Angeles Lakers have the 17th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft and the most likely outcome is the team keeping the pick, according to Jovan Buha of The Athletic.
However, Buha said that stance could change if the right trade becomes available. Myles Turner was mentioned as a particular option as being a player intriguing enough to make such a trade.
“The most likely outcome is the Lakers keeping the No. 17 pick, according to multiple team sources not authorized to speak publicly,” Buha wrote. “But that could change if the right trade becomes available — including a team making an enticing offer for the Lakers to trade back later in the draft. I think the right trade would involve using the pick to secure a starting-level upgrade available in a trade on draft night or later this offseason — like, say, Myles Turner in Indiana, who I discussed in Part 1 of this mailbag.
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With how successful the Lakers have been with making selections in the NBA Draft, the organization values staying put at 17th overall. The idea is that standing pat and making the pick could have a greater impact on their success than whoever they could trade it for now.
“However, given the impressive track record of Lakers assistant general manager and co-owner Jesse Buss and the organization’s scouting department, the Lakers have a chance to hit at least a double at that stage of the draft,” Buha wrote. “Whoever they draft could eventually be more valuable on the trade market than the average No. 17 pick.”
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The Lakers lost to the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference Finals in four games. Los Angeles hasn’t retained one of its own first-round picks since 2018, so Buha believes this year is a good chance for the purple and gold “to find a player who can help both now and in the future.”
“Los Angeles will strike if there is an obvious and appealing offer, but they haven’t retained one of their own first-round picks since 2018 (Mo Wagner at No. 25) or had a top-17 pick since 2017,” Buha wrote. “Their last non-lottery pick in the teens was Javaris Crittenton at No. 19 in 2007. This is a chance to find a player who can help both now and in the future.”
It will be interesting to see what the Lakers do with the 17th overall pick.
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