NBA Draft 2nd Round: Lakers Moved Up To Pick #36

Out of the guys presented so far, I would choose Watkins, based on his defensive instincts alone. We need to start collecting guys who are athletic and can be disrupters. Offense can always improve over time, but it’s much harder to turn a poor defensive young player into a very good one.

 

https://digginbasketball.substack.c...r=27p0r8&utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

some good stuff in here about potential 2nd round picks.

they highlight micah peavy and jahmai mashak, both of whom seem like guys we could use/develop.

 

That's a really nice write up. I've been looking for some stats that are nice predictors at the Pro level but I'm too lazy to make the spreadsheet. I saw Hoopshype's latest aggregate mock draft has us taking Micah Peavy at 55, which given the combine performance and advanced stats makes a ton of sense for a 3-D prospect.

Jahmai Mashak wasn't on my radar but he's a Cali native and looks like he's built like a tank, maybe a similar build to Jrue? From his highlights it looks he causes a lot of havoc on the floor defensively a la Vando/Caruso but with some offensive game (3 pt and eurostep). He makes a ton of sense as a second rounder or undrafted.

Digging a bit deeper into the advanced stats on bigs, the more I'm intrigued by Amari Williams from Kentucky. He's a super senior but his rebounding, shot blocking stats are comparable or better than some of the potential lottery picks like Queen and Sorber (not a lot of high rated bigs this draft). 7'0" 260lbs lob threat, maybe the best defensive rebounder in the draft per the advanced numbers. The big shocker is the assist percentage at 24.7 this past year at Kentucky (19.3 ast% career), which is in the range of the lottery point guards like Jeremiah Fears and Jacusionis. From the highlights he has no jumper but I'm trying to think of a recent big comp with kind of passing skill?

 

Trade Reaves + Kleber + #55 to BKN for Cam Johnson, #19 and #26.

Draft Clayton with #19 and Niederhauser with #26.

Clayton provides the athleticism we have been needing in the backcourt for years, plus he is a pure-shooter and good defender.

Niederhauser is the type of rim-protecting, lob catching big that we need.

They both played 4 years in college, so they are more NBA ready and closer to Luka's timeline. Both around 22 years old.

Time to shake things up and get some new blood in here.

 

Some of these young bucks, are getting paid in College!

https://hoopshype.com/2025/06/01/cooper-flagg-earned-28-million-at-duke/

 

Whoa, why not just stay lol

 

Lakers should trade into the first round and get Claton Jr.

 

https://bleacherreport.com/articles...-made-28m-through-nil-contracts-1-season-duke

 

Wonder what the mood of Dallas Fan has been like since against ALL odds after losing beloved Luka and Kyrie popping his hammy they now get Flagg in the draft?

@OverseasG ?

 

i lurk a bit on a mavs forum. some are still super mad about the whole thing, but the flagg thing has helped. the biggest issue is now they look to be attempting the two timeline thing, which is pretty meh. i agree with the faction of their fan base that thinks they need to move AD and just let kyrie opt in then walk into air, but that only happens if harrison is fired, which, really for everyone's sake, he probably should be.

there's just residual lack of trust that harrison knows what he's doing, and there's (legitimate, imo) fear that he'll somehow bungle the flagg era, too.

they have some tough choices to make this summer, as they're near the second apron, and while excising the vets (AD, kyrie, and klay) is, imo, the obvious best path forward from a basketball standpoint, it's a bad look for the management to sell these guys on coming here to compete, then ship them out a year later because you made the choice to move the cornerstone.

it's a weird mix of emotions over there.

 

https://www.si.com/nba/draft/prospect-profiles/nba-draft-scouting-report-alabama-clifford-omoruyi

 

Cavs site has a write up on him



Draft Room has a Dale Davis comp (didn't see that during the few highlights) . But I do like his measurables and athleticism

 

^^^ …. has got that tongue thing / Stones logo awareness going too.

 

he looks pretty mechanical/not fluid. but yeah, the measurables are good.

 

I could see the Dale Davis comparison. Hoopshype says we brought in Spanish big Izan Almansa too. He seems pretty well regarded and has worked out for a lot of teams too. 6’11” pretty long, decent motor and seems to have a bit of range. He’s mocked in the late 2nd round.

 

FYI: Larsuel hopped on a Twitter Spaces chat last night and said we've had multiple group workouts already.

So hopefully we'll start seeing some info on those names, at the very least.

 

I still like this kid from Auburn. He's not a super athletic, lob threat, but he has good size, rebounds well,and can protect the rim. If we could snag a late 1st or early 2nd rd pick, I'd take him. He and Capella would work for me. Then we could keep our other assets for a big move, or two more solid rotation pieces. Throw in Herb Jones with those two guys, and I'd say Rob came up big, upgrading our frontcourt.

https://www.si.com/nba/clippers/new...ohni-broome-fit-for-the-clippers-01jwvyqn6002

 

I wish we have our pick lol