Maxwell Lewis Pick Has Lakers Fans Admiring Front Office After 2023 NBA Draft

After taking Jalen Hood-Schifino in the first round at No. 17 overall, the Los Angeles Lakers may have gotten themselves yet another steal in Max Lewis at No. 40, the pick they acquired from the Denver Nuggets.

Lewis was a mid-major gem at Pepperdine and seemed to be a player that could potentially be taken toward the end of the first round before slipping down to Tinseltown and infusing the Lakers with a pretty impressive offensive game.

The 20-year-old is able to create for himself off the bounce or in catch-and-shoot situations, exactly what the franchise needs, particularly in the second unit when LeBron James is on the bench.

And with Austin Reaves potentially leaving in restricted free agency, Lewis could help fill the void that he leaves behind with his fairly similar skillset at a cheaper price point.

Lewis averaged 17.1 points per game last season to go along with 5.7 rebounds and 2.8 assists on 35.1 percent shooting from three-point range.

Lakers' Twitter was hyping up the team's front office following the selection.

Lewis could potentially contribute immediately for an aging Lakers' squad that needs an injection of youth and scoring, especially in their secondary lineups. He could be the organization's latest diamond in the rough.

But he'll also be given time to grow on a team with championship experience and that will once again have title aspirations thrust upon them.