Lakers News: Who Experts Expect Team to Select With No. 17 Pick

Sunday's NBA draft lottery brought clarity to a number of teams across the Association.

The Los Angeles Lakers weren't one of them.

They knew their draft position before the drawing. What they don't know is whether the 17th pick actually belongs to them or not. The New Orleans Pelicans have the option of either taking that pick or waiting to get L.A.'s 2025 first-round pick instead. That decision must be made by June 1.

There have been rumblings about the Pelicans choosing the 2025 first, but mock drafters aren't so sure. The latest mock from B/R's Jonathan Wasserman, for instance, has New Orleans moving into the 17th spot and using the pick on Illinois scorer Terrence Shannon Jr.

There's also a possibility that even if the Pelicans let the Lakers have this pick, L.A. won't keep it. This front office could be star-searching this summer, and the 17th pick could be one of its better assets to shop around.

Having said all of that, the possibility that the Lakers keep and use this pick has been explored on several recent expert mocks, so let's spotlight the prospects being connected to the Purple and Gold.

Tristan da Silva, PF, Colorado

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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 24: Tristan da Silva #23 of the Colorado Buffaloes dunks the ball against the Marquette Golden Eagles during the first half in the second round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 24, 2024 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)

Jeff Zillgitt and Scooby Axson of USA Today mocked da Silva, a 6'8" senior forward, to the Lakers.

"Displays a versatile and savvy skillset offensively, including ability to shoot threes, cut to the rim, post up and run the offense," they wrote. "He played well in the tournament, making nine of 16 threes."

While the stat sheet perhaps doesn't see a standout skill in da Silva's arsenal, it does point toward his versatility and well-rounded offensive arsenal. This past season, he averaged 16 points on 49.3/39.5/83.5 shooting with 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 33.8 minutes.

Wasserman put da Silva 22nd on his latest big board, praising his "size, his mechanics, the accuracy and shot diversity" but also wondering whether "a lack of physicality and quickness" could become a bigger problem at this level.

Kyle Filipowski, PF/C, Duke

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DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 31: Kyle Filipowski #30 of the Duke Blue Devils controls the ball as Mohamed Diarra #23 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack defends in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at American Airlines Center on March 31, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

The Athletic's Sam Vecenie projects the Pelicans will wait until 2025 to collect their pick, freeing the Lakers to add Filipowski in this spot.

"If the Lakers get the pick, Filipowski makes a ton of sense as a big man who can shoot and either pair well with Anthony Davis or serve as a third big," Vecenie wrote. "... It's difficult to find 7-footers who can dribble, pass and shoot. Filipowski can do all three."

Filipowski played two seasons at Duke, and while his counting categories didn't show a ton of difference between them, his efficiency elevated. He made modest gains as a scorer this past season (15.1 to 16.4) but saw sizable spikes in his connection rates from the field (44.1 to 50.5) and from three (28.2 to 34.8). He also upped his assists (1.6 to 2.8) while trimming his turnovers (2.5 to 2.1).

Wasserman had Filipowski at No. 21 on his latest big board, noting the developments he'd made to become "more well-rounded for an NBA role player." Wasserman also noted Filipowski seems unlikely to become "a top-two or -three option" but profiles as "a jack-of-all-trades big...that gets capable shooting, smart ball-moving, inside scoring and the occasional face-up play."

Jared McCain, SG, Duke

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DALLAS, TEXAS - MARCH 31: Jared McCain #0 of the Duke Blue Devils controls the ball in the Elite 8 round of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament against the North Carolina State Wolfpack at American Airlines Center on March 31, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo noted the expectation of New Orleans deferring to 2025 "to receive the pick in what should be a deeper draft," and then mocked McCain to L.A. at No. 17.

"Expect Los Angeles to target an NBA-ready talent who can contribute next season as part of what could be an overhauled roster," Woo wrote. "McCain's shooting ability, feel for his role and capacity to play both guard positions could fast-track him into minutes somewhere next season after a solid freshman year at Duke, presuming he can hold up defensively early on."

McCain did what you want to see any freshman do: show growth in his game over the course of the season. During his first month of college ball, he averaged just 7.9 points while shooting 37.5 percent overall and 26.3 percent from distance. By February and March, he'd become a nightly source of 16.7 points on 47.1/42.7/90.4 shooting.

Wasserman has McCain as his seventh-rated prospect, noting he "was one of the biggest movers on my board over the second half of the season."