Who Experts Expect Lakers to Select With No. 55 Pick in 2025 NBA Draft
The Los Angeles Lakers didn't have a rooting interest in Monday's NBA draft lottery.
They don't have a first-round pick in this year's draft (the Atlanta Hawks have it), and even if they did, it would have landed outside the lottery (No. 22).
Still, maybe those bouncing ping-pong balls got the Lakers' brass thinking a little harder about the upcoming talent grab. They do, after all, have a pick to make in the No. 55 spot, the same place where they snagged Bronny James last year. Plus, they could always try climbing the board if the right prospect catches their attention.
Assuming they stay put at No. 55, though, who could they possibly grab? Luckily, the lottery spurred a handful of draft assets toward building out their full two-round mocks, so we'll examine the prospects linked to the Purple and Gold in three of them.
Rocco Zikarsky, C, Brisbane
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L.A.'s center search gets an early start in this mock draft from B/R's Jonathan Wasserman.
The 18-year-old Zikarsky measured 7'3" without shoes at the combine and flashed a 9'6.5" standing reach. That size alone is enough to get him noticed, especially when it's attached to useful mobility and coordination.
Wasserman likened Zikarsky to Donovan Clingan while noting that "the last few drafts have shown teams interested in adding Zikarsky's kind of size in the middle." ESPN's Jeremy Woo also included Zikarsky among his five prospects to watch at the combine, adding, "there's an opportunity for Zikarsky to help himself with a good showing."
Zikarsky has work to do in the predraft process, though, as his season wasn't productive and ended early due to injury. Proving he can hold up against NBA-caliber speed and athleticism would go a long way toward securing his spot in this draft.
Izan Almansa, PF/C, Perth
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Like Wasserman, The Athletic's Sam Vecenie also linked the Lakers to a young big.
Now, Almansa isn't as young (19) or as big (6'10"), but he also isn't as raw. He has intriguing ball skills as both a high-post playmaker and a face-up attacker, and he shows soft touch on in-between shots like hooks and floaters. His motor runs high on the glass and the defensive end, too.
His game and frame both need work. His shooting touch only extends out to the mid-range. On defense, he isn't an intimidating anchor, and he can get exploited by both speed and strength.
For a late-second-round flier, though, there's an interesting mix of size and skill, and his effort makes you want to believe he can maximize his potential.
Dink Pate, SG/SF, Mexico City (G League)
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While the Lakers' first-round struggles put an understandable focus on the frontcourt, the truth is they could use depth everywhere.
In other words, it would not at all be shocking to see them add a wing here, which is what ESPN's Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo did by mocking Pate at No. 55.
The 19-year-old Pate is an intriguing evaluation. Catch him on the right night, and you'll wonder why more folks aren't fawning over an athletic, 6'8", 210-pound wing who packs a three-level scoring punch, creates for others and dazzles in the open court. The issue is he does none of those things consistently, and his defensive impact is even less reliable.
Again, this is far enough down the draft board where misses are more likely than hits, so if the Lakers just want to swing for the fences, Pate could be an interesting pick.
