5 Hidden Gems the LA Lakers Should Target in NBA Draft's 2nd Round

The Los Angeles Lakers will have the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft for the second year in a row come June 23rd's proceedings at the Barclay’s Center. But let’s not forget about their other selection—a respectable No. 32 that could help augment a position of need.

Years of abysmal records have allowed the Lakers to build a young core through the lottery as well as late first- and early-to-mid second-round picks.

Case in point: Jordan Clarkson was obtained when L.A. purchased the 46th choice from the Washington Wizards in 2014. Clarkson quickly became a Cinderella story, finishing his debut season as a first-team All-Rookie honoree.

Last year brought Larry Nance Jr. and Anthony Brown into the fold as the 27th and 34th selections, respectively. The high-flying Nance Jr. earned steady frontcourt minutes while Brown saw far less playing time, although he has real potential as a three-and-D wing.

It’s fair to assume the Lakers will nab either LSU’s Ben Simmons or Duke’s Brandon Ingram at No. 2. Ingram in particular would go a long way toward solving the need for a quality small forward. But there’s still some gaping holes in the roster, especially when it comes to the center position as well as the necessity for outside shooters.  

Juan Hernangomez, PF, CB Estudiantes

Juan Hernangomez has "classic Euro stretch forward" written all over him. The 20-year-old from Madrid most recently played for CB Estudiantes in Spain and possesses a silky-smooth offensive game that includes the ability to knock down the long ball.

At 6’9” and 220 pounds, the Spaniard plays both forward positions and has a surprising explosiveness in the open court to go along with his shooting touch.

Hernangomez comes from a basketball family—his brother Willy plays for Real Madrid and was drafted and stashed by the New York Knicks last year while their father, Guillermo, was with Estudiantes in the 1980s.

Basketball Insiders’ Steve Kyler recently observed Hernangomez at a workout and offered a positive critique on his site’s consensus mock draft (h/t Basketball Insiders' Jesse Blancarte):

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The biggest surprise was Juan Hernangomez. While he did not play against anyone, he did put his skills on display and he was impressive. His range all the way around the NBA three-point line was stellar. His aggressiveness around the basket in pad-contact drills was excellent. In talking with his agents, Hernangomez does not have a buyout in his contract so he’s free to come to a NBA team right away if that’s the best plan.

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Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman tabbed Hernangomez at No. 30 in his recent Top 30 Big Board. Could the Spanish prospect provide bench firepower for new Lakers head coach Luke Walton?

Thon Maker, C/PF, Orangeville Prep

Gregory Payan/Associated Press

Thon Maker could be the first baller drafted directly from high school since the league introduced its one-and-done rule in 2005. Maker’s situation is unique—he's a Sudanese-born 19-year-old who graduated high school a year ago but stayed at the Athlete Institute in Ontario for a fifth year to continue playing hoops.

According to ESPN.com’s Chad Ford, the NBA has cleared Maker’s transition.

The reedy teen is nearly 7’1”, has a 7’3” wingspan and weighs just 216. He’s also the epitome of a wild-card player with the ability to cross over opponents in transition, light it up from outside the arc and protect the rim.

The giant question, of course, is whether the still-raw Maker can translate his Canadian high school and basketball camp successes to the Association.

The kid has at least one Laker singing his praises. Appearing on The Dan Patrick Show (h/t Trevor Lane at Lakers Nation), Metta World Peace waxed positive on the young sapling.

“I don’t really know who is available, but I like the kid Thon Maker,” World Peace said. “I guess he’s going to be a superstar.”

Then again, Maker could just as easily not pan out at all—he has "boom or bust" written all over him.

Zhou Qi, C, Xinjiang Flying Tigers

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

If you’re looking for sheer size combined with a sweet jumper, consider China’s Zhou Qi, who measured in at 7’2” with a mighty 7’7 ¾” wingspan at the draft combine.

Qi has been training hard for years, beginning with the Liaoning Youth Team in 2005. He turned pro in the Chinese Basketball Association three years ago and averaged 15.8 points, 9.8 boards and 3.2 blocks in 34.2 minutes per game this past season.

Rail-thin at just 218 pounds and lacking strength to establish and hold position on the block, Qi will benefit from another year overseas. According to Jonathan Givony of The Vertical, “Qi has reached an agreement with his Chinese team, the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, that will allow him to buy out his contract and join the NBA in 2017, his agent, Alex Saratsis, told The Vertical.”

Comparisons with Yao Ming are inevitable—Qi’s length is mind-boggling and he has the ability to create impossible mismatches when shooting from the perimeter. But there are also obvious differences; Qi doesn’t yet have the low-post power or the complete array of offensive tools that Yao possessed.

He’s getting a lot of attention nonetheless, and would be an interesting future investment for the Lakers.

Diamond Stone, C, Maryland

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While the draft is loaded with rangy international prospects, there’s still something to be said for traditional back-to-the-basket principles. Enter Diamond Stone, who chose Maryland as a highly recruited high school prospect and now heads into the draft after his freshman season.

Stone doesn’t have great height at 6’10”, but compensates with a 7’3” wingspan and a solid 254-pound frame. This is a guy who can hold his own against taller players, using his balanced power to outwork opponents. Just ask Upside Motor’s Peter Nygaard:

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True to his name, Stone’s offensive game revolves primarily around his toughness. He is a bully when he wants to be, and his blend of brute strength and agility can make him difficult to contain once he gains any sort of inside position on his defender. Stone won’t leap out of the gym, but he does have a very quick second jump. He also has great hands for a player his size, which is especially important given that he does the majority of his work below the rim.

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Stone won’t solve the Lakers’ need for a quality starting center—that’s best left for summer free agency and the stockpile of cash the team has on hand. But the Terrapin could certainly play a bench role.

To a certain extent, he’s reminiscent of current Lakers free agent Tarik Black, who didn’t get a lot of burn during his second season under former head coach Byron Scott. Both Stone and Black thrive on strength and energy in the paint and have good dive instincts to the basket.

At 19, however, Stone may have more developmental upside than Black, who attended four years of college and went undrafted in 2014.

Denzel Valentine, SG, Michigan State

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The Lakers haven’t been known for their three-point prowess of late, ranking dead last in the league at 31.7 percent during the 2015-16 season. That won’t cut it in Walton’s free-flowing, volume-scoring offense. Thus the need for additional ammo.

Michigan State’s Denzel Valentine developed one of the sweetest long-range strokes in college basketball over a four-year stay, progressing from 28.1 percent as a freshman to 44.4 percent from outside the arc as a senior.

Laker.com’s Joey Ramirez finds a lot to like about the shooting guard:

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It would be difficult to find a college player who ascended so much in one year than Denzel Valentine, who went from Third Team All-Big Ten as a junior to being named Associated Press College Basketball Player of the Year as a senior. The 6-foot-5 wing simply did some of everything for Michigan State, which included leading his conference in both scoring (19.2) and assists (7.8). By tossing in 7.5 rebounds, he became the first player in the last 20 seasons to average at least 19 points, seven assists and seven boards.

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The tricky part will be Valentine’s availability—DraftExpress has him going at No. 23.

But this looks to be a volatile year in the draft order, especially given the number of young international players whose stars appear to be rising (including Hernangomez, Maker, Furkan Korkmaz of Anadolu Efes and French stretch 4 Petr Cornelie).

Valentine could easily slide. He’s not known for speed or explosiveness and has questionable defensive skills. You can also tack on his four-year college status and the fact he’ll turn 23 in November—not exactly a spring chicken in draft circles.

The Lakers didn’t let Nance Jr.’s age (22 at draft time) deter them last year, however, and they could once again latch on to a useful role player who's not only a dead-eye shooter but a willing facilitator as well. 

Unless otherwise noted, measurements are courtesy of DraftExpress, college stats are courtesy of Sports-Reference.com and international stats are courtesy of RealGM.