3 Players Lakers Should Target in the Draft If They Trade for a Pick

The Los Angeles Lakers enter the offseason having had little time to celebrate their NBA Finals victory. Just 33 days after winning their first title in the LeBron James era, they'll begin building the roster for a repeat bid at the NBA draft. 

The Lakers had the rights to the 28th pick in the draft. However, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN has reported the club has agreed to a deal that will send the pick and Danny Green to Oklahoma City for Dennis Schroder. 

The move eliminated the Lakers from the draft entirely for now, but there's always a chance the team could deal itself back in on draft night. it isn't uncommon for a team to essentially buy a second-round pick. It's how the Golden State Warriors ended up with Jordan Bell during the peak of the Steph Curry era. 

Even with Schroder joining the roster, there are still some holes on the team that need to be addressed. 

The team could potentially lose several key contributors in free-agency from the team that brought the title home. Rajon Rondo, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Avery Bradley all have player options they may or may not accept. 

The center combination of Javale McGee and Dwight Howard could also conceivably walk. 

So if the Lakers don't trade the 28th pick or find a way back into the draft, they'll need to actually find someone who can contribute right away. Here are three targets who may fit that bill. 

Malachi Flynn, PG, San Diego State

Isaac Brekken/Associated Press

If Malachi Flynn were to fall into the second round, he's the kind of player who would be worth exploring trade options for. 

One of the primary reasons he would fall is that he's already 22 years old, but that shouldn't bother the Lakers. Again, this pick isn't about finding a ton of upside it's finding someone who can contribute in the next two years. 

Flynn is a heady player who is efficient in running the pick-and-roll. His shooting numbers (85.7 percent free-throw percentage, 37.3 percent from three) would indicate that he could develop as a catch-and-shoot option while playing off-ball, which is important if he is to play alongside James. 

The junior is a hard-worker on the defensive end, which makes up for his less-than-ideal athleticism. He isn't likely to ever become an All-Star, but he has all the hallmarks of a player who can run the offense, play a little off-ball and won't be a defensive liability. 

Those are all things that would make him a good fit for what the Lakers need out of any pick. 

Isaiah Stewart, C, Washington

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Looking across expert mock drafts, there seems to be widespread belief the Lakers could be looking at the point guards in the class. However, if they want to address the potential need for a defensive-minded big, Isaiah Stewart could be a sneaky-good pick. 

At 6'9", 250 pounds, Stewart is a wide-bodied big who appears to have the strength to battle down low right now. He's not a true rim-protector, but he did average 2.1 blocks per game and boasts a 7'4" wingspan. 

Stewart doesn't have the three-point range to be a stretch big, but neither did Howard or McGee this season. The two veterans still averaged 35.5 minutes combined per game so the franchise clearly didn't expect shooting from the position. 

If the Lakers elect to go for a ball-handler, it will make sense. But it does seem it would be easier to find a big who can simply bring energy and cut into the minutes of either McGee or Howard than finding a guard capable of carrying some of the offensive load. 

Stewart could be that guy. 

Isaiah Joe, SG/SF, Arkansas

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Danny Green will reportedly be on another team, while Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Avery Bradley might not be coming back. The Lakers are going to need some shooting coming off the bench to give this team the best chance to compete next season. 

If they choose to address that in the draft, the best fit could be Isaiah Joe who proved to be an effective shooter at Arkansas. Joe's draft stock probably took a hit when his three-point percentage dropped from 41 percent as a freshman to 34 percent as a sophomore. 

However, that was a product of Joe being forced to take on an even bigger offensive role. He had over 10 three-point attempts per game in his second season. 

Those shots off the dribble he was taking this year aren't the kind he'll be taking in a Lakers uniform. Instead, he could just worry about being a spot-up shooter and putting some bulk on his frame to limit his defensive liability. 

Joe could be a spot-shooter in his first season while adjusting to the physicality and taking on a bigger role in a couple of years.