Despite being a franchise known for its scouting department and draft prowess, it’s been rare for the team to have a first-round draft pick in recent years. Most of that has been due to the fact that they sent many of them to New Orleans in a trade for Anthony Davis and the others have been off-loaded in other trades.
This season, they are in a unique situation in a number of ways. On top of having their first round pick, the Lakers finishing as a play-in team at the end of the regular season means they’ll be both a team that went to the Western Conference Finals and one that has the No.