Last season was the first year in a long time that Lakers fans haven’t had a first-round pick to root for. The Lakers technically had a first-round pick in 2019 NBA Draft, but they sent it to the New Orleans Pelicans as part of the trade package that brought Anthony Davis to Los Angeles.
However, despite not having a first-rounder in 2019, it appears the Lakers have once again found a player with first-round talent in the second round with Talen Horton-Tucker. Tucker, the No. 46 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, spent the majority of his rookie season in the G League with the South Bay Lakers, but when the G League season was canceled in June, he joined the Lakers on a full-time basis.