The Los Angeles Lakers now have the No. 25 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, giving the franchise a fixed spot as it starts narrowing its board ahead of June. That clarity arrived after the Washington Wizards won the NBA Draft Lottery, locking in the top of the order and finalizing where non-lottery teams like the Lakers will select.
The draft will take place June 23–24 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, with the first round on June 23 and the second round on June 24. For the Lakers, the focus now shifts from waiting on draft position to evaluating which players are most likely to be available at No. 25 and whether that pick could become part of a larger offseason move, with Kalshi prediction markets adding another lens on how the board might break.
Wizards Land No. 1 Pick
The Wizards won the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery and secured the No. 1 overall selection, moving to the front of a class headlined by names such as AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, and Cameron Boozer. That result settled the top of the board and helped shape the range where the Lakers and other playoff teams will be drafting.
For Washington, landing at No. 1 resets its rebuilding timeline and places enormous value on this draft. For teams like the Lakers, it gives a clearer sense of which players will be off the board early and which tiers of talent are likely to slide into the 20s. That separation between the top group and the late first-round pool is a key factor in how Los Angeles will prioritize its scouting and workouts.
Prediction markets were part of the buildup to the lottery, with Kalshi offering markets tied to the outcome before Washington landed the top pick. Those markets moved as late-season results, tiebreakers, and injury news came in, reflecting the informed expectations of participants about how the lottery would break. They did not change the odds in the room on lottery night, but they did provide a running snapshot of expectations as the field was set.
Lakers Locked Into No. 25
The Lakers are officially set to pick No. 25 in the first round. That gives Los Angeles a clearer path for its pre-draft planning, especially as the front office weighs immediate roster needs against the long-term value of adding a young contributor on a rookie-scale contract. With a defined slot, the scouting department can now focus on a more realistic board of players who are reasonably available, rather than spreading resources too thin across the entire class.
Picking at No. 25 usually places a team in a tier where upside and polish often intersect. The Lakers may not be in a position to draft one of the class’s headline names, but they should still have access to prospects who can help fill specific needs and develop within a winning environment under head coach JJ Redick. History has shown that quality starters and key rotation players can be found in this range when scouting, fit, and development align.
The organization also has to consider how No. 25 fits into its broader offseason picture. The pick is a potential trade chip if an opportunity arises to acquire a veteran who fits alongside the current core. At the same time, keeping the pick would give the Lakers another cost-controlled player at a time when managing salary cap and tax implications remains a major consideration.
What The Lakers Could or Should Target
Frontcourt depth stands out as one logical area to watch. A big man who can rebound, defend in space, and finish around the rim would make sense for a Lakers team that still needs size, mobility, and lineup flexibility. A prospect capable of switching on the perimeter and protecting the paint would ease some of the physical demands on the current front line and give Redick more lineup combinations to work with.
Wing help could also be in play at No. 25. A two-way wing with length, defensive versatility, and a reliable outside shot would fit the kind of player every contender looks for, especially one trying to build around stars while keeping the roster balanced. In recent postseasons, teams that can roll out multiple big, physical wings who hold up defensively and space the floor tend to last longer, and the Lakers are no exception to that trend.
The Lakers could consider a guard if the draft board breaks that way. A combo guard with enough size to defend both backcourt spots, provide secondary playmaking, and hit open threes would address multiple needs at once. Ultimately, the choice at No. 25 may come down to whether the front office prioritizes a safer, rotation-ready player or bets on a higher-upside prospect who might take longer to develop but could eventually outplay his draft slot.
Kalshi’s Role In Draft Coverage
Kalshi’s draft-related prediction markets are expected to remain part of the conversation as attention turns from the lottery to the draft itself. Those markets can reflect how participants view outcomes such as the No. 1 overall pick, player draft ranges, and how the board may develop before Los Angeles selects at No. 25. As workouts, interviews, and medical information start to leak out publicly, prices in those markets can shift, capturing new information that may take longer to show up in traditional mock drafts.
For sports bettors, that creates another data point during draft season. It does not replace team intel, workouts, or reporting, but it can offer a real-time snapshot of where public expectations stand as the draft draws closer. For fans, tracking how Kalshi prediction markets move in the weeks leading up to the draft provides another way to follow storylines around prospects whose names may be linked to the Lakers at No. 25.
The Lakers now know exactly where they will pick. With No. 25 secured, the next step is identifying whether they stay at that spot, trade the pick, or use it to add a player who can help both now and later. How they approach that decision will say a lot about how the franchise views its current contention window and the next phase of the roster.
