With the Los Angeles Lakers’ postseason run now over, the focus turns to the offseason as the front office looks to improve the roster to make an even deeper run next season. The first big event is the 2023 NBA Draft and the Lakers are beginning their preparation for that as they are set for their first pre-draft workout on Friday. The group of six prospects include Leonard Miller of the G League Ignite, Pepperdine’s Maxwell Lewis, Dayton’s DaRon Holmes II, Kentucky’s Chris Livingston, Baylor’s Adam Flagler and Kihei Clark of Virginia.
Miller is the highest rated of all those prospects and could be a possibility for the Lakers’ 17th overall pick. The 6-foot-10 forward shows the ability to play both inside and out and averaged an impressive 18 points and 11 rebounds in the G League last season. He is still a bit raw, but his potential on both ends of the court is evident.
Lewis is that ideal 3-and-D wing that every team in the league is looking for. His shot mechanics are excellent and he also has the ability to attack closeouts and finish at the rim. He isn’t the greatest athlete, but he gives maximum effort on defense and doesn’t need the ball too much to be effective which is huge on this Lakers team. He was All-WCC Second Team last year and is another possibility for the Lakers at 17.
Holmes is an extremely intriguing big man prospect who thrives on the defensive end. He does most of his offensive work in the paint, without much of a perimeter game to speak of, but he still averaged 18.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and, most importantly, 2.3 blocks. He is not only an excellent rim protector, but also has shown the ability to switch out on the perimeter which is crucial in today’s NBA. His final contest at Dayton saw him dominate with 28 points, 16 rebounds and five blocks in the A-10 Championship Game.
Livingston was a five-star recruit in high school but didn’t make a huge impact for much of the season with the Wildcats. Even still, he is an outstanding athlete who is a good rebounder as a wing and has great physical tools. Many scouts have suggested he return to college, but if he impresses in his workouts, he could be a sleeper.
Flagler is an older prospect but was an extremely productive guard who is a sniper from deep. Flagler is a career 39.6% 3-point shooter in four college seasons and was an All-Big 12 First Team selection last year. At 6-foot-3 he is slightly undersized but is extremely quick and relentless on both ends of the court.
Clark is another five-year college player and is even smaller than Flagler at just 5-foot-10. But coming from Virginia means he is a tough, hard-nosed defender and has proven to be a solid playmaker and scorer as well. But he will have to prove he can be effective at his size against NBA talent.
LeBron James expected to return to the Lakers for 21st NBA season
The biggest question for the Lakers going into this offseason is the future of LeBron James, who suggested he will consider retirement.
While there is still plenty to consider for the all-time great, recent reports suggest that he is more likely to return to the Lakers for his 21st NBA season, something the Lakers themselves would undoubtedly love to be the case.
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