The NBA announced that the Los Angeles Lakers will have the 25th pick in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft. The Lakers finished the regular season with a 52-29 record, which was tied with the New York Knicks.
The NBA does a coin flip to decide all tiebreakers, which took place on Monday, April 20. The Lakers wound up losing the tiebreaker, so the Knicks will pick 24th with L.A. right behind them at 25.
While the Lakers also landed the No. 54 overall pick in the second round, that will be going to the Golden State Warriors after numerous trades over the years. That means the Lakers currently only have one pick at their disposal at No. 25 in the first round.
It will be interesting to see if the Lakers use that pick to draft a player, or if they include it in a trade to upgrade the roster. By the time draft night rolls around in June, the Lakers will have three tradable first-round picks at their disposal.
The Lakers have attempted to trade first round picks in recent years and have been unsuccessful. They have also been unsuccessful with their picks as their last two first-rounders were Dalton Knecht and Jalen Hood-Schifino.
If they do keep their pick, it is incredibly important to find a rotation-caliber player who can come in and contribute right away.
Jeanie Buss discusses if LeBron James will return to Lakers
The biggest question for the Lakers heading into the offseason will be the future of LeBron James. The 41-year-old is set to hit free agency and it’s currently unclear if he wants to return to the Lakers, finish his career elsewhere, or retire altogether.
A return to the Lakers seems to be getting more likely after how they finished the season, and Jeanie Buss recently discussed that possibility.
“Well, I’ve always said I want to see him retire as a Laker. But he’s going to be a free agent,” Buss recently said. “It’s really his decision to make. He is a valuable player in this league, even in his 23rd season. It’s incredible what he’s done. But, you know, the decision’s going to be his, he’s a free agent, and I’m sure he’s going to look at all his opportunities. Or not. Maybe he just wants to go out quietly.
“I mean, certainly I think one of the biggest gifts that Kobe gave us was that he told us in November of his last season that it was going to be his last season. So we got a chance to celebrate him. And every city he went to, I think he was even blown away at the fans in Sacramento, the fans in Boston, really showing so much love to him. And I think that LeBron would probably experience the same thing. But I think it’s really up to the individual what they are comfortable with. And so, you know, LeBron has all the cards.”
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