The Los Angeles Lakers approach the 2024 NBA Draft with a strategic focus on addressing roster needs amid significant impending free agency. Holding the 25th overall pick in Tuesday’s first round, the team aims to find a player who can contribute to a lineup projected to face up to nine open roster spots this summer.

The Lakers are prioritizing versatility, particularly targeting either a center who can serve as a lob threat or an athletic wing capable of playing strong defense and shooting three-pointers. These positions align with the team’s goal of complementing star guard Luka Doncic’s playing style as they look to build a competitive core.

Among the candidates linked to the Lakers are Kentucky center Jayden Quaintance, Texas forward Dailyn Swain, and Duke wing Isaiah Evans. Each brings different attributes that could help fill the team’s needs. Quaintance, standing 6-foot-9, is considered an intriguing option despite limited game action last season due to injury. After tearing an anterior cruciate ligament at Arizona State, he appeared in only four games for Kentucky as the program managed his recovery cautiously. While he likely won’t be ready for the upcoming season, scouts regard him as mobile and athletic, with potential to develop into the type of player Doncic can excel with—a lob threat and defensive presence.

Swain and Evans, both athletic wings at 6-foot-7 and 6-foot-6 respectively, satisfy the Lakers' desires for players who can defend and stretch the floor with shooting. However, both prospects are expected to be selected earlier in the draft, potentially before the Lakers’ pick.

Los Angeles has also explored guard prospects. The team conducted workouts with Purdue point guard Braden Smith and traveled to Spain to evaluate 20-year-old Sergio De Larrea. While the Lakers reportedly impressed during the Smith workout, his smaller stature (6 feet) and four years of college experience suggest limited upside, with many scouts projecting him as a second-round pick or later. De Larrea is similarly viewed as more likely to be chosen later in the first round or in the second round.

The Lakers do not hold a pick in Wednesday’s second round, making their first-round selection particularly important. The team retains three tradable first-round picks in future drafts (2026, 2031, and 2033), though the latter two cannot be traded until after this year’s draft.

In the aftermath of a playoff sweep by a young, athletic Oklahoma City Thunder squad, Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka emphasized the importance of depth, youth, and athleticism in building a competitive team in the Western Conference. He cited Thunder guard Ajay Mitchell, a second-round pick who quickly emerged as a key contributor, as an example of the value in diligent roster construction beyond marquee selections.

“We have a lot of components of that on our roster, but we need to add to it,” Pelinka said last month in a media exit interview. “There’s ways to add to your roster if you commit to doing the hard work and commit to the process of adding the right pieces. We’ll be doing that through the draft and free agency and through trades.”

The Lakers face notable contractual considerations in the offseason. Star LeBron James is an unrestricted free agent seeking a new deal with the team, while Austin Reaves is expected to opt out of his $14.8 million contract to pursue a longer-term agreement possibly worth up to $241 million.

As Los Angeles navigates the draft and free agency, its focus remains on assembling a roster capable of competing with the heightened athleticism and depth characteristic of the evolving NBA landscape.