Can the Lakers find a quality big in either the first or second round of the 2025 NBA Draft?
The NBA season might be over, but basketball never stops. The NBA Draft is happening on Wednesday, and at least one player will be a Laker once the two-day event concludes.
Recent mock drafts have the Lakers selecting guards like Hunter Sallis from Wake Forest and Tamar Bates from Missouri, but is there a quality big man they should pursue instead?
Let’s start with some of the best prospects possible for the Lakers.
Here are five centers the Lakers could target and what it will likely take for Los Angeles to land them.
Khaman Maluach
Yes, we’re starting at the top of the available prospects. If President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka is going to turn over every stone, that also includes the draft. With Dalton Knecht and future draft capital available to be traded, perhaps the Lakers fall in love with a prospect and move way up in the draft to fill their need at center.
Maluach is the other Duke Blue Devil aside from Cooper Flagg who is projected to be a lottery pick.
As a freshman, he averaged 8.6 points and 6.6 rebounds. His upside as a rim protector and pick-and-roll threat makes him an enticing prospect in this very open draft.
I’ve had plenty of hesitations with Khaman Maluach, but when he’s locked in, his defense is incredible. It is rare that players his size can move like this in space. One of my favorite clips for any prospect this year is his defensive possession at the 2 minute mark.
Maluach… pic.twitter.com/9mbNPq44LV
— Tyler Metcalf (@tmetcalf11) June 22, 2025
Given that the Lakers currently only own the No. 55 pick, they aren’t going to be in a position to draft Maluach in the lottery, with FanDuel Sportsbook currently placing his over/under on draft pick selection at 8.5.’
Trading up is still theoretically possible, but the time for a trade of that caliber happening is quickly running out.
Derik Queen
On the slim chance that the Lakers can move up but not quite into the top ten range, another option to consider is Derik Queen from Maryland.
He is projected to be a lottery pick as well, though not quite as high as Maluach. He’s coming off a freshman season where he scored 16.5 points and grabbed nine rebounds per game.
Last year, Dalton Knecht fell to the Lakers at No. 17. Could a similar thing happen this draft, where a late first-rounder falls to the second? Or would the Lakers look to swap Knecht for a big man that fills a more immediate need?
Ryan Kalbrenner
Now, for some of the more realistic options at pick No. 55.
If Kalkbrenner drops to L.A., they should absolutely pick him up. The Creighton big averaged 19.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game as a senior. The four-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year is one of the more ready-now players at his position.
If the Lakers only keep their second-round draft pick, they could still find a center with upside.
Vladislav Goldin
Goldin is projected to be available around No. 55. He averaged 16.6 points and seven rebounds per game for Michigan last season.
If Los Angeles does take Goldin, he’ll be the first Wolverine the Lakers have drafted since Moritz Wagner back in 2018.
Mouhamed Faye
Lastly, Mouhamed Faye of Senegal is a project player the Lakers could take a flyer on. The 20-year-old played in Italy this year for Reggio Emilia, averaging nine points and 6.8 rebounds per game.
The athletic big has tremendous upside as a center who can switch and defend all five positions. If the Lakers front office sees him as the prototypical big for JJ Redick’s system, taking a gamble on him late in the draft could be worthwhile.
The Lakers have found quality players such as Bronny James and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk in the second round before and will be aiming to do that again this year.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.