The Lakers’ trade up in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft may be a result of the team targeting big man Ryan Kalkbrenner.
The Lakers’ move into the middle of the second round may have been one done with a specific purpose.
On Thursday morning, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that the Lakers had agreed to a trade with the Bulls that would see them acquire the No. 45 pick in exchange for the No. 55 pick and cash. The jump in 10 spots may not seem like a lot, but it could be the result of the Lakers targeting one specific player.
According to Brad Turner of the LA Times, sources around the NBA believe it’s Ryan Kalkbrenner, a center from Creighton, who the Lakers are looking to draft with the No. 45 pick.
People around the league said the Lakers are trying to put themselves in position to draft center Ryan Kalkbrenner out of Creighton University. Kalkbrenner is older at 23, but he’s 7-1 and averaged 19.4 points and 9.0 rebounds last season, and he shot 66.3% from the field and 34% from three-point range.
Outside of the obvious that he is a center and the Lakers sorely need one, Kalkbrenner fits other needs as well. He was the Big East Defensive Player of the Year four times and 2.4 blocks per game last season.
He is also a great finisher around the rim and a solid pick-and-roll threat. What he lacks is athleticism and speed, which are paramount in the modern game. He’s not going to catch lobs and he averaged under two 3-point attempts per game in his career, shooting 31.1% across his five years at Creighton.
But given his strengths, you can see why the Lakers would be interested in him. It’s still a roll of the dice as he would need to make it 14 picks to get to the Lakers, but it seems that the team is targeting not just a big man, but a specific one in the second round this year.
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