Leading up to the 2023 NBA Draft, we will update our Los Angeles Lakers Mock Draft Roundup showing picks for the Los Angeles Lakers from several prominent sites and draft analysts.
The following are picks in recent mock drafts for the Lakers:
The Rookie Wire — Cody Taylor (5/19)
17. Brice Sensabaugh, Ohio State
The selection of Sensabaugh would give the Lakers some scoring and shooting. The team took a massive leap in each category after its trade deadline acquisitions and Sensabaugh would certainly add to that. He can work from all three levels and boasts great size at the next level at 6 feet, 6 inches and 235 pounds. His range could be a bit higher than this spot, but if he is still on the board, the Lakers should take a look at him.
CBS Sports — Gary Parrish (5/17)
17. Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas
Smith dealt with a less-than-perfect knee all season that limited him to just 17 games, most of which he struggled in relative to expectations that accompanied him to Arkansas. That's among the reasons he won't be selected where most projected he'd go a year ago, but he should still go somewhere inside the top 20 based on the ability to score he showed when he was healthy in high school.
Sporting News — Kyle Irving (5/17)
17. Dereck Lively II, Duke
The Lakers don't have much frontcourt depth behind Anthony Davis and a rim protector of Lively's caliber would have the perfect player to emulate in the eight-time All-Star.
Lively rebuilt his draft stock during the second half of the season, as he needed some time to carve out a role after a calf injury delayed the start of his freshman year. Once he got comfortable, Lively proved his ability to anchor a defense as an elite shot blocker and aggressive rebounder. Even if his offense never came along the way it was expected to, he showed he has what it takes to be a rim-runner and lob threat at the NBA level.
It's also worth noting that Lively is a Klutch Sports client — an agency that has several ties to the Lakers organization.
Lively rebuilt his draft stock during the second half of the season, as he needed some time to carve out a role after a calf injury delayed the start of his freshman year. Once he got comfortable, Lively proved his ability to anchor a defense as an elite shot blocker and aggressive rebounder. Even if his offense never came along the way it was expected to, he showed he has what it takes to be a rim-runner and lob threat at the NBA level.
It's also worth noting that Lively is a Klutch Sports client — an agency that has several ties to the Lakers organization.
The Athletic — Sam Vecenie (5/16)
17. Jordan Hawkins, Connecticut
The Scout: Hawkins has a case as arguably the best movement shooter in the class. Connecticut had him sprint off screening actions, using his pristine shooting mechanics and ability to stop on a dime to get open and can open 3s. He averaged 16 points and was a critical piece of the national champion Huskies, keying their perimeter attack with how much teams had to respect his gravitational force. Hawkins also improved a bit off the bounce this past season, becoming an impactful, effective attacker of closeouts. He works defensively, but this is where his lack of strength comes in. Hawkins is extremely skinny and will need to put on some real weight in the coming years to hold up on that end. But he's an elite shooter who wants to play on that end. Those guys tend to work out.
The Fit: What are the skills that work best with LeBron James? Shooting and defense. Hawkins and his tremendous ability to space the floor would be about as perfect a fit for the Lakers as you can imagine. The Lakers are contenders again after the moves they made at the deadline this year. Continuing to add players who work well with James is a sharp strategy.
The Fit: What are the skills that work best with LeBron James? Shooting and defense. Hawkins and his tremendous ability to space the floor would be about as perfect a fit for the Lakers as you can imagine. The Lakers are contenders again after the moves they made at the deadline this year. Continuing to add players who work well with James is a sharp strategy.
Yahoo! Sports — Krysten Peek (5/16)
17. Rayan Rupert, New Zealand Breakers
A long guard with a 7-3 wingspan, Rupert has the makeup to be a decent 3-and-D wing at the next level. He's just 18 years old and will need some development to work out his young tendencies in his game, particularly on offense and his shot selection.
Bleacher Report — Jonathan Wasserman (5/16)
17. Brice Sensabaugh, Ohio State
A 6'6", 235-pound efficient, three-level shot-maker, Sensabaugh could be viewed as an NBA-ready scoring wing for a team's second unit. He won't offer much else, so landing with a team that strictly values his one-on-one game and shooting would be ideal.
SB Nation — Ricky O'Donnell (5/16)
17. Kris Murray, Iowa
Murray is the twin brother of Kings rookie Keegan Murray, and he enjoyed a similar breakout season at Iowa as his bro became a key starter on a playoff team in Sacramento. A 6'8, 220-pound forward, Murray can shoot threes with volume and defend slower wings. He seems a tad less athletic than his brother, and his shooting numbers dipped as the season went on, but he should be a safe bet to stick around the league for a while when every team needs big wings who can hit shots.
CBS Sports — Kyle Boone (5/16)
17. Rayan Rupert, New Zealand Breakers
Rupert is a toolsy prospect with a great frame and a defensive baseline that presents promise, but he remains very raw in terms of what he can bring to the table on the offensive end. If his shot comes around, there's a lot to like, but there's not much right now that suggests he can be an NBA player anytime soon. Definitely a developmental prospect.
For the Win — Bryan Kalbrosky (5/16)
17. Nick Smith Jr., Arkansas
Although he struggled to stay healthy and wasn't particularly efficient during his one-and-done season at Arkansas, the upside for Smith is still very high.
With a clean slate free from injuries, it's worth betting on his development that Smith could make a return to the player he was as a McDonald's All-American and the No. 1 overall recruit coming out of high school.
With a clean slate free from injuries, it's worth betting on his development that Smith could make a return to the player he was as a McDonald's All-American and the No. 1 overall recruit coming out of high school.
Mock Draft Databases:
Check out more of our content:
- 2024 NFL Mock Draft
- 2025 NFL Mock Draft
- 2023 NBA Mock Draft
- Fantasy Football Rankings
- Fantasy Football Strength of Schedule
- Fantasy Football Mock Drafts
Keep track of our site's updates: (1) follow us on Twitter, (2) like us on Facebook and/or (3) subscribe to our newsletter.
