The Lakers are still alive in the playoffs, but the picture is not strong. They are down 0-3 against the Thunder entering Game 4, and the series has shown the same problems in different forms. The Thunder won Game 3, 131-108, after a 74-49 second half, and the Lakers committed 17 turnovers that became 30 Thunder points. They also played again without Luka Doncic, who has been sidelined by a hamstring injury.
That is the present. The draft is the next layer. The Lakers did not have a lottery jump after the 2026 NBA Draft Lottery. They are set to pick No. 25 in the first round, as you can see in our latest Mock Draft.
That pick is not high enough to chase a clear star. It is still useful. The Lakers need cheap rotation talent because their roster is expensive and thin in important areas. They need size, shooting, athleticism, defensive pressure, and more reliable frontcourt play. Deandre Ayton gave them production this season with 12.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per game, but the Lakers still need a center with more edge, rim protection, and long-term defensive value.
At No. 25, the target should not be a famous name. It should be a player with one or two NBA skills that can survive quickly. This draft has enough depth for that. Here are five underrated gems the Lakers could steal in the 2026 NBA Draft.
No. 5 – Isaiah Evans, Wing, Duke
2025-26 Season Stats: 15.0 PPG, 3.2 RPG, 1.3 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.7 BPG, 43.3% FG, 36.1% 3P
Isaiah Evans is the same player linked to the Lakers in our mock draft, and the fit is still reasonable. He is a 6-foot-6 wing from Duke with a narrow frame, high release, and real movement shooting value. He is not the strongest player in this range, and he is not a complete defender yet. The shot is the selling point.
Evans averaged 15.0 points in 28.3 minutes while taking 7.4 threes per game. That volume is important. Many college wings shoot a decent percentage on low attempts, but Evans had a real shooting diet. He made 2.7 threes per game and hit 86.0% from the free-throw line, which supports the shooting projection.
For the Lakers, Evans would answer a simple roster problem. They need more wings who can shoot without needing the ball. Too many of their lineups become easier to guard when the weak-side players are not respected. Evans can change spacing from the corner, lift into open threes, and punish defenses that help too far inside.
The concern is physicality. Evans is 6-foot-6 but listed around 175 to 180 pounds depending on the board. He will need time to handle NBA strength. Stronger wings will try to move him on drives and attack him on switches. That is why he is not higher on this list.
Still, the Lakers should not ignore a shooter with size at No. 25. Evans does not need to become a star to help them. If he becomes a real rotation wing who hits threes, runs the floor, and survives defensively, the pick works.
No. 4 – Dailyn Swain, Wing, Texas
2025-26 Season Stats: 17.3 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.3 BPG, 54.2% FG, 34.4% 3P
Dailyn Swain is a better overall bet than Evans because he gives the Lakers more ways to use him. He is not only a shooter. He is a 6-foot-7 to 6-foot-8 forward with strength, defensive range, rebounding, passing feel, and downhill ability.
Swain averaged 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.6 steals. He also shot 54.2% from the field, which shows he did not depend only on difficult jumpers. The three-point number, 34.4%, is acceptable but still not fully safe. That is the swing skill. If the shot becomes stable, Swain has a real NBA role because the rest of the profile is already useful.
The Lakers need this type of wing. They need players who can guard bigger bodies, rebound outside the center position, and still make quick offensive decisions. Swain can attack closeouts, push after defensive rebounds, and pass on the move. That is valuable next to stars who draw pressure.
His defense is also important. The Lakers have been exposed by deeper, faster teams. The Thunder series has made that clear. Swain would not solve that alone, but he gives them a younger forward who can cover ground and play with more force than a normal late-first prospect.
The concern is half-court shooting. If defenders go under or help off him, his value drops. The Lakers already have enough lineups where spacing becomes tight. Swain has to become a credible catch-and-shoot player from NBA range.
At No. 25, that is a fair bet. He is not a pure specialist. He is a rotation profile with size and multiple skills. The Lakers need more of that.
No. 3 – Tarris Reed Jr., Center, UConn
2025-26 Season Stats: 14.7 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 2.3 APG, 0.9 SPG, 2.0 BPG, 60.7% FG, 0.0% 3P
Tarris Reed Jr. is not the most modern offensive big in the draft, but he gives the Lakers something they badly need: power, rebounding, and paint presence. The Lakers have Ayton, but they still need a second center who plays with more contact and can protect the lane.
Reed averaged 14.7 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 2.0 blocks at UConn while shooting 60.7% from the field. That is strong interior production. He does not stretch the floor. He attempted almost no threes, so his offensive role is narrow. But there is value in a center who screens, finishes, rebounds, and defends the rim without asking for touches.
The Lakers’ problem is not only talent. It is physical balance. Against elite teams, they need more frontcourt resistance. Reed has a body that can handle NBA contact earlier than many younger bigs. He can fight for position, play through bumps, and give the second unit a more direct interior identity.
His passing is another detail worth noting. The 2.3 assists per game are useful for a center who does most of his work inside. Reed can play out of dribble handoffs, make short-roll reads, and find cutters when the defense collapses. He is not a high-post hub, but he is not a zero with the ball.
The limitation is spacing. Lineups with Reed need shooting around him. If the Lakers draft him, they must understand his role from day one. He is not a floor-spacing big. He is a physical center who can defend the paint, rebound, and finish.
That can still be very useful at No. 25.
No. 2 – Hannes Steinbach, Big, Washington
2025-26 Season Stats: 18.5 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 1.6 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.2 BPG, 57.7% FG, 34.0% 3P
Hannes Steinbach would be a serious steal if he reaches the Lakers. He may not. Earlier in the cycle, The Athletic ranked him as a top-10 prospect, and his production supports the idea that he belongs above the late first round.
Still, draft ranges move. If teams question his foot speed, defensive versatility, or shooting volume, he could slide into the 20s. The Lakers should be ready if that happens.
Steinbach averaged 18.5 points and led the 2026 draft prospect pool in rebounding at 11.8 per game. He also shot 57.7% from the field and 34.0% from three. That combination is rare for a big. He is not only a rim finisher. He has touch, size, rebounding instincts, and enough shooting projection to play different frontcourt roles.
The Lakers need more size, but they also need bigs who can do more than stand near the rim. Steinbach can score inside, clean the glass, and step into open jumpers. He also gives them a stronger rebounding base. That is important for a team that cannot keep depending on old legs and minimum-contract depth to survive long playoff series.
The defensive question is real. Steinbach has good size, but NBA guards will test him in space. If he cannot survive enough in pick-and-roll coverage, his minutes become matchup-based. That is the reason he is a possible slide candidate.
Even with that concern, his production is too strong to ignore. A big man who rebounds at that level and shows real offensive touch should not be available at No. 25. If he is, the Lakers should take the fall seriously.
No. 1 – Aday Mara, Center, Michigan
2025-26 Season Stats: 12.1 PPG, 6.8 RPG, 2.4 APG, 0.4 SPG, 2.6 BPG, 66.8% FG, 30.0% 3P
Aday Mara is the best Lakers target on this list because he addresses their biggest structural need. The Lakers need a long-term center with rim protection, size, and real basketball feel. Mara gives them that.
He is 7-foot-3, 255 pounds, and played at Michigan as a junior. He averaged 12.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2.6 blocks in only 23.4 minutes. He also shot 66.8% from the field. Those numbers are not empty. They show a player who scores efficiently, protects the rim, and impacts the game without high usage.
The most important number is 2.6 blocks. Mara is among the top shot-blockers in the 2026 draft pool. The Lakers need that skill. Ayton averaged 1.0 blocks this season, and while he gives size and finishing, he does not create enough defensive fear at the rim. Mara would give the Lakers a different type of center prospect.
Mara is not only tall. He can pass. The 2.4 assists per game are important because he can play from the elbows, hit cutters, and make simple reads when guards use him as a pressure point. That gives him more offensive value than a normal drop-coverage center.
The risks are clear. He is not fast laterally. Guards will pull him into space. His free-throw number, 56.4%, is poor, and his three-point volume is too small to sell him as a spacer. He will need the right defensive scheme and patience.
Even with those concerns, this is the correct kind of swing for the Lakers. Mara could become a real rim protector, a high-efficiency finisher, and a passing center on a rookie-scale contract. At No. 25, that is exactly the type of value they should chase.
Final Thoughts
The Lakers do not need to treat the No. 25 pick like a search for a star. That is not realistic. They need a player with one clear NBA path, one bankable skill, and a profile that fits next to Luka Doncic. That is why this list leans toward size, shooting, and frontcourt utility.
Isaiah Evans is the purest shooting swing. His NBA comparison is close to a thinner Trey Murphy III type, not because he has the same strength or finishing, but because of the high release, off-ball shooting value, and ability to stretch defenses without needing touches. If he adds strength, he can become a real floor spacer on the wing.
Dailyn Swain has some Dorian Finney-Smith and Caleb Martin in his profile. He is not a specialist. He rebounds, defends, passes, and attacks open space. The shot will decide his ceiling. If he becomes a reliable catch-and-shoot player, he can fit almost any playoff rotation because he does not need the ball to help.
Tarris Reed Jr. is more of a Daniel Gafford-style center with a little more passing feel. He is not a spacer, and that limits lineup flexibility. But he brings strength, screens, offensive rebounding, and vertical finishing. That is important with Doncic. In Dallas, Doncic made Dereck Lively II look ready almost immediately because he creates easy angles for athletic bigs. He slows the game, manipulates the low man, and throws lobs that most guards do not see. Reed would benefit from that same structure.
Hannes Steinbach is closer to a Nikola Vucevic-lite type, with rebounding, touch, and some floor-spacing potential. He is not the same scorer, but the idea is similar: a productive big who can finish, rebound, and shoot enough to force defensive attention. For the Lakers, Steinbach would be more than an Ayton backup. He could give them a different frontcourt look because he has better feel and more shooting projection.
Aday Mara is the most interesting name because he gives the Lakers the clearest answer to their center problem. His NBA comparison is somewhere between Ivica Zubac and Jakob Poeltl, with more size and passing upside. He will not defend in space like a modern switch big, but he can block shots, finish above the rim, and pass from the elbows.
That combination is very useful with Doncic. Athletic forwards always look better with him because Doncic turns simple reads into high-value shots. Lively was not asked to create. He screened, rolled, caught, finished, and protected the rim. Mara could follow that kind of path if the Lakers are patient.
Ayton gives production, but he is more finesse than force. The Lakers need a new face who plays with more presence. Mara or Reed would not fix everything, but both would give Doncic a real vertical target and give the Lakers a younger, cheaper answer at a position that has become too important to treat lightly.
