The first round of the NBA draft was uneventful for the Lakers, who had no picks in the top 30 this year. Fortunately, there’s still another round to go, and the Lakers will have a chance to pick up a fresh young prospect.
After trading with the Bulls to move 10 spots up the draft, the Lakers will now be picking 45th tonight, and they have their eyes set on a certain young big man from Creighton: Ryan Kalkbrenner.
“People around the league said the Lakers are trying to put themselves in position to draft center Ryan Kalkbrenner out of Creighton University,” wrote Broderick Turner.
In the aftermath of the Luka Doncic trade, the Lakers have gone thin at the center position, and they had to rely on Jaxon Hayes and Maxi Kleber to fill the role for months. Despite limited flexibility, the Lakers are hoping to upgrade their frontcourt this offseason and get a quality rim protector to play alongside Doncic.
While Ryan Kalkbrenner may not have star potential, he’s still an effective and reliable 7’1″ big man who averaged 19.4 points and 9.0 rebounds last season while shooting 66.3% from the field and 34% from three-point range.
He plays like an old-school big man who dominates in the paint with strength, athleticism, and fierce willpower. As an elite shot blocker, rebounder, and dunker, Kalkbrenner provides the kind of paint presence that would thrive alongside Luka Doncic, who has found success with guys like Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford.
At 23 years old, Kalkbrenner is older than the typical NBA rookie, but it also means he’s more mature and may be ready to contribute right away. With solid game sense and a handle on the basics, Kalkbrenner could even exceed expectations in the right environment. Other potential center options for the Lakers include Maxime Raynaud, Bogolijub Markovic, and Johni Broome.
For a Lakers team trying desperately to win now while preserving their future, this move would be the ultimate win. Besides additional frontcourt depth, they would add another young prospect to help establish their future. If Kalkbrenner plays up to his full potential, he has a chance to be a fan favorite in Los Angeles and help usher in a new era after LeBron James retires.
Without a large number of draft picks or really any future assets, it’s going to be hard for the Lakers to keep up with teams like the Thunder, Timberwolves, and Rockets in the West. Still, with LeBron James returning and Luka Doncic in the best shape of his life, there is reason to hope that they can contend for a title.
With Kalkbrenner, they will have taken their first steps toward improvement, but Rob Pelinka will have to make some more moves on the trade market to move the needle in any significant way. At the very least, Ryan’s presence under the rim should help even the odds for the Lakers against the best frontcourt combos in the league.
Since Kalkbrenner is drawing interest from multiple teams, there’s no way to guarantee he’ll land with the Lakers, but they traded up to get him, and he’d be a great fit for their roster. Tonight, they will do everything they can to follow through with their plan and give their team some added depth at center.
