The Los Angeles Lakers will have the No. 25 pick in the 2026 NBA Draft after a strong regular season where they went 50-32 and earned the No. 4 seed in the West. While a worse regular-season performance could’ve allowed them to land some of the top-range under-the-radar prospects in the stacked 2026 NBA Draft, No. 25 will suffice for what the franchise needs for now.
In terms of the players the Lakers could target, they are free to select whoever they believe is the best available prospect, as finding an immediate rotational contributor this late in the draft is challenging. However, it seems the Lakers have to look at potential frontcourt options to find a complementary player to franchise cornerstone Luka Doncic. We’ve seen the success Doncic can have with high-level wings and centers on his roster, which is something the Lakers have to target this summer.
Potential Lakers draft target at No. 25, Flory Bidunga of the Kansas Jayhawks, announced he will withdraw from the 2026 NBA Draft and return to college with the Louisville Cardinals. With Duke’s Patrick Ngongba also withdrawing for another season in college, the Lakers have lost two very good prospects who could have helped them immediately.
Nonetheless, let’s look at three targets the Lakers could consider with the No. 25 pick to boost the team’s frontcourt situation for the future.
3. Allen Graves – Forward, Santa Clara
Allen Graves is a versatile forward from Santa Clara who averaged 11.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.9 steals, and 0.9 blocks on 51.2% from the field and 41.3% from three in his freshman NCAA season. Graves was among the late first-round picks considering a return to the NCAA, but the 19-year-old is committing to developing his game in the NBA after shining in the pre-Draft process as a highly-rated player by analytics.
Graves’ ability to shoot the ball efficiently from all three levels and his strong defensive fundamentals have made many late first-round teams view him as a perfect role-player. His lack of athleticism puts a ceiling on how far he could develop as an individual prospect, but he might be the perfect additive piece to a contending roster. The Lakers need to target cost-controlled players who can contribute as well as grow within the Doncic timeline, and Graves would be a perfect addition =.
Graves measured in at the Draft Combine at 6’7.75″ barefoot and 226 pounds, with a 7’0″ wingspan and 8’10.25″ standing reach. Relying on him to be a high-level defensive contributor as a rookie would be too optimistic, but he has all the tools needed to develop into an underrated two-way forward in the NBA.
Graves is mostly expected to go in the early-20s, so he’d need to slide down the order for the Lakers to select him. This is why he’s No. 3 on this list, as the Lakers likely won’t end up with him unless they decide he’s the perfect prospect for them and try to move up in the order to secure his rights before a team like the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 22.
2. Luigi Suigo – Center, Mega Basket Italy
Luigi Suigo is one of the few international prospects entering the 2026 NBA Draft, coming over from Italy as a 19-year-old center who measured in at the NBA Draft Combine at 7’2¾” barefoot with a 7’5½” wingspan and 9’6” standing reach. He is a tank at center with his size, promising to be a high-level defensive prospect with a solid offensive ceiling as well.
Suigo is clearly a prototypical modern NBA stretch-big prospect, as he has a strong basketball IQ, is a strong defender for his position, and has the tools to develop into one of the best rim protectors in the NBA. With the Lakers in the same conference as Victor Wembanyama, an option like Suigo might be worth it if the franchise can develop him. He should also fit into pick-and-roll situations with Doncic instantly due to his strong mobility for his size and ability to finish inside. He would be a difference-making rebounder from day one, and projects to be an above-average passer at his position as well.
Suigo might have a very low floor but a tantalizing ceiling for any Western Conference team. His shooting is still a developmental project, so it’s unfair to select him with the expectation that he’ll be an elite floor-spacer. However, he could make an impact instantly with the Lakers, given Doncic’s ability to help young centers thrive if they commit to their role. His finishing ability isn’t as well-developed for a player of his size, but he has arguably the highest upside of most players available in this range.
Suigo might not be a solution as a starting center, but he’d provide strong value at No. 25 as a rotational big in the short-term and as a future starter in the long-term.
1. Henri Veesaar – Center, North Carolina
The most likely selection for the Lakers at No. 25 if they’re selecting a frontcourt player is North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar.
The former Real Madrid prospect is coming off his senior season, where he averaged 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks on 60.8% from the field and 42.6% from three, showing he might be the best shooting center in the entire Draft. He measured in at 6’11 ¼” barefoot, 227.2 pounds with a 7’2” wingspan and 9’3” standing reach at the NBA Draft Combine, projecting to be a lanky seven-footer who might have an immediate offensive impact but will require a lot of development on defense.
Veesaar would allow the Lakers and JJ Redick to have an option to play five-out without compromising on interior size. Neither Deandre Ayton nor Jaxson Hayes could provide that, so selecting Veesaar and adding him to the rotation might allow the Lakers to have that option. He’s a strong roll option on pick-and-rolls and has great offensive awareness with the ability to pass out of clogged lanes as well. His three-level shooting also makes him a hard cover. He projects to be a strong rebounder, especially with his effort on the offensive glass in particular.
Veesaar won’t be able to address the problems the Lakers have with defense at their center. While he’s capable of being a solid option at center, his slender frame makes it unlikely he’ll be able to effectively guard the post against other NBA centers without a few years of skill and physical development. If that goes well, Veesaar does project to be a solid rotational center in the NBA, although he doesn’t have the same long-term potential as other prospects in this range.
If the Lakers intend to acquire an established starting center in the summer, Veesaar might be the perfect selection to fill out the rotation for next season, with the long-term upside of potentially earning that role for himself after multiple seasons of development.
