With the NBA Draft approaching rapidly, the Lakers They are reportedly starting to work on some top prospects.
Los Angeles reportedly already had a pre-draft workout with Bronny James and according to Dan Woike of the LA Timesyou can add Zach Edey to the list of players the Lakers will coach.
Purdue center Zach Edey is one of the biggest players, literally and figuratively, in the draft after being the consensus player of the year in college basketball last season. While there are mobility concerns on the defensive end, Edey is scheduled to work out with the Lakers ahead of the draft and could be a real option for the team.
The Lakers have been looking for quality big men to pair with Anthony Davis or allow Davis to get some rest without the team’s production plummeting.
If Edey can give this team some good minutes and provide depth and quality at the center position, he would be a great addition for the Lakers.
In college, Edey was an offensive monster, scoring a nation-high 25.2 points, was third in rebounds with 12.2, and shot a highly efficient 62.3 percent from the field.
Mock drafts have Purdue’s center all over the place, some as high as the lottery and others in the middle of the first round.
If the Lakers like what they see from him in these workouts, they’ll hope he’s still around at No. 17, where they can draft him.
They could also use pick number 17 and try to change it if they fear it won’t be available where they currently are.
If the Lakers made such an aggressive move for Edey, it would tell us that they loved his tape and his appearance in person so much that they view him as a player they can’t pass up.
Reports on players the Lakers have been looking at have been few and far between, so while this information isn’t officially coming from the franchise, it’s good to know they’re doing their due diligence.
This draft will be huge for the Lakers as they can select a player ready to try to help this team get back to the top of the Western Conference or trade the pick to package him for a third star.
What happens during the two-day event that is the draft will reveal a lot about this team and its direction heading into the 2024-25 season.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECrea88.