Where Does The Lakers 2025 Draft Pick Rank Amongst Other Traded Future Draft Picks?

Atlanta owns the Lakers 2025 draft pick

Apr 29, 2024; Denver, Colorado, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) drives to the net against Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (15) in the fourth quarter during game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA playoffs at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

One of the biggest moves of this NBA offseason happened when the Atlanta Hawks traded Dejounte Murray to the New Orleans Pelicans for a package centered around Dyson Daniels, Larry Nance, and two first round picks, one of which is an unprotected pick from the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2025 NBA Draft, which is supposed to be one of the deepest drafts in years. Depending on what your opinion of Dyson Daniels is, the Lakers pick might be the crown jewel of the trade from the Hawks perspective. While the Lakers are not going to be as bad as teams like the Wizards, Nets, Blazers and some others, the Western Conference is brutal and you don't have to be too creative when thinking of ways that the Lakers miss the playoffs and are in the lottery. That makes the pick one of the most valuable future picks in the NBA, but where exactly does it land amongst the other picks that are owed?

CBS Sports NBA analyst Sam Quinn recently wrote about this and ranked the pick No. 13 in terms of future picks owed. Here is what he had to say about the pick that the Hawks are slated to get:

13. Los Angeles Lakers, 2025

• Currently belongs to: Atlanta Hawks
• Protections: N/A
• Owed, swapped or conditional? Owed

"The Lakers are better than the Hawks, but have far more upside from a draft perspective. They're in the Western Conference, they're old, they have a rookie head coach and they're pressing up against the second apron, so fortifying the roster in a trade would be difficult. Atlanta's median outcome is probably higher, but the Lakers have more room to completely combust."

Not only is the Western Conference loaded, but the Lakers would have to hope that they get another fully healthy season from both LeBron James and Anthony Davis, something that is not guaranteed. Davis just had his most fully healthy season maybe of his entire career and put up an All-NBA season. James was healthy for most of the season and still put up great numbers. Both of those things happened and the Lakers were still a Zion Williamson injury away in the play-in tournament from being put in a win or go home game vs the Kings, which they might have lost. What if Davis and James can't stay healthy? That could be big trouble for the Lakers.

Looking at the standings, the only teams I can guarantee the Lakers will be better than going into next year (right now) is Utah, Portland, and San Antonio. Some good teams are going to miss the playoffs in the Western Conference next season and one of them could be the Lakers, which would place them in the Draft Lottery in what is supposed to be a loaded 2025 Draft Class.

There could be some big moves made that make the Lakers much better, but they are not clear right now. That could make their pick a very, very good asset next offseason.