Lakers: How One Draft Pick Signaled a Change in Philosophy for LA

Is this the year where the Lakers fully commit to getting younger?

So much for an uneventful draft night. After heading into Draft Day with zero selections to their name, the Lakers swung a last-minute trade with the Orlando Magic to get in on the fun with the 35th pick of the night.

The move was welcome news for fans, who have watched a terrific scouting department go to waste in recent years, as the team has prioritized experience over picks in the LeBron James era. In theory, this approach was supposed to make the Lakers a title favorite each year. The reality, however, was a broken-down team of aging veterans that struggled to hold up over the course of an NBA season. 

Experience is valuable, but so is the ability to balance it with youth and athleticism. It seems as though the front office may have learned its lesson in this regard because the comments made by general manager Rob Pelinka after the draft speak to a change of heart for the organization. 

Pelinka: "We have to get younger. We have to start developing players.”

He said it can be the “wrong thing to do” to only think about who can play in the NBA right now.

"That’s where you can make big mistakes. We wanted to take a kid who can turn into something special."

— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) June 24, 2022

With their selection of Max Christie in the second round, the Lakers officially announce that their priorities have changed. Surrounding LeBron with proven ball players is great, but they are beginning to realize that it isn't the only priority. 

Being competitive at the NBA level is just as much about how you develop talent versus how you attract talent. This is the same Lakers scouting department that drafted the likes of Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, and D'Angelo Russell - all former lakers who are now enjoying success for other teams. What would the current status be if the Lakers had held onto their home-grown players instead of trading them? We will never know, but it is certainly a question that will continue to be brought up. 

No one will complain about the player and draft package sent to New Orleans for Anthony Davis after winning a title with him in 2020, but things are different now. LeBron isn't getting any younger, and Davis needs to accept that he has to be the workhorse on this Lakers team. The best way to help them both is to balance youth with experience and create a balanced team once again. 

After trading away most of their picks in recent years, the Lakers now own 6 first-rounders and 7 second-rounders over the next 7 years. Only time will tell if they decide to keep them and develop talent in-house, but last night's draft was a step in the right direction.