Los Angeles Lakers: Experience is the biggest key in 2018 NBA Draft

The Los Angeles Lakers own the 25th and 47th overall selections in the 2018 NBA Draft and should be looking for one common trend: experience.

The Los Angeles Lakers are without a lottery pick for the first time since the 2013 season. However, the front office is right where they are comfortable: late in the first round.

The Los Angeles Lakers have both the 25th and 47th overall selections in the 2018 NBA Draft, neither of which is their own. Los Angeles acquired the Cleveland Cavaliers’ 25th overall pick in the Isaiah Thomas trade, which sent Jordan Clarkson and Larry Nance Jr. to Cleveland.

In July 2016, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Jose Calderon in a salary dump trade alongside the Denver Nuggets’ 2018 second-round pick. That pick now amounting to the 47th overall selection in the draft.

And of course, the Lakers are without the team’s first-round pick this year as the lottery luck finally ran out. After dodging protections for years, the Philadelphia 76ers are finally getting the Lakers’ first-round pick as part of the Steve Nash trade.

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Fortunately, the 10th overall pick is the highest pick the Lakers have had in the draft since the 2013 NBA Draft when the Cleveland Cavaliers selected 19th with the Lakers’ pick.

The Lakers are probably not going to get a superstar in the later rounds. While it is definitely possible, it is certainly improbable. However, the team has had a great track record in drafting in the late first round and early second round.

Just in the last several years, the Lakers have picked up Kyle Kuzma, Josh Hart and Nance in the late first round. Jordan Clarkson was selected in the second round with the 46th overall pick. Pretty close.

There is one common trend amongst those guys: college experience. All of those guys played at least three years of collegiate basketball and this late in the draft is the make or break factor for the Los Angeles Lakers to consider.

Assuming the team is going to take steps towards winning a title next year, the Los Angeles Lakers do not need to draft a raw prospect that may work out in four or five years. Instead, the team needs a role player to throw into the fire that is already close to being fully developed.

Thus, looking for a prospect with at least three years of college experience is a must. That way, the Lakers can draft either a shooting guard that can come off the bench and make noise; even fighting for a starting spot.

The Lakers are not going to get that out of a freshman that needs developing. All of the elite freshmen go in the lottery and if the Lakers acquire superstars then that freshman won’t get the proper playing time to properly develop.

Donte DiVincenzo, Khryi Thomas, Keita Bates-Diop, Melvin Frazier and Chandler Hutchison are all promising prospects with college experience that could help the Lakers in year one.

And yes, this means that the Los Angeles Lakers should pass on Mitchell Robinson, who has no college experience. Robinson certainly is promising, but not the kind of gamble the Lakers need to make.

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Thus, when it is time for the Los Angeles Lakers to make a selection, take a look at the board at who is still available. I guarantee they don’t select anyone with less than three years of college experience.

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