3 Prospects Lakers Should Target Following NBA Draft Pick News
By Cem Yolbulan
Nikola Topic, PG, Serbia
It's hard to tell which direction the Lakers will go in the draft. If they decide to add another guard, they will be hard-pressed to find a better prospect than Nikola Topic.
Topic is generally considered a lottery pick in most mock drafts. However, we have seen plenty of recent draftees fall unexpectedly in the draft. If that were to happen, the Lakers should absolutely pounce on this Serbian sensation.
At 18 years old, Topic is one of the youngest prospects in the draft. However, that doesn't mean he is the least experienced. It's quite the opposite. Topic has been playing against grown men since 2022 when he made his professional debut at the age of 16. He has been playing significant minutes in the Adriatic League for Crvena Zvezda, as well as receiving some playing time in the Euroleague.
At 6'6, Topic has excellent size for a point guard. He is a prototypical floor general, running pick-and-roll, controlling the tempo, and putting his teammates in a position to succeed. He is not the most devastating athlete or the most prolific shooter but he is the true point guard that the Lakers lacked during the LeBron James-Anthony Davis era.