5 Prospects Los Angeles Lakers Should Already Be Targeting in 2018 NBA Draft

The top takeaway from the Los Angeles Lakers' trade-deadline dealing was their creation of a second max contract slot and the ability to dream impossibly big for free agency.But that's not all the Lakers accomplished in their blockbuster swap with the Cleveland Cavaliers, which saw Larry Nance Jr. and Jordan Clarkson leave town in exchange for Isaiah Thomas and Channing Frye. The Lakers also found their way back into a loaded 2018 draft, a pivotal development for a franchise still in the asset-collection phase of its rebuild.L.A's pick from Cleveland won't be nearly as good as the one it's sending to either the Philadelphia 76ers or Boston Celtics (believe it or not, an unpaid debt from the failed Steve Nash deal). But it's still a first-rounder24th for now, per Tankathon.comand a chance to add a rotation piece or maybe more.The Lakers have little direction for this selection, since most of their roster has no guaranteed money remaining beyond this season. It's also unclear if they should target a ready-made contributor or a high-ceiling project, since no one knows how this club will look after free agency.Luckily, this class offers both polished prospects and raw wild cards. L.A. must keep its options open for both, which means getting the following five players on the radar already.Begin Slideshow
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