Lakers Linked to Highly-Touted Lottery Pick: Report

Getty The Lakers were one of the teams that interviewed Corey Kispert.

The Los Angeles Lakers have the No. 22 pick in the 2021 NBA Draft but their recent prospect meetings show the team could be open to moving up. Gonzaga sharpshooter Corey Kispert listed the Lakers as one of the teams he recently met with.

“Corey Kispert of Gonzaga says he’s interviewed with about a dozen teams including the Lakers, Clippers and Thunder,” NBC Sports Washington’s Chase Hughes tweeted. “He did not mention the Wizards, who need a player like him and will be picking in his range.”

Kispert is expected to be long gone by the time the Lakers are on the clock with the No. 22 pick. Either the Lakers are doing their due diligence, or the team could be looking to move up the draft board. Kispert is projected to go to the Spurs at No. 12 in Heavy’s latest mock draft.

The Gonzaga star would address one of the Lakers’ biggest deficiencies that the team needs to explore this offseason: shooting. Kispert was not only one of the best shooters in college basketball, but the Zags forward was also one of the top NCAA players in 2021. The Gonzaga standout averaged 18.6 points, five rebounds and 1.8 assists while shooting 44% from behind the three-point line.

Pelinka: ‘You Can Never Have Enough Shooting’

The Lakers were one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the NBA this season ranking No. 23 with a 34.9%. After the team’s first-round exit against the Suns, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka admitted it is an area the front office plans to address this offseason.

“You can never have enough shooting so it’s something that’s always at the top of our mind when we’re building and constructing a roster,” Pelinka said, per Lakers Nation. “I think it’s important too, part of successful shooting is having special players that create the shooting space and for us, that comes primarily from LeBron and Anthony.

“You bring up this series, but when you take someone like Anthony out of some of the games, it changes the spacing and shooting success and everyone knows, LeBron talked about it last night, we knew when he had a high ankle sprain that it would probably not be until the offseason that got 100%. But I think that the success of our shooting is driven by those guys creating the space and because of the things we face with injuries, some of that space is altered.”

Kispert Is Drawing Comparisons to Joe Harris & Bojan Bogdanovic

The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor sees Kispert as a player in the mold of Bojan Bogdanovic and Joe Harris. With Kispert projected to be a late lottery selection, the Lakers would have to give up a lot to move up 10 or more spots to snag the sharpshooter.

“Elite shooter both off the catch and the dribble,” O’Connor described Kispert’s strengths. “Quick release from all over the floor. A potential 50-40-90 player. Creates simple shots for himself. With the ball, he can throw a pump fake then score by attacking closeouts. Without the ball, he has the awareness to find open space for jumpers or cuts to the rim. Helps facilitate the flow of the offense by making smart, rapid reads. Reliable, hard-nosed positional defender who puts himself in the right spots, whether in off-ball help situations or in man-to-man matchups.