Getty TCU star Desmond Bane.
With the Los Angeles Lakers just recently winning an NBA championship, it’s easy to forget the draft is about to take place. Now that the Lakers have put together a strong team, the draft is less important for them but it will still give them an opportunity to find some good young talent. A big focus for the team should be to find a potential sharpshooter.
One intriguing prospect appears to have emerged as a potential Lakers target. Desmond Bane of TCU recently spoke with Trevor Lane of Lakers Nation and revealed that he had a call with the Lakers and he thinks it went well.
“It went really well. I got a really good feel from the call, and I feel like there was mutual interest in the call,” Bane said. “Unfortunately, Rob [Pelinka] and Frank [Vogel] were in the middle of practice so I didn’t get to meet with them, but Mr. Buss [likely Assistant GM and Director of Scouting Jesse Buss] told me that Rob was sending his best regards and that he’s watched a lot of my tape and film, so you know that’s a good thing.
“And you know, playing alongside [players] like LeBron and AD, who obviously have won championships and are striving to win more would be a good way to start my career.”
Bane spent four seasons with TCU and was named First-Team All Big-12 in 2020. What should get the Lakers really excited about him is the fact that he shot 43% from three over his college career. He’d be a great pickup for the team late in the first round.
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Will Bane Fall to the Lakers?
Bane sounds like a good fit and the Lakers do need some more shooting. However, it’s not a given that he’ll be available when the team picks at 28. In the New York Post’s mock draft, they have Bane going to the Brooklyn Nets at 19. The Athletic has him going 21 to the Philadelphia 76ers.
Due to the wealth of his experience at the college level, Bane should be really intriguing for a contending team. He’s likely more NBA-ready than a lot of prospects and it a safer bet than taking a chance on a young guy. The draft is unpredictable so it’s possible he falls to the Lakers.
Who Else Could the Lakers Target?
Heading into the draft, the Lakers should be looking for a backup point guard or a sharpshooter from three. Bane falls into the sharpshooting category but he’s not a point guard. If he doesn’t fit exactly what the Lakers are looking for, there could be some intriguing prospects later in the draft.
Cassius Winston out of Michigan State should be somebody the Lakers keep their eye on. He was the Big Ten Player of the Year in 2019 and shoots 43% from three. He’s a really strong scorer but also averaged 6.4 assists per game during his four years in college. If the Lakers are looking for a young point guard, they could do worse than Winston.
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Exciting Draft Prospect Had ‘Really Good’ Call With Lakers