The Los Angeles Lakers have quietly been one of the better teams in recent memory for finding talent late in the draft or with undrafted signings. The Lakers landed both Alex Caruso and Austin Reaves as undrafted rookies and drafted Jordan Clarkson, Ivica Zubac, and Max Christie all in the second round. All are now very steady and consistent NBA players.
With the 56th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, they will have the chance to do the same, and there is a lot of underrated talent creeping around the projections towards the end of the draft. Here are three prime options for the Lakers in the second round.
3. SG, Baylor Scheierman, Creighton
Baylor Scheierman is as pure of an offensive scorer as you will find in the late second round. The lefty has a crafty handle and a smooth jump shot from all areas of the court. Scheierman would provide a legitimate offensive threat for the Lakers.
During his time at Creighton, he averaged 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 3.9 assists on 44.8% shooting from the field. He is also one of the more underrated rebounders for his size. In four out of his five collegiate seasons, he averaged 7.8 or more rebounds, which is an astounding level of consistency for a 6-foot-7 forward.
The Lakers need floor spacing and shooting, and that’s not to say the 56th pick will see significant minutes as a rookie, but getting guys you can develop into NBA roles is very important, and the Lakers have seen firsthand that your draft pick doesn’t necessarily determine the NBA player you will become. Like Alex Caruso and Austin Reaves, who are now both very prominent and important NBA players in the league.
2. SF, Harrison Ingram, North Carolina
Harrison Ingram had an interesting collegiate career and fits the current state of the NBA. A 6-foot-7, 235-pound forward who has the ability to stretch the floor, shoot the three, cut, screen, and be effective defensively. Ingram spent his first two years of his college basketball career at Stanford, where he had nearly identical seasons production-wise, averaging 10.5 points in both seasons.
Then, as a junior, he decided to transfer to North Carolina, where he was a starting forward and, to say the least, an effective one. Ingram averaged 12.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.4 steals while being one of North Carolina’s best defensive players. Ingram could improve at the free throw line, where he has struggled throughout his three collegiate seasons, shooting just under 67% in all three years.
However, he could provide a stretch forward off the bench for the Lakers, as well as develop into a young piece for the future with his ability to play both sides of the ball.
1, C. N’Faly Dante, Oregon
One of the more underrated prospects projected to go late in the second round is Oregon center N’Faly Dante. If you watched the Pac-12 and NCAA tournaments, you saw how big of an impact he had. His upside isn’t massive unless he can develop some type of jump shot, but he has a standing reach of 9-foot-3 and a 7-foot-6 wingspan, which makes him an elite rebounder, shot blocker, and finisher around the rim.
Dante averaged 17.1 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.9 blocks. During his last collegiate game in the NCAA Tournament, he had 28 points, 20 rebounds, two steals, and two blocks. His presence can have a dominant impact on the game, and for the Lakers, getting a lengthy and athletic center with the ability to impact the game on both sides of the ball with the 56th pick is a pick that the Lakers should definitely entertain if Dante is available in the second round.
