The Lakers are currently on track to keep their top-five protected first-rounder. They hold the league's fourth-worst record and appear to have no means of leapfrogging any of the teams ahead of them.
That means—barring an absolute catastrophe—L.A. will be picking somewhere in the top five and can scout the top-tier prospects in the college and international ranks accordingly.
One other thing the Lakers have going for them is they need help at virtually every position. They don't have to make a sub-optimal pick to fill a need because everything is a need. They can focus on selecting the best overall player on the board.
Let's take a look at five prospects L.A. will be watching with earnest over the next few months.
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Article Source: Bleacher Report - Los Angeles Lakers
