Despite having limited capital to work with, the Los Angeles Lakers may be going big-name hunting in this year’s NBA Draft.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported Monday that the Lakers are working out former Gonzaga big man Drew Timme. The 22-year-old Timme is eligible to be selected in the draft later this week.
Timme became one of the biggest stars in the college game during his time at Gonzaga. He was a three-time All-American (including a First Teamer last season) and finished his career as the Bulldogs’ all-time leading scorer. With his iconic mustache, his picture-perfect low-post game, and his in-your-face personality, Timme is known all too well by hoops fans.
The Lakers have two picks in this year’s draft — in the first round at No. 17 overall and in the second round at No. 47 overall. Timme isn’t projected to be drafted until the latter range as he is small for an NBA big (6-foot-10), needs the ball in his hands to be effective, and is not a particularly quick or versatile defender. But the Lakers could use a bit more size with Mo Bamba not expected to return and no other real size on the roster behind Anthony Davis. They may be prioritizing bigger bodies in free agency as well.
