The Los Angeles Lakers’ draft outlook did not change much after the NBA lottery, but that may be the point.
ESPN’s latest post-lottery mock draft again projected the Lakers to select North Carolina center Henri Veesaar with the No. 25 pick, keeping Los Angeles tied to one of the cleaner frontcourt fits in the back end of the first round. The projection comes after the NBA lottery finalized the top of the board, with the Washington Wizards landing the No. 1 pick and the 2026 NBA Draft set for June 23-24.
For the Lakers, the intrigue is less about lottery movement and more about roster direction. ESPN’s Jeremy Woo wrote that Los Angeles’ “most obvious need is at center,” where the team can “upgrade beyond” Deandre Ayton. Woo also described Veesaar as a player who would add a “floor-spacing element” to the Lakers’ frontcourt.
That makes Veesaar more than just a convenient mock-draft name. He represents the kind of low-cost, skill-based frontcourt swing the Lakers may need if they want to improve around Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and whatever comes next with LeBron James.
Henri Veesaar Gives Lakers a Different Kind of Center Option
Veesaar’s appeal starts with the obvious: he is a true 7-footer who can shoot.
The North Carolina big man averaged 17.0 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.1 assists while shooting 60.8% from the field during the 2025-26 season. North Carolina’s official bio also credits him with shooting 42.6% from 3-point range, leading the Tar Heels in field-goal percentage, 3-point percentage, blocks and plus-minus.
That combination is the hook for the Lakers. Ayton gives Los Angeles size, rebounding and finishing, but he does not bend defenses as a shooter. Veesaar would not arrive as a finished NBA starter, but his offensive profile would give the Lakers a different spacing option at center.
That matters around Doncic in particular. A big who can screen, pop, punish help defenders and still provide legitimate size changes the geometry of half-court possessions. The Lakers do not need their No. 25 pick to become a star. They need a player who can survive in a playoff rotation and solve a specific problem.
Veesaar at least checks the box on paper.
Deandre Ayton’s Future Keeps Center in Focus
The Ayton part of the projection is what makes it more pointed.
The former No. 1 overall pick joined the Lakers in 2025 after a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers, giving Los Angeles a veteran center option after the franchise’s frontcourt reshuffle. Reuters reported at the time that Ayton was set to earn $34 million when combining his Lakers deal with the money still owed by Portland.
Ayton’s production has rarely been the full issue. He entered Los Angeles with career averages of 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds, and his physical tools have never been in question. The larger question is whether his skill set gives the Lakers enough offensive flexibility in their most important lineups.
That is where Veesaar becomes an interesting contrast. He is not as experienced as Ayton, and he would have to prove he can handle NBA strength, speed and pick-and-roll pressure. But a center who can shoot above 40% from college 3-point range gives the Lakers a type of lineup Ayton does not naturally provide.
Late first-round picks are rarely clean answers. For Los Angeles, Veesaar would be more of a bet on fit than a bet on star upside.
Post-Lottery Projection Reinforces Lakers’ Offseason Need
The Lakers being linked to Veesaar before and after the lottery is notable because the team’s pick did not need a dramatic change to keep the fit alive.
Los Angeles is slotted at No. 25, outside the lottery and in the range where older, productive college players often become attractive to teams trying to win quickly. Veesaar fits that profile better than a raw developmental big who may need multiple seasons before contributing.
That is important for the Lakers’ timeline. A team built around Doncic is not operating like a rebuilding club. If James remains in the picture, the urgency only increases. If he leaves or Los Angeles reshapes the roster, the Lakers still need affordable rotation players who can complement high-usage creators.
Veesaar would come with questions. He must show his shooting translates from North Carolina to NBA range, and he would need to prove he can defend without being targeted. But his size, touch and production give the Lakers a clear reason to investigate him seriously.
The lottery did not create a new Lakers draft need. It simply gave the current one a firmer shape.
At No. 25, Veesaar remains one of the more logical names on the board, especially if the Lakers decide their next center must bring more skill than Ayton has provided.
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