It has been well documented that the Los Angeles Lakers will not have any tradable first-round picks over the next seven years following their offseason acquisition of Walker Kessler.
That does not mean the NBA Draft will disappear from the Lakers’ immediate future. Los Angeles could still make first-round selections in 2028, 2030, and 2032, although swap rights complicate the picture in two of those years.
The upcoming 2027 NBA Draft, however, is a different story.
Los Angeles originally sent its 2027 first-round pick to the Utah Jazz in 2023 as part of the three-team trade that moved Russell Westbrook and brought D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Malik Beasley to the Lakers.
Utah then sent the pick to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of the Jaren Jackson Jr. trade in February 2026, leaving the Lakers in danger of watching another team benefit from their draft position.
Lakers Set to Hand Valuable First-Round Pick to Grizzlies
Memphis will receive the Lakers’ 2027 first-round pick if it lands anywhere from No. 5 through No. 30. Los Angeles will retain the selection only if it jumps into the top four.
If the protection is triggered, Memphis would instead receive the Lakers’ 2027 second-round pick.
Bleacher Report analyst Jonathan Wasserman currently projects the Lakers’ selection to land at No. 17, where the Grizzlies could use it on Illinois guard Quentin Coleman.
“Unlike many potential one-and-done prospects, Coleman emerged later, breaking out during his senior year,” Wasserman wrote. “At 6’4″, he’s a three-level shotmaker who’s got some vertical pop around the basket for finishing and offensive rebounding.”
“There is still a lot to evaluate with his playmaking, which he’ll need to show at 180 pounds. But Keaton Wagler and Kylan Boswell going pro means Coleman should have a good opportunity to continue growing in a high-usage backcourt role.”
Sacrificing draft capital has been one of the costs of the Lakers’ aggressive win-now approach, and Coleman could ultimately become one of the young prospects Los Angeles watches land elsewhere.
The 18-year-old is regarded as a five-star prospect by multiple outlets, although opinions on his early draft stock vary considerably.
ESPN’s Jeremy Woo, for example, ranked Coleman at No. 36 in his latest 2027 projection, which would place him firmly in second-round territory.
Quentin Coleman Enters 2027 Draft Conversation After Rapid Rise
Coleman’s emergence as an NBA prospect has been anything but conventional.
He began his high school career at O’Fallon Township High School, where he failed to make the varsity basketball team as a freshman.
Coleman subsequently transferred to Principia School in Town and Country, Missouri, averaging 10.3 points per game as a sophomore while primarily coming off the bench.
His breakthrough arrived over his final two seasons.
As a junior, Coleman averaged 19.4 points while helping Principia finish 31-1 and capture its first state championship in school history.
He took another significant step forward as a senior, averaging 23.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 2.7 steals while leading Principia to a 29-2 record and a second consecutive state title.
“A super crafty and talented guard who can play on or off the ball, initiate the offense, hit open shots and score in the lane,” NBA Draft Room recently wrote.
“Coleman isn’t the most powerful or explosive athlete but is very shifty and knows how to get to his spots. Has good awareness as a cutter and can play above the rim.”
Coleman’s rise earned him back-to-back Missouri Class AAA Player of the Year honors during his junior and senior seasons.
Following his final year at Principia, he was selected for the Jordan Brand Classic and won the Mr. Show-Me Basketball award, adding to a growing list of individual honors.
It remains extremely early in the 2027 draft cycle, and Coleman’s stock could change significantly once he begins his freshman season at Illinois.
For the Lakers, though, his development could be particularly interesting to follow if the first-round pick they surrendered four years earlier ultimately lands in the middle of the draft.
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