Lakers draft target: Cason Wallace
The NBA Draft is tonight, and the Lakers hold the 17th and 40th picks. There are plenty of options for LA with the 17th overall pick.
A guard that could be on their radar is Cason Wallace. The 19-year-old two-way combo guard averaged 12/4/4 while shooting 44.6% and 34.6% from three.
Wallace played well in his freshman campaign at Kentucky. He is a great defender, as he had two steals per game. Adding a defensive guard that would fit in Darvin Ham’s system is an intriguing idea.
Cason Wallace reminds me so much of Jrue Holiday and Derrick White. Crazy good defender who fills a lot of gaps on offense.
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 20, 2023
May not have the same upside as some other players in his range but he'll be in the NBA for a long time.
What's your favorite fit for him in the mid-1st? pic.twitter.com/Sou0CCe7Qz
He is also a quality passer and can be a good catch-and-shoot three-point shooter. As he improves as a shooter, Wallace will become a high-quality two-way player.
The Lakers guard situation is a storyline to follow this offseason. They have D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves as impending free agents. LA has also been linked to Fred VanVleet. Regardless of what they decide to do in free agency, they could use a young guard for depth.
This is the main danger as Cason Wallace in the halfcourt right now, and somewhere he’ll continue to grow.
— Logan Adams (@LoganA_NBA) June 17, 2023
Big, strong guard who can handle and navigate screens extremely well, or just back down a smaller-guard.
Flashes a great mid-range game as a counter as well. pic.twitter.com/PbRFjmvbKq
The concern with Wallace is his back injury. Wallace had back spasms throughout his freshman year at Kentucky.
He is a very talented player; if the Lakers want to add a guard, they should consider him. Wallace is projected to go in the mid-late first round of the draft.