LOS ANGELES — The Lakers could have the top three players taken in the 2018 NBA draft on their roster this season. After trading for No. 3 pick Luka Doncic last season and adding No. 1 pick Deandre Ayton on Wednesday, the team is one of the favorites to add No. 2 pick Marvin Bagley III, who is an unrestricted free agent, according to BetOnline.ag.
Bagley finished the 2024–25 season with the Memphis Grizzlies and while his production this past season was modest—averaging 4.4 points and 2.7 rebounds in 31 games—he has upside at 26 years old. He holds career averages of 12.0 points and 6.5 rebounds and a 51.8 field goal percentage.
He went to high school at Sierra Canyon in Chatsworth, Calif. (the same high school as Bronny James) and recently got married in Laguna Beach, Calif. Bagley remains a playable power forward/center option and a “prove‑it” candidate with a low-risk price tag for the Lakers as they look to fill out their roster. Bagley’s addition would offer the Lakers’ affordable insurance at the center position as Ayton only played 40 games last season and has never played more than 69 games during a single regular season in his career.
During the first round of the NBA playoffs this season and his playoff debut, Bagley scored 17 points on 8-for-8 shooting from the field, alongside five rebounds and two steals against the Oklahoma City Thunder, showing his ability to step up in the postseason. The Lakers are expected to pursue multiple frontcourt options to go along with Ayton and Bagley makes sense as a low-risk option to come off the bench and perhaps play a bigger role than just that depending on Ayton’s availability.