Lakers Expected to Target Center at No. 25, Monitoring Jayden Quaintance and Tarris Reed Jr.
lakers-expected-to-target-center-25-quaintance-reed
The Los Angeles Lakers are scheduled to make the 25th selection in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft on Tuesday, June 23, and league sources believe the club is zeroing in on front-court help.
According to reporter Jake Fischer, speaking on The Stein Line, rival teams “are projecting” that Los Angeles will opt for a center. The two names most often linked to the Lakers are Kentucky’s Jayden Quaintance and UConn’s Tarris Reed Jr.
Jayden Quaintance
The 6-foot-10 Wildcats center had once been considered a lottery candidate but slid into the early-to-mid 20s after a slow recovery from a torn ACL suffered in February 2025. Quaintance played only four games last season, raising questions about his current health. Scouts praise his rim protection and defensive instincts but note limited offensive polish.
Tarris Reed Jr.
Reed, also 6-10, is widely expected to be available when the Lakers pick. Some teams in the late teens have shown interest, but concerns persist about his size for a full-time NBA center role. His physical profile has been compared to Andre Drummond, though evaluators see him more as a power forward long term.
Draft History and Roster Context
Los Angeles has not hit on a first-round pick since selecting Moritz Wagner in 2018. The organization traded away first-rounders from 2019 through 2022, then chose Jalen Hood-Schifino in 2023 and Dalton Knecht in 2024, before sitting out the 2025 draft entirely. With tighter salary-cap rules under the current CBA, executives inside and outside the franchise view this year’s pick as critical for adding an affordable contributor.
Veteran Center Options
Even if the Lakers draft a big man, that rookie is not expected to start immediately. Deandre Ayton could remain the short-term solution, but free-agent centers Mitchell Robinson and Robert Williams III are also on the radar despite injury histories. Both are seen as players who could complement Luka Doncic’s skill set.
The Lakers have given no public indication that they plan to trade the pick, keeping attention focused on the franchise’s decision at No. 25 as draft night approaches.
Source: Lakers Nation
