The Los Angeles Lakers are set to pick 17th overall in the 2024 NBA Draft after the New Orleans Pelicans decided to defer their first-round pick until 2025.
NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news, revealing that the Lakers will now have the opportunity to select a promising prospect in this year’s draft.
The decision stems from the Anthony Davis trade in 2019, where the Lakers owed the Pelicans three first-round picks.
In addition to the 17th pick, the Lakers also own the 55th pick in the upcoming draft.
The Pelicans had until 11:59 ET on Saturday to inform the league of their intentions regarding the deferred pick.
The 17th pick presents an opportunity for the Lakers to add depth and talent to complement their core players.
