The Los Angeles Lakers have one pick in the 2026 NBA Draft — No. 25 overall — a late first-round slot that gives them the chance to add a versatile developmental forward without compromising their present roster. Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman projects the Lakers to select Texas junior Dailyn Swain, a 6’8″ wing who brings a rare combination of size, creation, and defensive instincts that the Lakers have long coveted.

Swain, who averaged 17.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game while helping Texas win three NCAA tournament games, earned significantly more attention as the tournament progressed. Wasserman frames Swain’s NBA role as different from his current college job — rather than handling ball screens and initiating offense as the primary creator, he’ll leverage his developing creation, pull-up game, floater, and passing to become “a more well-rounded Swiss Army knife.” His 3.5 assists per game, explosiveness for finishing, scoring off the dribble, and defensive playmaking give scouts genuine reason to project him as a multi-position contributor.

CBS Sports projects Rueben Chinyelu to the Lakers at No. 25, though Chinyelu is widely reported as likely to return to Florida for his senior season. CBS’s Adam Finkelstein describes Chinyelu as “freakishly long, powerful, and yet totally switchable with great recoverability.” Yahoo Sports projects Allen Graves to the Lakers at No. 25, while Tankathon has Isaiah Evans going there — representing four distinct players across four outlets for the same pick.

The opportunity cost at No. 25 is Allen Graves, the Santa Clara freshman projected to Boston at No. 27 in some mocks and to LA at No. 25 in Yahoo’s projection. Graves is an analytically driven power forward with elite BPM metrics and unusual defensive playmaking instincts for a player his size. For Los Angeles specifically, Wasserman’s preference for Swain over Graves reflects the Lakers’ established need for wings who can guard and create rather than traditional power forwards.

The Lakers’ one-pick draft is a direct consequence of roster-building decisions made during LeBron James’s final seasons with the team. With the team now transitioning to a new era alongside Anthony Davis, the No. 25 pick needs to add developmental value without creating immediate salary-cap complications. Swain’s timeline — a 20-year-old junior with room to grow — fits that requirement well.

Taking Swain at No. 25 is defensible for one specific reason: his shooting. The pull-up and floater development that Wasserman highlights suggests Swain has the makings of a three-level scorer who can operate in multiple environments. For the Lakers, who have consistently needed wings who can score in a variety of ways rather than requiring set plays, Swain’s developing off-the-dribble game is exactly the kind of trait worth drafting at this price. Adding him to the roster alongside Davis gives Los Angeles a cost-effective young forward who can contribute in year one and improve significantly from there.

Outlet	Projected Player
Bleacher Report	Dailyn Swain
CBS Sports	Rueben Chinyelu
Tankathon	Isaiah Evans
Yahoo Sports	Allen Graves