The Los Angeles Lakers hold the No. 25 overall pick and a roster that was fully exposed during a playoff run without Luka Dončić. Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley projects Los Angeles to land North Carolina center Henri Veesaar — a 7-foot junior whose perimeter shooting touch, playmaking feel, and baseline center skills project to make Dončić even harder to guard on the pick-and-roll once he returns.

Veesaar’s skill set is specifically engineered for a Dončić-led offense. He can operate as both a rolling finisher and a popping shooter, giving Dončić two entirely different ways to attack from the same pick-and-roll action. He can sniff out passing lanes when defenses deny him scoring chances, which keeps him involved without requiring touches. His three collegiate seasons each produced measurable year-over-year improvement, and by his junior year he was one of the most efficient stretch-fives in college basketball — a trajectory that projects him as a legitimate NBA contributor rather than a developmental long shot.

The honest concern is his frame: Veesaar is only 227 pounds, which makes him susceptible to physical punishment in the post. Playing beside a co-star at center would mitigate this exposure significantly, and the Lakers — who likely need a primary center upgrade above and beyond Veesaar — could manage his weight disadvantage with lineup construction. His mobility and length (solid rim protection, locked-in help defense) compensate for what his weight currently lacks.

The direct opportunity cost at No. 25 is Denver’s pick at No. 26: Arizona forward Koa Peat, a 6-foot-8 power forward with powerful finishing instincts and quick-processing passing. Peat is a more interior-oriented, physically imposing prospect; Veesaar is the perimeter-skill version of the same big-man archetype. For a Dončić-centric offense that operates most dangerously from the perimeter, Veesaar’s shooting and playmaking make him the more impactful complement.

CBS Sports’ Adam Finkelstein and Cameron Salerno both project Veesaar to the Lakers at No. 25, making this among the more consistent projections in the back half of the first round. Tankathon also sends Veesaar to Los Angeles. CBS Sports’ Gary Parrish diverges by projecting Duke sophomore Isaiah Evans — a shooting specialist — to the Lakers at this slot, reflecting an alternative philosophy that prioritizes perimeter shooting over big-man development. Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor projects Allen Graves to Los Angeles — a 6-foot-8 former point guard with exceptional feel but significant athleticism questions — suggesting the Lakers may prioritize ball-handlers over centers at this stage of the board.

Three of the four outlets tracking this pick agree on Veesaar, which is about as strong a consensus as you can get at this stage of the draft. The case for him comes down to one specific fact: Dončić has never had a center who can reliably pop and shoot above the arc behind him. Veesaar changes that from day one.

What Other Outlets Are Projecting

Outlet	Projected Player
Bleacher Report	Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina
CBS Sports	Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina (Finkelstein, Salerno)
Tankathon	Henri Veesaar, C, North Carolina
Yahoo Sports	Allen Graves, PF, Santa Clara

Taking Veesaar at No. 25 is the right call because it solves a specific, persistent problem for the Dončić-era Lakers at a price point where the solution is readily available. The team’s inability to field a competent center rotation was exposed brutally during Dončić’s playoff absence, and a stretch-five who can shoot, pass, and provide rim protection on a rookie deal gives Los Angeles an upgrade at the position most likely to determine whether Dončić’s return brings a championship or another first-round exit. Veesaar’s annual improvement at North Carolina — from raw freshman to credible NBA draft prospect — is the best evidence that his development trajectory still has runway. That’s what the Lakers need from pick 25.