Why don’t the Lakers have a pick in the first round of 2022 NBA Draft?

The 2022 NBA Draft is approaching, and teams are looking to add some talent to their rosters. The Los Angeles Lakers will enter draft night without a pick in the first round. They can always trade for one but as things sit, let’s see why they don’t have a selection.

The Lakers traded their first-round pick to the New Orleans Pelicans in the Anthony Davis deal back in 2019. The pick ended up being No. 8 in this year’s draft due to the Lakers’ 33-49 record. With an aging and off-injured roster, the Lakers could have used this pick to help alter their future. There is a chance that they will look to trade one of their current pieces for a pick, but right now, that doesn’t seem likely.

The Lakers won a championship in the 2020, so doing the Davis trade was still worth it for LA until the Pelicans show extended postseason success as a result of the picks they got in the deal.