The player the Lakers will select in the NBA draft on Thursday night in many ways remains a mystery.
For starters, picking at No. 22 in the first round probably means the player the Lakers want will be long gone by the time comes for them to draft.
Then it comes down to what the Lakers need on their roster and how a draft prospect fits.
They could use a point guard, but the Lakers also could use a power forward or center.
With 21 teams drafting before the Lakers, it’s difficult to project who will be left on the board and who they actually want.