Los Angeles Lakers fumbled many opportunities to get a quality or franchise player in previous drafts but in 2021, it was not because of their lack of vision or insight. Somebody just got to their target player first.
Indiana Pacers had a Cinderella run last season, reaching as far as the NBA finals and lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games. It was a total team effort that led them there but Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam, and TJ McConnell should be mentioned. Andrew Nembhard should get a shout, too.
The fourth year guard emerged as an integral part of the Pacers’ run, finishing last postseason with 12.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. He did this while guarding opponents’ best offensive player.
He was their stalwart on defense in first round against the Milwaukee Bucks, guarded the likes of Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell in second round versus the Cleveland Cavaliers, and did it again in the Eastern Conference finals against the likes of Jalen Brunson of the New York Knicks.
His best moment during the playoffs was when he hit a game-winning three with 16 seconds left in Game 3 versus the Knicks to give his team a 2-1 lead in the series.
For the 2025-26 season, he is predicted to be among the most improved by the NBA itself.
Los Angeles Lakers wanted Nembhard
The Pacers picked him at 31st, first in the second round. Lakers were picking 35th. LA’s executives probably felt defeated when they heard Nembhard’s name came up early.
NBA insider Jovan Buha claimed the Lakers had their eyes on him before the draft proper started.
“There is an alternate universe where he’s a Laker, because one fun fact is that the pick the Lakers used Max Christie on, they were hoping Nembhard was going to slip, but he went 31st to Indiana,” he said in his show.
Christie turned out to be a good pick but he was barely used and his offensive game barely mattered for the Lakers whose most urgent need is defense.
Christie is with the Dallas Mavericks now as part of the package that sent him and Anthony Davis in exchange for Luka Doncic.
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