If one thing defined the Los Angeles Lakers last season, it was their lack of roster depth. This deficiency became painfully evident during the first round of the playoffs when head coach JJ Redick made the controversial decision to play just five players for an entire half in Game 4 against Minnesota.
The move marked the first time this had occurred in the play-by-play era and was widely criticized as a coaching mistake that contributed to the Lakers’ playoff elimination. Following their acquisition of Luka Dončić through the blockbuster February trade that sent Anthony Davis to Dallas, this offseason centers on adding reliable depth around their new franchise cornerstone.
Adou Thiero Addresses Lakers’ Pressing Need
That rebuilding effort begins in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft, where the Lakers identified a specific talent and executed a trade to move up nine spots to secure him.
Through a deal with Minnesota, Los Angeles moved up in the second round to select Adou Thiero, a forward from Arkansas, with the No. 36 pick in the draft. The selection represents their hope to add much-needed depth to their rotation for the upcoming season.
Thiero enters the league with substantial college experience, a common trait among players in the current NIL era. The versatile forward appeared in 72 games across three collegiate seasons, spending two years at Kentucky before transferring to Arkansas for his junior campaign. His move to Fayetteville came when he followed head coach John Calipari, who departed Kentucky to become the Razorbacks’ new leader.
🫵 Adou Thiero, YOU are a Los Angeles Laker! pic.twitter.com/ct90rsFQh8
— Arkansas Razorbacks Men’s Basketball 🐗 (@RazorbackMBB) June 27, 2025
The transition to Arkansas proved transformative for Thiero’s development. He posted career-best numbers with the Razorbacks, averaging 15.1 points per game while shooting an efficient 54.5% from the field. While Thiero remains a work in progress as a prospect with shooting mechanics that need refinement, he brings the Lakers valuable size at 6 feet 8 inches, combined with exceptional driving ability and athleticism.
Defensively, Thiero possesses a 7-foot wingspan that aligns perfectly with the Lakers’ search for versatile rotation defenders. Given LeBron James’ advanced age and Luka Dončić’s well-documented defensive limitations, the organization desperately needs players capable of providing reliable stops on that end of the floor.
The Lakers sent No. 45 and cash to the Timberwolves, sources said. https://t.co/g9zjPtCNSt
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 27, 2025
The Lakers’ front office identified Thiero as a player worth the investment required to trade up in the draft. Minnesota originally held the No. 36 selection, but the Timberwolves agreed to move down after Los Angeles offered their 45th pick and cash considerations to complete the transaction.
The selection positions the Lakers to potentially provide immediate playing time for Thiero, whose explosive slashing ability should complement the natural playmaking talents of both James and Dončić. However, the ultimate ceiling for this draft choice hinges entirely on Thiero’s ability to develop a consistent perimeter shooting stroke.
Currently, Thiero converted just 25.6% of his three-point attempts on limited volume during his final college season.
Should he manage to elevate that percentage to approximately 35% at the professional level, he would develop into the prototypical 3-and-D wing that championship contenders covet and that has historically thrived alongside the Lakers’ established stars.
If that development occurs, the modest cost of moving up in the second round will prove to be excellent value, potentially making this selection appear as a draft steal for the Lakers’ front office.
