After choosing Thiero with the No. 36 pick, the Lakers are chasing the Eastern Conference All-Star inside

On June 27, in the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected forward Adu Tiero from the University of Arkansas with the 36th pick. In fact, the Lakers' primary target in the second round was center Carlke Brenner, who was 2.16 meters tall. Unfortunately, the Hornets selected him at the 34th pick, which made the Lakers' goal fail.

When the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft started, the Lakers originally only had the second round of No. 55, which was the back. In order to select players who are more in line with the team's needs, the Lakers management is actively operating. They first reached a deal with the Bulls, and took out 55 signs and cash to exchange for the Bulls' No. 45 signs and cash, and then they exchanged the Timberwolves' No. 36 signs and finally selected Tierro.

Tiero's advantages and disadvantages are clearly visible. On the court, he is an elite on the defensive end. With his excellent defensive awareness, agile reaction and strong physical fitness, he can effectively limit the opponent's offense and build a solid defense line for the team. At the same time, he is also a powerful tool for fast attack counterattack. He has a fast start speed and accurate grasp of the timing. He can often become a "pioneer" in fast attacks.

However, Tiero has obvious shortcomings on the offensive end. Not only is he lacking in scoring skills, but he also lacks shooting ability and three-point ability. Therefore, he was selected in the second round. In any case, Adu's arrival will make the Purple and Gold Legion more energetic.

However, for general manager Pelinka and his team, the biggest task in the offseason is to strengthen the inside line; in the series against the Minnesota Timberwolves, it was precisely because Hayes, Ryan, Kroko and others were useless that Randle, Gobert and Reed scored milestone data, and the Lakers could only stop in the first round of the playoffs.

According to TA's famous reporter Dan Walker, league sources revealed that after choosing Thiero with the No. 36 pick, the Lakers are chasing the Eastern Conference All-Star insider Adebayo; it is understood that Pelinka is in in-depth negotiations with Riley. Adebayo, 27, has entered the prime of his career. Now he has an annual salary of $34.85 million, and his performance on the court is quite steady, and he can contribute about 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. He is quite threatening on the offensive end. Whether it is a strong attack in the inside or seizing the offensive opportunity, he has shown outstanding strength. And on the defensive end, he is like a big lock, blocking all attackers' shots. There is no doubt that Adebayo can inject a stream of fresh blood around James, giving the team a little more calm and confident when facing top opponents like Doncic.