Lakers select with Moritz Wagner with the 25th pick in the 2018 NBA Draft

With the No. 25 pick in the 2018 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers have selected Moritz Wagner out of Michigan. Wagner worked out for the Lakers in early June.

A 6-foot-11 big man with the ability to space the floor, Wagner has a key component teams look for in a modern NBA center. In his junior season with the Wolverines, Wagner averaged career highs in points per game (14.6), rebounds per game (7.1) and 3-point makes per game (1.6 on 4.1 attempts).

However, there are legitimate concerns about Wagner on the defensive end, which is why the pick has been received with mixed reactions from the Lakers fanbase.

Wagner was projected to go in the second-round and with projected first-round prospects like Robert Williams and Ellie Okobo, two players that were expected to go in the top-20, it’s certainly a questionable pick by the front office. However, if the last few years have taught fans anything, it’s that the scouting department knows what they’re doing.

Just think back to the reaction fans had when Larry Nance Jr. was taken in 2015, or Kyle Kuzma even last year. While Wagner’s name might not hold the same weight in the organization these days, he was and is a solid pick for someone that was taken in the late-20s.

Only time will tell how successful Wagner will be at the next level, but there’s reason to be skeptical at this point.

For live pick-by-pick results from the 2018 NBA Draft, check out our an updating draft tracker here.