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Rob Pelinka, Los Angeles Lakers

It appears draft preparations are in full swing for the Los Angeles Lakers ahead of June 23 and 24.

As things stand, the Lakers are scheduled to select at No. 25, assuming they retain the pick rather than including it in a larger trade package for established talent.

According to HoopsHype, Los Angeles has worked out, or is scheduled to work out, as many as 32 prospects ahead of the draft.

Among the highest-ranked names reportedly under consideration are Arkansas guard Meleek Thomas, St. John’s big man Zuby Ejiofor, and UConn standout Alex Karaban.

Lakers Reportedly Host Workout With Rising Houston Prospect

Another intriguing name emerged on Tuesday, with reports suggesting the Lakers were hosting Houston forward Chris Cenac Jr. for a workout.

The Houston Chronicle’s Joseph Duarte reported that Cenac was scheduled to work out in Los Angeles, indicating that the Lakers are taking a close look at the talented frontcourt prospect.

Cenac has generally been projected to come off the board slightly before the Lakers’ selection. ESPN currently ranks him as the No. 21 prospect in its top 100 draft rankings.

In his latest mock draft, ESPN’s Jeremy Woo projected the 19-year-old to the Toronto Raptors with the No. 19 pick.

Woo noted that Cenac has “stabilized himself in the 14-to-22 range,” suggesting there is a strong possibility he could be selected before Los Angeles is on the clock.

However, he also pointed out that Toronto could opt for additional perimeter shooting and offensive creation, potentially opening the door for Cenac to slide further down the board.

Across 37 games this season, Cenac averaged 9.5 points and 7.9 rebounds while shooting 48.5% from the field and 33.3% from three-point range.

The freshman forward played a key role in Houston’s run to the Sweet Sixteen during the NCAA Tournament.

After posting seven points and a career-high 18 rebounds in a first-round win over Idaho, Cenac followed it up with 17 points and nine rebounds in a dominant 88-57 victory over Texas A&M.

Chris Cenac Jr. Remains One of the Draft’s Most Intriguing Prospects

Cenac continued to make his presence felt on the glass in the Sweet Sixteen, grabbing 10 rebounds in Houston’s season-ending loss to Illinois.

Despite being viewed as a modern stretch big with long-term shooting potential, he connected on just one of his six three-point attempts during the tournament.

“Cenac is still developing his identity as a player and it will take time for him to become a contributor,” Woo wrote. “But his physical stature and developing skill at 19 years old have helped to separate him in the predraft process.”

“He is primed to benefit from other bigs like Johnson and Steinbach potentially rising into the lottery, as not every team in this range will want to select a guard.”

Bleacher Report analyst Jonathan Wasserman has recently connected Cenac to the Lakers in mock drafts, while The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie has labeled him a “wildly polarizing prospect.”

Despite the differing evaluations, many NBA scouts appear intrigued by Cenac’s combination of size, skill, and long-term upside, helping solidify his status as a projected first-round selection.

Whether the Lakers ultimately target a frontcourt player or a perimeter prospect remains unclear, particularly with the possibility of a draft-night trade still looming.

If Los Angeles keeps the pick, however, there appears to be no shortage of intriguing options projected to be available in the latter stages of the first round.