Lakers Swap With Bulls To Move Up; Hornets, Others Talking Pick Trades

The Lakers are moving up in the NBA Draft. Los Angeles acquired the No. 45 overall pick from the Chicago Bulls in exchange for the No. 55 selection and cash considerations, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The move means the Lakers will be hard-capped at the second apron for next season since they’re sending cash in the deal, notes Keith Smith of Spotrac. Either way, L.A. clearly sees value in the mid-40s of this year’s draft.

Meanwhile, Chicao had signaled a willingness to part with the pick. General manager Marc Eversley said Wednesday night that the Bulls were weighing options to either trade out of the second round entirely or select a draft-and-stash prospect. Instead, they opted to slide back 10 spots in next year’s draft and pocket some financial relief.

Around the league, several other teams are shopping their second-rounders. Per The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer, the Charlotte Hornets (Nos. 33 and 34), Toronto Raptors (No. 39), Golden State Warriors (No. 41), and Oklahoma City Thunder (No. 44) are all open for business. ESPN earlier flagged Charlotte as a team to watch for potential movement early in the second round.

The Timberwolves are also entertaining calls for the No. 31 pick, the first selection of the second round, sources tell Fischer.

Plenty of deals are still on the table, and if tonight’s Lakers-Bulls swap is any indication, teams are far from finished reshuffling.

RELATED | Hoops Wire second-round mock draft