The Lakers are trading the 55th pick of the 2025 draft and cash to the Bulls for tonight’s 45th selection, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (via Twitter).
As Keith Smith of Spotrac tweets, the Lakers will now be hard-capped at the second tax apron for the 2025/26 season because they are sending out cash in the deal.
Bulls GM Marc Eversley said during a Wednesday night press conference that Chicago was open to moving the No. 45 pick, either to move out of the second round or to select a draft-and-stash prospect. In this case the Bulls moved back 10 spots and added cash in the process.
Los Angeles is clearly targeting a player it likes and thinks will be available at No. 45 but may not have been at No. 55. In the past, sending out cash to move up in the draft wasn’t a big deal, but changes in the new CBA mean the Lakers will be unable to surpass the second apron — projected at $207.8MM — for next season.
Although they’ll lose a little bit of roster flexibility as a result of the trade, the Lakers were unlikely to exceed the second apron in ’25/26 anyway, notes Yossi Gozlan of Third Apron (Twitter link).
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line (Twitter link), the Hornets (either No. 33 or No. 34), Raptors (No. 39), Warriors (No. 41) and Thunder (No. 44) are also open to trading their second-round picks. ESPN identified Charlotte this morning as a team to monitor with one of its early second-rounders.
The Timberwolves (No. 31) are also fielding trade inquiries on the first pick of the second round, sources tell Fischer (Twitter link).