Things are never quiet when the NBA Trade Deadline arrives, and it was particularly noisy in Los Angeles.
Actually, make that the entire Pacific Division as things exploded in the hours leading up to the deadline after the Phoenix Suns acquired Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets.
Durant heading to the Valley ignited an arms race that saw the Lakers potentially walk into the second half of the season with one of the best lineups they’ve had in the LeBron James era.
When the man breaks the scoring record, you go all out to help him.
Joking aside, the night LeBron broke the scoring record likely motivated Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office to go on Thursday’s trade spree. The record was the headline, but any other night it would have been Los Angeles losing a must-win game in utterly embarrassing fashion.
Something needed to be done, and the front office answered the bell. The Lakers completely revamped the roster ahead of the deadline and seemingly fixed some major issues without needing to bet the farm to do it.
Without trading anything truly valuable, the Lakers brought in D’Angelo Russell, Mo Bamba, Jarred Vanderbilt and Malik Beasley. All it ended up costing was Russell Westbrook, Patrick Beverley, Thomas Bryant, and some draft picks.
Talk about a job well done.
Updated Lakers draft picks after Mo Bamba trade
Beyond today’s movement, the Lakers draft pick situation was already a little complicated and hard to keep track of.
In terms of assets needed to make it all happen, aside Pat Bev — who arguably was the most valuable roster piece moved — the Lakers parted ways with a first-round pick in all of the trading frenzy.
That pick was needed to move Russell Westbrook to Utah and bring in D’Angelo Russell from Minnesota. A second round pick was sent to Orlando in the Mo Bama swap, but neither pick is in the near future.
Here’s a look at what the Lakers draft pick situation looks like for the rest of the decade after the Mo Bamba trade:
Note: Picks that the Lakers own are in bold.
2023 NBA Draft
- 1st Rd Pick
- The Lakers will have a first-round pick in 2023, but it’s unclear what pick it will be. New Orleans has the right to swap picks with L.A. if the Lakers pick is higher.
- 2nd Rd pick
- Lakers own pick
- 1st Rd Pick
- This will belong to the Lakers unless the Pelicans want it. If New Orleans does take this pick, then the Lakers would get their 2025 first rounder back in exchange.
- 2nd Rd Pick
- San Antonio owns this pick
- 1st Rd Pick
- New Orleans owns this pick, unless it wants to swap for the Lakers 2024 first rounder, in which case the Lakers would get this pick back.
- 2nd Rd Pick
- Lakers own pick
- Lakers own Nuggets pick from Thomas Bryant trade
- 1st Rd Pick
- Lakers own this pick. Miraculous!
- 2nd Rd Pick
- Cleveland owns pick
- Lakers own Nuggets pick from Thomas Bryant trade
- 1st Rd Pick
- Utah owns this pick after the D’Angelo Russell trade (top-four protected, instantly conveys to 2027 second-round pick if Lakers are in the top four)
- 2nd Rd Pick
- Lakers own pick (unless the first-round pick falls in the top four)
- 1st Rd Pick
- Lakers own pick
- 2nd Rd
- Orlando or Washington own this pick; Lakers traded is as part of the Rui Hachimura deal
- 1st Rd Pick
- Lakers own pick
- 2nd Rd Pick
- Wizards own this pick as part of the Rui Hachimura trade
- Lakers own Nuggets pick from Thomas Bryant trade
There’s a lot going on there and plenty of complicated movement, as is the case with almost every NBA draft pick that has yet to be made. But the all in all the Lakers have three first round picks and three 2nd round picks for the rest of the decade. That doesn’t mean Los Angeles won’t pick in the first round more than three times, as they can trade on draft night or make a future deal that nets them a first rounder.
2029 NBA Draft
2028 NBA Draft
2027 NBA Draft
2026 NBA Draft
2025 NBA Draft
2024 NBA Draft