The Los Angeles Lakers are back in the second round of the NBA Draft.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on June 24 that the Lakers are acquiring the No. 56 pick from the Chicago Bulls, with Los Angeles sending cash to Chicago to get into the second round. The move gives the Lakers a pick in Wednesday’s second round after they entered the night without one.
It is a small transaction on paper. It also fits a much larger Lakers offseason.
Los Angeles already moved up one spot in the first round, landing Baylor guard Cameron Carr in a draft-night trade with the New York Knicks. The Lakers’ No. 25 slot was used on Sergio De Larrea, with the pick ultimately listed as traded via New York.
Now, the Lakers have added another bite at the apple late in the draft, at a time when low-cost contributors matter more than ever.
Lakers Trade: LA Adds No. 56 Pick as Draft Becomes Roster-Building Tool
The No. 56 pick is not expected to reshape the Lakers’ franchise. Late second-round picks rarely carry that kind of weight.
But for this version of the Lakers, the pick matters because of the math.
Los Angeles is building around Luka Doncic, just committed major money to Austin Reaves and still has to sort through LeBron James’ future. That makes cheap roster spots valuable. A second-round pick can become a two-way swing, a developmental project or a draft-and-stash option. Even if the player does not immediately enter the rotation, the Lakers are buying flexibility.
LeBron James Free Agency Still Hangs Over Lakers Offseason
The Lakers’ draft maneuvering comes with LeBron James’ future still unresolved.
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst has said re-signing with the Lakers appears to be the most likely outcome for James, while Golden State has been mentioned as a threat if things do not work out in Los Angeles.
There is also the leverage game. Rich Paul, James’ agent, said on “The Pat McAfee Show” that 10 to 12 teams had expressed interest if James does not work out a new deal with the Lakers before free agency. Paul did not name the teams.
That does not mean James is leaving. It does mean the Lakers cannot treat the rest of the offseason like a finished puzzle.
Austin Reaves Gets Historic Lakers Extension
The biggest Lakers transaction of the day was not the trade with Chicago. It was Austin Reaves’ new deal.
Reaves will sign a four-year, $185 million maximum contract to return to the Lakers, according to multiple reports. The deal includes a $51.2 million player option for 2029-30, and Reaves declined his $14.9 million player option for 2026-27 to complete the new agreement. ESPN reported it is the richest contract in NBA history for an undrafted player.
That is a remarkable rise for a player who entered the league undrafted in 2021.
It also clarifies the Lakers’ direction. Reaves is no longer a feel-good developmental success story on a bargain contract. He is a foundational piece being paid like one.
Reaves averaged a career-high 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds during the 2025-26 season. That production explains the price, but it also raises the standard. The Lakers are paying him to be more than a complementary guard. They are paying him to help Doncic carry the offense deep into the playoffs.
TRADE: Los Angeles Lakers and Chicago Bulls Make A Deal