Lakers Snag Another Draft Pick While Bulls Load Up on Cash

The Lakers aren’t done making moves. After swapping into the 24th pick on Day 1 of the NBA Draft and taking Baylor wing Cameron Carr, Los Angeles circled back on Day 2 and picked up the No. 56 selection from the Chicago Bulls. The price was cash, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania. No players involved. No future picks changing hands. Just a straightforward buy-in.

It’s a familiar approach for the Lakers front office. Last year they had a second-round pick in a similar range and traded up to No. 36, where they grabbed Adou Thiero. That move didn’t exactly set the league on fire, but the front office clearly sees value in owning those late-round slots — even if the odds of finding a rotation player there are slim.

What the Lakers Are Thinking

For a team that’s been aggressive in win-now mode around LeBron James and Anthony Davis, this isn’t about landing a star at pick 56. It’s about roster flexibility and cheap labor. Second-round picks don’t count against the salary cap the same way first-rounders do, and they give the Lakers a low-cost contract to either develop or use as a throw-in on a future trade. The team hasn’t said who they’re targeting with the pick, but league sources expect them to go after a developmental prospect — maybe a guy who can spend time in the G League and work his way into the rotation next season.

Chicago’s Side of the Deal

The Bulls, meanwhile, continue a quiet but consistent pattern of selling off picks for cash. It’s not a splashy strategy, but Chicago has been operating under some cap constraints and could use the financial flexibility. The team has not confirmed what they plan to do with the cash, but it’s standard practice for teams in their position to pocket the money or use it in subsequent transactions. Fans online weren’t thrilled, but this is pretty standard stuff for a franchise that’s been hovering around the middle of the Eastern Conference pack.

So the Lakers are now on the clock at No. 56. The draft is still ongoing, and we’ll update this story as picks come in. But for now, it’s another sign that Los Angeles is willing to spend whatever it takes to keep adding pieces — even if those pieces are at the very end of the draft board.