Lakers Draft-Day Trade Will Have Huge Financial Implications

The Lakers made a puzzling decision with their finances after pulling off a trade on Thursday.

Apr 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka walks on the couet prior to the game against the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

After not having a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers decided to trade up in the second round on Thursday to move up ten spots.

The Lakers decided to trade with the Chicago Bulls to move up from the 55th pick to the 45th pick. In addition to swapping picks with the Bulls, the Lakers sent some cash to Chicago, as well.

Normally, that wouldn't be a big issue. Cash gets swapped for second-round picks all of the time. This time, it's a big issue because it now makes them a second-apron team.

Read more: Lakers Make Massive Draft Trade Before Start of Second Round

Los Angeles will now be in the second apron before free agency begins, which is a massive issue for them.

The Los Angeles Lakers sending out cash to move up in tonight's second round means they will be hard-capped at the second apron for next season.

— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) June 26, 2025

This means that any hope the Lakers had of improving their team via free agency this summer is completely off the table. Trades are now the only way they can do so.

What makes matters worse is that trades are even harder to make now that they are in the second apron of the luxury tax because salaries must match exactly.

This seems like a massive oversight from GM Rob Pelinka. Why does he need to move up ten spots in the second round to draft a player that likely won't even make the roster?

This trade heavily damages their ability to get a starting-caliber center this summer, which was their biggest need coming into the offseason. Knowing that, this trade doesn't make any sense.

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Unless Pelinka already has a trade in the works, this specific trade is about as dumb a move as he could make. Lakers fans are not happy with this decision already.

Maybe they believe they have a center they can develop from the G-League. Perhaps they are going to bring back Jaxson Hayes and try to roll with him for an entire season as the starter.

Neither one of those scenarios is an attractive one if the Lakers are trying to win an NBA championship. Pelinka must have something else in the works. It's the only thing that makes sense.

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