Lakers Make Massive Draft Trade Before Start of Second Round

The Los Angeles Lakers are moving up 10 spots on Thursday for the second round of the 2025 NBA Draft.

The Lakers will go from the No. 55 pick to the No. 45 pick, trading with the Chicago Bulls.

ESPN's Shams Charania shared the news via X.

The Los Angeles Lakers are moving up in the second round of the NBA Draft tonight, acquiring the No. 45 pick from the Chicago Bulls for No. 55 and cash, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 26, 2025

The Lakers are also sending cash considerations to the Bulls as part of the deal.

All eyes remain on Los Angeles, with expectations sky-high for a busy and possibly franchise-altering offseason. Thismarks their first major swing of the summer.

While second-round picks don’t typically move the needle, this move suggests the Lakers have their sights set on a specific target who could still be on the board at that point. Exactly who that is remains uncertain.

In ESPN’s most recent second-round mock draft by Jonathan Givony, the Lakers are projected to select Alex Toohey, a versatile forward out of Sydney, Australia.

"Toohey checks some boxes with his feel for the game, consistent motor, length and anticipation on the defense. He has sharp basketball instincts, but he'll need to become a more consistently aggressive and impactful offensive threat to use them in an NBA role -- something he took a step in the right direction with this past year."

Although the Lakers still need to address their need for a center, it looks like they’re eyeing a wing with the No. 45 pick. That likely means they plan to target a big man either via trade or in free agency, which officially opens in less than a week.

L.A. entered the draft with just one selection, and for now, that remains the case. Still, after pulling off a notable deal ahead of night two, there’s a strong sense that they aren’t done making moves. Another deal could easily materialize as the night progresses.

The Lakers are firmly in the spotlight this offseason. While the first night of the draft didn’t go as many had hoped for, expectations are sky-high that the team will be aggressive in reshaping its roster in the coming weeks.

They’ve already been linked to several names this offseason, and time will tell if they can put together the right group to vault themselves back into the title conversation for next season and beyond.

What kind of impact the No. 45 pick will have in L.A. is still up in the air.

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