nba draft

The Lakers have made a move to a better position in the second round of the Thursday night’s NBA draft, moving up to the 45th pick and sending their 55th pick and cash to the Chicago Bulls, according to people not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.

The cost of the pick was about $2.5 million, and it may put the Lakers in position to draft a center.

People around the league said the Lakers are trying to put themselves in position to draft center Ryan Kalkbrenner out of Creighton University. Kalkbrenner is older at 23, but he’s 7-1 and averaged 19.4 points and 9.0 rebounds last season, and he shot 66.3% from the field and 34% from three-point range.

And the Lakers’ biggest need this offseason is a center.

The Lakers were busy making moves Thursday, doing all they could to move up in the second round of the NBA draft.

Moving up to No. 36 in the draft with their second trade of the day, the Lakers acquired Adou Thiero out of Arkansas.

To get what many with the Lakers and around the NBA view as a “super athletic wing” in the 6-foot-6 Thiero, the Lakers first traded their 55th pick and about $2.5 million in cash to the Chicago Bulls for their 45th pick. Then the Lakers sent that No. 45 pick and cash considerations to the Minnesota Timberwolves to acquire the rights to Thiero (originally selected by the Brooklyn Nets), according to a person with knowledge of the deal not authorized to speak publicly.

The deal will be finalized at a later date.

Thiero averaged 15.1 points on 54.5% shooting from the field and 5.8 rebounds last season for the Razorbacks.

He needs to improve his shooting, as do many second-round wing players, but the Lakers think Thiero will improve on that over time.

Adou Thiero speaks on the phone after being acquired by the Lakers at the NBA draft on Thursday.

(Jeff Haynes / NBAE via Getty Images)

The Lakers and other NBA scouts compare the 220-pound Thiero to Knicks forward OG Anunoby, a three-and-D player that L.A.’s scouts thought might be drafted in the first round.

Though the Lakers are in need of a center, they also need athleticism at the wing to play alongside Luka Doncic, and Thiero helps address that need.

One scout said Thiero is athletic and will “catch lob passes” from Doncic.

“It feels good. A dream come true,” Thiero said. “Just happy to be here. Playing for the Lakers, too, that’s a blessing for sure.”

When asked about the Lakers’ roster, Thiero said: “LeBron! It’s going to be fun learning from everybody. But you got Bron, you got Luka, AR (Austin Reaves). It’s a lot of people on that team. I’m just ready to get with the guys and work.”

And the Lakers were happy to go from No. 55 to No. 36 and not give up future assets to draft Thiero. The Lakers didn’t have a first-round pick in Wednesday night’s draft.

People around the league said the Lakers had their eye on Ryan Kalkbrenner out of Creighton, but the 7-foot-1 center didn’t last on the board long, going to the Charlotte Hornets at No. 34.

In other Lakers news, Austin Reaves declined the team’s maximum offer of four years for $89 million, according to a person with knowledge of the situation not authorized to speak publicly.

Reaves, 27, still has two years left on his deal, for $13.9 million next season and $14.9 million in the 2026-27 season, and he holds a player option for the last year of his deal.

He was third on the Lakers in scoring last season, averaging career-highs in scoring (20.2), assists (5.8), rebounds (4.5) and minutes per game (34.9). He shot 46% from the field and 37.7% from three-point range.

Clippers move up to get Kobe Sanders

Nevada’s Kobe Sanders shoots a free throw during a game against Colorado State in December.

(Andrew Wevers / Getty Images)

The Knicks drafted guard Kobe Sanders out of Nevada at No. 50 and traded him to the Clippers for Mohamed Diawara, the No. 51 pick.

Sanders, 23, is a 6-9 wing player who averaged 15.8 points per game last season.

The Clippers chose Penn State center Yanic Konan Niederhauser with the 30th and final pick in the first round on Wednesday.

Some three hours before the Clippers used the 30th and final pick in the first round of the NBA draft to select Penn State’s Yanic Konan Niederhauser, the two top choices went as predicted and then the rest of the order was all over the place Wednesday.

In Konan Niederhauser, the Clippers got a 7-foot center and that was one of the positions they needed help to back up starter Ivica Zubac.

“We always go into the draft board looking for the best available player, and it also coincides this time with a need,” said Lawrence Frank, the Clippers president of basketball operations. “We’ve kind of looked over the years for a center that complements Zu, that does something different than Zu does. Sometimes it’s resulted with guys being undersized where we haven’t been able to maximize it. Yanic has legit positional size and I think the rim-rolling threat, combined with what Zu’s play is, I think in due time will be really, really good.”

As expected, Duke’s talented Cooper Flagg was taken first overall by the Dallas Mavericks. Rutgers’ Dylan Harper, the son of former NBA star and former Laker Ron Harper, was taken second by the San Antonio Spurs.

The rest of the lottery started to take shape with a change, when Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe was taken third by the 76ers.

Duke’s Kon Knueppel went fourth to Charlotte; Rutgers’ Ace Bailey went fifth to the Jazz; Texas’ Tre Johnson went sixth to the Wizards; Oklahoma’s Jeremiah Fears went seventh to the Pelicans; BYU’s Egor Demin went eighth to the Nets; South Carolina’s Collin Murray-Boyles went ninth to the Raptors; Duke’s Khaman Maluach went 10th to the Rockets (but he was traded to the Suns); Washington State’s Cedric Coward was taken 11th by the Trail Blazers (he was traded to the Grizzlies; France’s Noa Esse went 12th to the Bulls, Maryland’s Derik Queen went 13th to the Hawks (he was traded to the Pelicans); and Arizona’s Carter Bryant was taken 14th by the Spurs.

Flagg was at the top of his draft class, a player the Mavericks really needed to take after trading fan favorite Luka Doncic to the Lakers last season, a trade that upset many of Dallas’ fans.

But they now get Flagg, who averaged 19.4 points, 7.5 rebounds and 4.2 assists in his only season with the Blue Devils.

Konan Niederhauser, 22, who grew up in Switzerland, has been dealing with an ankle injury the Clippers don’t think will be a problem.

He averaged 12.9 points and 6.3 rebounds last season at Penn State.

“I think the reason we decided with Yanic is that he’s got great positional size,” Frank said. “He also has some definite traits in the short term that will carry over, like his ability to run the floor, his ability to play behind the defense in the dunker spot, his ability to play screen-and-roll and be a vertical threat. Those are things that will carry over pretty much on day one.”

The Clippers are a veteran-laden team led by Kawhi Leonard and James Harden, and because of that, Coach Tyronn Lue said any young player they take should follow their lead.

“I think the biggest thing is, coming into the draft, if you’re not a Cooper Flagg, a one, two or three pick, you got to find your way, find your niche to get on the floor,” Lue told a group of fans at the team’s draft watch party at Intuit Dome on Wednesday. “Playing without the basketball, because when you come to this team, or any other team, with Kawhi Leonards, James Hardens on the floor, you’re not going to [get a lot of time]. You have to learn how to play the game and make your teammates better and things like that. And then the most important thing is your attitude.”

When the NBA draft continues Thursday with the second round, the Clippers will pick 51st.

The Lakers didn’t have a first-round pick, but they have a second-round pick at No. 55.

For the Clippers, they have a few things to get worked out.

Harden, who averaged 22.8 points per game, 8.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds and was third-team All-NBA, has a player option for $36.3 million and he has to inform the Clippers of his decision by Sunday.

The consensus around the NBA is that Harden will opt out and seek a two-year extension from the Clippers.

Nicolas Batum has a player option for next season that pays him $4.9 million and he has to let the team know by Sunday of his decision. Norman Powell has one more year on his deal that pays him $20.4 million next season and he also is looking for an extension.

The most pressing need the Lakers have is finding a rim-running, shot-blocking young center to put alongside Luka Doncic for the present and future.

But the Lakers don’t have a first-round pick to use in Wednesday night’s NBA draft, and when they do make their choice in the second round at No. 55 on Thursday night in the two-day event, that’s probably not where they are going to find that sort of talent.

So, the Lakers will look for the proverbial “best player available” and look to develop him and most likely have him play for the South Bay Lakers, their G League team.

The big news for the Lakers will be the contract status of Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves and Dorian Finney-Smith.

The Clippers, on the other hand, have the last pick in the first round of the draft, at No. 30. They also have the 51st overall pick in the second round.

And they too will be looking for the best player available with those selections.

With the unlikelihood of the draft providing them a rotation player, the Lakers will continue to build their team in other ways, from free agency to trades.

James, 40, has a player option for next season at $52.6 million and he has to let the Lakers know of his decision by June 29. He can opt-in to his deal with an extension or opt-out and sign a new contract.

James averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists and shot 51.3% from the field per game last season, and he was named to the All-NBA second team.

Doncic can sign an extension with the Lakers starting on Aug. 2. He will earn $45.9 million next season and $48.9 million for the 2026-27 season if he exercises his option.

He can sign a four-year extension for $229 million, with the $51-million first-year of that deal replacing his player option from 2026-27. Or Doncic could sign a three-year extension for $165 million, and that would include a player option for the third season.

Reaves is eligible to sign an extension off his $13.9-million salary for next season starting July 6. Reaves can sign a four-year deal for $89.2 million.

Finney-Smith has a player option that will pay him $15.3 million, and he too is looking for an extension.

Lawrence Frank, the president of basketball operations for the Clippers, talked in May about the team’s needs in the draft.

Frank said the Clippers could use some frontcourt help, a playmaker and some shooting.

Several NBA mock drafts have the Clippers taking Noah Penda at No. 30. He’s a 6-foot-8 forward from France. Penda, 20, played last season at Le Mans, where he averaged 10.9 points and 6.1 rebounds.

“In the draft, typically you’re always going for the best available, especially if it’s a younger player,” Frank told the media in May after the team had been eliminated from the first round of the playoffs by the Denver Nuggets. “Because by the time that player hits his prime, our team will be completely different. … So, you are drafting best available, but we have certain characteristics that we really prioritize.

“Positional size is important to us. Basketball IQ and processing is important to us. The ability to pass, dribble and shoot is important to us. And then the DNA, the makeup, the toughness, the competitiveness, examples of where they are really shown resiliency, grit. So, there’s a lot of things into it, but those typically are kind of in general of how we look at it.”

Clippers veterans James Harden, Nicolas Batum and Norman Powell also have contract decisions to make.

Harden has a player option for $36.3 million and he has to inform the Clippers of his decision by June 29. The consensus around the NBA is that Harden will opt out and seek a two-year extension from the Clippers.

Harden, 35, who averaged 22.8 points, 8.7 assists and 5.8 rebounds, made the All-Star team and was All-NBA third team.

Batum, a favorite of his teammates and Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, has a player option for next season that pays him $4.9 million and he has to let the team know by June 29 of his decision.

Powell, 32, has one more year on his deal that pays him $20.4 million next season. Powell, who averaged a career-high 21.8 points per game, also is likely looking for an extension.

There’s no Victor Wembanyama in the class headed to the NBA draft this week. There’s no Zaccharie Risacher, either. For the first time since 2022, the first pick in the draft will not be someone from France.

Wembanyama had that title in 2023. Risacher had it last year. This year, Duke’s Cooper Flagg is almost certain to go No. 1 to the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday when the draft begins at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. That doesn’t mean there isn’t going to be a ton of international representation in these 59 picks. Far from it.

It’s not outside the realm of possibility that somewhere around one-third of the picks called on Wednesday and Thursday will be players who either originally or currently hail from outside the United States — from the Bahamas, South Sudan, Russia, Canada, China, Australia, Lithuania, Spain, Israel, France and possibly more.

Some went to college in the U.S., others will be looking to come play in this country (or Canada, if the Toronto Raptors come calling) for the first time.

“The guys who came before us, these are guys that kind of created a path, like prepared the NBA to welcome Europeans and to make life easier for us,” said Stanford center Maxime Raynaud, a draft prospect from France. “And I think the best way to pay respect to that is just coming in with the hungriest mentality and the best work ethic possible.”

The one-third estimate — if it works out that way over the draft nights — might sound like a lot, but it isn’t. It actually is consistent with where the game is now, considering that roughly 30% of the players in the NBA this past season were born somewhere other than the U.S.

Some are names that are known in the U.S. from playing in college: Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe hails from the Bahamas and almost certainly will be a top-five pick, and Duke center Khaman Maluach — originally from South Sudan, and someone still learning the game — is a top-10 candidate.

“If you told me three years ago, I didn’t think I would be sitting here,” Maluach said. “But I knew one day I would be sitting here.”

A few stories from the international perspective to watch on Wednesday and Thursday:

Noa Essengue, France

He is a 6-foot-10 power forward who plays for the German club Ratiopharm Ulm. He is going to be drafted and almost certainly as a lottery pick.

Whether he gets to the draft is anyone’s guess; his team is still playing in its league championship series, so getting to New York might be tough. His club could clinch Tuesday, so a Wednesday arrival isn’t entirely impossible.

Joan Beringer, France

At 6-11 with a wingspan of nearly 7-4, Beringer — who played professionally in Slovenia — is intriguing because of his combination of size, footwork and high-level knowledge of how to play defense. Expect him to go somewhere around the middle of the first round.

Hugo Gonzalez, Spain

He debuted with Real Madrid in 2023 and long has been considered someone who’ll lead the next wave of players on Spain’s national team. That is extremely high praise for the 6-6 wing.

Nolan Traoré, France

An intriguing but very slender point guard, the 6-3 teenager should be a first-rounder. It’s not going to be a surprise if he’s one of at least three Frenchmen in the first 20 or so picks.

Hansen Yang, China

The inevitable Yao Ming comparisons will follow Yang, but a solid showing at last month’s draft combine have the Chinese center — who stands 7-1 and might still be growing — listed by many as a first-round prospect. He has excellent footwork and passing ability.