Lakers purchase No. 56 pick from Bulls in 2026 NBA Draft second round
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The Los Angeles Lakers re-entered the 2026 NBA Draft on Wednesday night by buying the No. 56 overall selection from the Chicago Bulls, league sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Charania reported that the deal, completed before the second round began at 8 p.m. ET, sends cash considerations to Chicago and gives Los Angeles its only pick of the drafts second day.
Why the Lakers paid for a late pick
Los Angeles opened the night without any selections after making its lone first-round move on Tuesday. Acquiring a late second-rounder keeps the front office in position to add inexpensive talent—an increasingly important strategy under the NBA’s new collective bargaining agreement, which limits overall spending but allows teams to purchase draft slots.
The franchise has a recent track record of finding value outside the first round. Guards Max Christie (No. 35 in 2024) and Adou Thiero (No. 45 in 2025) were both acquired via second-round trades, while undrafted guard Austin Reaves became a rotation mainstay after signing in 2021.
Recap of the Lakers’ first-round activity
On the drafts opening night, the Lakers moved up from No. 25 to No. 24 in a cash deal with the New York Knicks and selected Baylor wing Cameron Carr. The 6-foot-7 prospect entered the league praised for his athleticism, seven-foot wingspan and improving perimeter shot.
Because Los Angeles used cash in both its first- and second-round transactions, the club is now hard-capped at the second apron of the salary cap. However, the Lakers are still projected to remain under that threshold.
The identity of the player to be taken at No. 56—or whether the Lakers will attempt to move even higher before the draft concludes—remained unknown at press time.
Source: LakersNation.com
