June 1: The Pelicans have officially informed both the league and the Lakers that they’ll be deferring the pick to 2025, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
May 31: The Pelicans intend to defer the unprotected first-round pick the Lakers owe them until 2025, a source tells Christian Clark of The Times-Picayune. Reporters from ESPN and HoopsHype confirmed the news (Twitter links).
New Orleans technically has until Saturday at 10:59 pm CT to let the NBA know its intentions. According to Clark, the Pelicans will likely wait until a day to make the move official.
Clark reported a few weeks ago that the Pelicans were leaning toward deferring the pick, which is No. 17 overall in the 2024 NBA draft. Now that a decision has been reached, the Lakers will control that selection. Once the new league year begins on July 1, they’ll also be able to trade their 2029 and 2031 first-rounders.
As cap expert Yossi Gozlan observes (via Twitter), deferring the pick was always viewed as the logical outcome for New Orleans. The Pelicans already control the No. 21 pick in what is perceived as a weak draft, and pushing the pick back a year will remove a $3.8MM cap hold from their books, which is pretty significant given the team’s financial situation.
The 2025 first-rounder that L.A. will send New Orleans is the final outgoing piece of the Anthony Davis trade from 2019, Clark writes. If the Lakers struggle next season, it’s possible it could be a lottery selection in what is viewed as a much stronger draft class. L.A. went 47-35 this season, entering the playoffs as the West’s No. 7 seed before being eliminated in the first round by the defending-champion Nuggets.
In addition to the 2025 first-round pick from the Lakers, the Pels also control Milwaukee’s 2027 first-round pick (from the Jrue Holiday trade) and all of their own future firsts.
This Lakers pick is available for trade immediately
No it’s not. Can’t trade future picks in back to back years. Lakers need to make the pick themselves before it that player can be traded.
While true Will, I think the Bot’s intentions meant “on the market” which it most certainly is.
I congratulate you on your ability to get bots to admit what they are. Your skills are impressive lol
You are right
Lakers have
2024 #17pick
2029
2031 – the next Big Thing
“You are right”… finally admitting you’re a bot eh?
Good bot.
Can’t trade future picks, but you can trade players after they’re picked.
Rich Paul wants Garland for the Lakers
Lakers GMs want Mitchell
They won’t get either of them. If one of the two becomes available this summer, which isn’t that unlikely, there will be better offers than everything the Lakers can offer.
Lakers could have already had Garland. Should have included Kuzma instead of the #4 pick that got flipped to Indiana for the De’Andre Hunter dude.
With the 17th pick of the NBA draft, the Los Angeles Lakers select Bronny James
Do you also do standup?
We know you don’t.
Durrrrrrrrrrrrr
Vincent JHS and Wood plus this pick qualifies for Bruce Brown but damn that’s an omission of incompetence by the front office- Their last 2 1st rders and a dully flushed Full MLE for a year rental (w early bird later) Woof
Their were some grumblings with Portis in Mil before the last TD – Id do Vincent and this pick for Portis if there’s still beef
*Caruso the ultimate target but their was news that just broke Chi wouldn’t ever consider trading with LAL when LBJ was present over some MJ legacy Bs
What? They are not rumors that the Bulls won’t trade with the Lakers. However, AKME love Caruso and are stupid enough to not trade him and sign him to an extension. He’s fantastic, but makes no sense on this team that needs to be broken up for as many assets as possible.
Probably a good move by the pelicans.
It’s a week draft class, you already have a bunch of young pieces, you also already have the 21st overall pick. Not exactly like you need another rookie when you’re trying to compete.
Your kinda banking on the lakers to do worse which could happen, LeBron did opt out and if he’s gone then that’s lottery bound for sure.
Even with Bron there, are they going to be better next season?
I don’t see them making a terrific underpriced signing in FA unless it’s CP3. Dlo basically had a career year I don’t see him doing that again especially after the playoffs he just had.
They are going to have yet another new head coach they’ll have to learn the roster and then teach the roster how he wants them to play and their candidates so far have all been underwhelming.
Pelicans could potentially be ending up with a pick at maybe 10th in a much stronger draft class.
I have always thought Bron was a HOF player. He’s really become one of best Ever. There is no best ever in a team game. If you understand this game. You understand that.
But I’m not a fan of BronGM, never have been. No player runs my team. My best players (with an (s), plural). Would have input in player decisions. No player is running my team. This is a team game. No player is in a position to play GM. Being successful in a team sport. Takes a good team. Management, Ownership, Coaches, players.
Only way Lakers become relevant. Is by a major trade. Even then it’s not guaranteed. Ask Denver and Minnesota. Bron is literally on his last legs. To depend on this to win a ring. Is like depending on Luka to play great D. What I can’t wait to see. Is the mess Bron leaves when He Leaves ……..
So the Lakers pay all that money to Pelinka to do what? Pretend to be the GM? And what happens if they let him go? He’s just never going to get a job anywhere else because he’s been an actor this whole time?
Every team in the NBA who has a great player/players consults them on additions or changes to the roster. Probably because, and this is just off the top of my head here, they share the court with said roster pieces! Incredible stuff!
Every party in LA involved in this nonsense conspiracy theory has said LeBron does not have the final say and he does not want the final say. There is not one shred of evidence suggesting the opposite. Angry troll tweets and (admittedly funny) memes may be viral, but they aren’t evidence.
I think my favorite part about this whole thing is that there is a player GM and he plays in the same damn arena, yet nobody seems to blame the fun guy for Shai’s departure. Because LeBron memes get clicks and Kawhi hate doesn’t. Its cool to hate LeBron. Its cool to be a contrarian. There’s a generation of kids who haven’t seen more than 2 minutes of Jordan highlights saying Bron could never be the goat because they’d get mocked otherwise.
I sleep well at night knowing hatred of 1 player doesn’t influence all of my thoughts on the game. I sleep even better knowing LeBron James haunts the thoughts of so many basketball “fans”
He isn’t the act alone GM, but he has had his “deals” he’s had the Lakers make. Some of their re-signings, the Westbrook trade, etc.
That said, he’s consistently held his team’s hostage threatening them to either get the guys he wants or he would leave.
That’s just a fact, it isn’t speculation. There’s a reason some of his closest friends on his teams have gotten absurd contracts they really didn’t deserve.
This doesn’t have to be either he’s the sole GM and makes all the decisions or he isn’t. The truth is he’s used his leverage to force his teams to make several moves, and the truth is the majority of those moves were really bad ones.
So Giannis saying to the media that we would be okay leaving the Bucks one day, his talk about needing to be competitive, talking about playing with another star…. That wasn’t leveraging his roster status to pull off the Dame trade?
Has Bron influenced actions taken by the Lakers? Of course. But at the end of the day the front office has the ability to do what they want to do. If they’re scared that he’ll leave (every team in the NBA worries about their star player leaving) thats totally on them.
Kawhi is closer to an actual GM than Bron is and thats not up for debate.
LOL wave those pom poms. Lakers stink, bron is nowhere near the goat. Maybe those kids you speak of have good parents. Free thinkers educated on the game go their own way. The brain washed sheep follow the self confessed media driven goat. Plenty of evidence in that argument against your false soft team stacking idol. Would you like to continue? The james vs jordan match up is easily, easily debunked rather quickly.
Lmao has nothing to do with the Lakers as a franchise. Not sure why you insist that Im some LA lover. Reading is definitely not your strong suit.
I can only hope that you aren’t a parent.
Not going to matter, Lakers/Lebron don’t play rookies. Christie and Hood Scifino have not played meaningful minutes since being on the team.
Lakers still stink. Pelicans backing the lakers to do ever worse LOL Go Lake Show.
Almost that wonderful time of the year when lakers trade for luka, embiid, Jokic, Giannis, mitchell, kat etc. Been a while since the old special of Tatum and Brown can’t play together or like each other in anyway has done the rounds. Bomb the pick, hire JJ and sign Harden already.