The Lakers are moving up in the second round of the draft and have a payday to figure out with Austin Reaves — neither of these things are earth-shattering or unexpected, but they are worth noting.

Austin Reaves declines extension

Austin Reaves isn’t looking to leave the Lakers, but he is looking to get paid.

As expected, Reaves declined the four-year, $89.2 million extension that was the max the Lakers could offer him, a story broken by Dan Woike at The Athletic. Reaves is set to make $13.9 million this coming season — less than the NBA’s mid-level exception — as the third year of the four-year, $54 million contract he inked in 2023. That contract was incredibly team-friendly when it was signed, but Reaves wanted to show his loyalty to the team that gave him a chance.

Next summer, Reaves will opt out of the final year of that contract and become an unrestricted free agent — the man wants to get paid. He is the third scoring option on a team with title aspirations, a guy who averaged 20.2 points per game last season, shooting 37.7% from 3, and who can create shots for himself and others. Reaves’ likely next payday will be more in the four-year, $120 million range (or higher).

Expect Reaves to come up in a lot of trade rumors in the next year — teams will wonder, with Doncic in the fold, if the Lakers want to pay another negative defender that much. Teams will call and see if the Lakers are open to a trade. Both the Lakers and Reaves “seem committed to maintaining their partnership,” Woike wrote. He noted that at his youth basketball camp in Arkansas this summer, Reaves said he wanted to play his entire career with the Lakers.

Reaves is a fan favorite the Lakers are unlikely to trade, but never say never in the NBA (the Lakers now have Doncic, after all). Whatever happens, Reaves is going to get paid.

Lakers trade up in 2025 NBA Draft

The news on Thursday is that the Lakers are trading up in the second round of the NBA Draft from No. 55 — their only pick in either round — to No. 45, a story broken by Shams Charania of The Athletic. The Lakers are sending the No. 55 pick and cash to the Chicago Bulls for the No. 45 pick.

The Lakers are more likely to find a player that can help at No. 45 than at No. 55. The last three No. 45 picks were:

• 2024: Jamal Shead, who played in 75 games for the Kings last season, averaging 7.1 points a game in nearly 20 minutes a night.
• 2023: G.G. Jackson, who showed real promise for Memphis when thrust into a bigger role his rookie season and has averaged 11.8 points a game in the 77 he has played for the team in two years.
• 2022: Josh Minott, who has played in 93 games for the Grizzlies across the last three seasons.

The Lakers are highly unlikely to find a game changer at this point in the draft, but if moving up 10 spots nets them a rotation player (or someone who can grow into that role over time), then the move will be worth it. They are more likely to find that kind of player at No. 45 than at No. 55.